For the first time this year, Telenor was granted the Family-friendly Company award created by the Three Princes, Three Princesses Foundation. The award considers the integral development of family-friendly measures, rewards new and innovative ideas and analyses the relationship between management concepts and the real needs and life situations of colleagues.
Telenor requests employee feedback about satisfaction with workplace atmosphere on a monthly basis. The highest score was given at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. While in 2019 only 65% said they were motivated by the company’s empathic atmosphere, this ratio increased to 76% after the company’s first COVID-related measures. “It makes me proud when external actors confirm that we are right to put our employees first. The #peoplefirst principle is the first pillar of our business strategy and the starting point of our activities and initiatives that are not confined to the physical office environment,” said Judit Endrei-Kiss, Chief HR Officer of Telenor.
For years, the mobile operator has been committed to initiatives making a difference in employees’ private lives outside the office. The range of family-friendly programs is being continuously expanded in line with employees’ needs and with their active involvement. In March 2020, the COVID pandemic sharpened the focus of existing traditional benefits and activities on employees’ mental well-being.
Increased commitment to well-being
Family-friendly measures were given an even higher priority in 2021. Celebrating Mothers’ Day, the company held a short working day for all employees on 30 April. In the summer, it introduced a 4-week paternity leave joining the ranks of employers that provide a longer time off to their employees in the exciting and important period after their child is born. During the summer, an employee support program titled “You Can Count on Us” was launched to promote the mental health and well-being of colleagues. As part of this service, both employees and their family members can consult specialists free of charge when facing a personal, financial or legal challenge. Colleagues who got their COVID vaccine received one extra day off from Telenor.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the company has conducted regular employee satisfaction surveys to identify problems and challenges. To support remote education, laptops and notebooks were collected within the company, and meals were home delivered to employees and their families from the HQ’s canteen starting from the first week of the pandemic. Several webinars, online forums were held and developments were put in place to improve the health and safety of employees. The Telenor Solidarity Fund was established to raise funds among colleagues to be distributed to employees in need based on an application scheme.
Home office was common practice for Telenor before, but due to the pandemic, every Monday and Friday were made mandatory long-term home office days. Employees can also take their children to the office if needed. For long years, Telenor has had one dog day per week when colleagues can have their pets with them in the office.