Telefonica is to extend its new recognition programme across Latin America in March.
The plan, which was rolled out across Europe in autumn 2013, has been aligned with the technology organisation’s latest global transformation programme.
Natasha Rice, director of reward and recognition at Telefonica Europe, spoke about the recognition plan and the transformation programme in a session at Employee Benefits Connect on 27 February.
She said: “In July 2013, we announced a new global transformation programme, centred around the strapline, ‘Be more’.
“It is about how technology, which is what we do, changes the way you live your life. It enables people to ‘Be more’. It was a gift to the HR team.”
Rice and her team used the transformation programme to develop a single global recognition plan, which will eventually be available to 130,000 employees across 24 countries.
Rice added: “We had a great culture of recognition, but it was locally specific.”
The plan, Recognition_D, is an online platform, available as a web application to be used on smartphones or laptops.
It builds on the transformation programme’s three Ds: Discover, Disrupt and Deliver.
Employees can send out one of the three D’s to their colleagues, tailoring the recognition to individuals or to groups. They can also change the language setting, if necessary.
“It has also been incorporated within Yammer, which we use globally to share ideas and work interactively,” said Rice.
In autumn 2013, the recognition plan was piloted in the UK, where Telefonica is known under the brand O2.
It has since been rolled out across Europe and will be launched across Latin America in March.
Since its launch in Europe, 3,324 D’s have been handed out among employees.
Rice added: “Belief in the transformation programme, ‘Be More’, has made the recognition programme more successful.”