Supernova Award Category
The Problem
Hershey’s employee base is extremely diverse and dispersed, with several different generations working in tandem globally. While Hershey recognized the value of employee recognition in uniting global employees, the company’s employee survey revealed that their Recognition and Reward program was the item with the greatest decline on the survey - down 8% from the previous year.
Upon further evaluation, Hershey found that the decline was due to inconsistent employee experiences resulting from a wide array of functional recognition programs, poor visibility and redundant solutions across the business. To implement a consistent strategy for recognition that would unite the employees across the globe, Hershey turned to Globoforce.
The Solution
Hershey tasked Globoforce to develop a true culture of recognition for the company. The goal of the new program was to consolidate disparate recognition and reward programs into a global solution to drive engagement and support Hershey’s Best Place to Work culture. Success criteria for the new, global program involved increased participation and engagement scores, budget controls and process effectiveness.
Hershey created the SMILES recognition and reward program. It links to Hershey’s core values of Open to Possibilities, Growing Together, Making a Difference, and One Hershey. It’s open to all employees across the globe in multiple languages. Employees can send their peers SMILES through a website or mobile app. Paper options are also available for Hershey’s offline employees in factory environments.
Points-based rewards are redeemable for thousands of merchandise and gift card options around the world, depending on where the employee is based.
The results
After just one week of SMILES implementation, 8.7% of Hershey’s total employees were recognized. After one year, more than 50,000 SMILES were awarded, with 68% of those rewards stemming from company leaders. Additionally, 81% of the recognition occurred across different countries, which is crucial for Hershey’s global workforce. The program also achieved 100% cross organization recognition within its first year. The team was also pleased to see the frequency of recognition increase, with 8% of employees being recognized on a weekly basis. Hershey’s employee engagement scores increased year over year with 11% increase in 2014 and 7% increase in 2015.
The company now has much greater standing in terms of establishing a strong culture of employee recognition. Hershey is currently building a roadmap to include all recognition activities in Hershey SMILES, including wellbeing initiatives, sales contest, and life changes. Where giving recognition previously involved a lot of process, company leaders are now capable of providing recognition more frequently with less hassle.
Metrics
After one year, the SMILES program exceeded benchmarks and served as a model for other companies looking for similar solutions. In the first week of the SMILES program, almost 9% of the company’s employees were recognized. Within the first three months of its implementation, more than 40% of Hershey employees had participated. Within the first seven months, employee satisfaction with rewards and recognition increased by 11%.
To date, more than 65,000 SMILES have been awarded to employees, with 100% of the languages in the tool utilized and 81% country-to-country recognition. Additionally, Hershey employees can earn millions of rewards from both domestic and international brand companies as well as buy company-branded apparel.
The Technology
Globoforce’s social recognition platform, used widely by Fortune 500 companies, offers a simple user interface and was supported by a team of experienced consultants who advised on best practices and helped with the implementation for Hershey SMILES. Hershey chose Globoforce for its reputation as a leader in social recognition, ability to offer a global solution and easy-to-use technology.
Disruptive Factor
Hershey faced a challenge to unite its globally dispersed workforce. The company wanted to develop a true culture of recognition that would consolidate all of their disparate recognition and reward programs into a global solution to drive engagement and support Hershey’s Best Place to Work culture. In order to accomplish this, Hershey chose Globoforce as their partner, and created the SMILES recognition and reward program. Since launching, the SMILES program has exceeded Hershey’s benchmarks and achieved the following:
- In the first week of the SMILES program, 8.7% of the company was recognized- After one year, more than 50,000 smiles were awarded, with 68% of those rewards coming from leaders- 81% of the recognition occurred across different countries, and the program achieved 100% cross organization recognition within its first year- Employee engagement scores have been consistently increasing with11% in 2014 and 7% in 2015 after SMILES was implemented- More than 80,000 recognition moments delivered since launch
Shining Moment
Following the one-year anniversary of the launch of Hershey SMILES, Globoforce named Hershey the winner of its Innovator Award to recognize the program’s effective implementation and continual incorporation of new and effective ideas.