Awards management app

To help AstraZeneca maximise employee involvement in the annual GMD Awards initiative and minimise costs for our client, we delivered an easy-to-use awards management app that exudes vibrancy and personality.

Background

AstraZeneca’s GMD (Global Medicines Development) function is, simply put, responsible for the transformation of molecules into medicines that will change people’s lives. This division of AstraZeneca is home to around 5,000 employees, mainly concentrated in Sweden (Gothenburg), UK (Cambridge) and US (Gaithersburg). GMD scientists also research from other global locations to support key clinical and pharmaceutical development activity, the management of clinical trial sites and monitoring in approximately 40 countries.

The GMD Awards, part of the Passion for People initiative, is an annual event designed to celebrate the outstanding achievements of employees within the division, all over the world. This time, the awards ceremony was hosted in Sweden and broadcast live to 8 global locations.

Challenge

In an effort to maximise employee involvement in the annual initiative and minimise costs at the same time, AstraZeneca wanted to move from a paper-based process to a digital one, an awards management app. This move would also serve to demonstrate to teams all over the world that AstraZeneca is committed to innovative and results-focused ideas across all areas of the organisation, not just in science-led ones.

Solution

To keep costs to a minimum, without compromising on quality, effectiveness or engagement levels, we adapted an off-the-shelf mobile app that allowed GMD employees to nominate their peers or be nominated by them in as many as 7 categories. The customisable app was brought to life with a vibrant branding solution we developed that exudes confidence and charisma.

As well as supporting the global management of nominations, the user-friendly app also supports reporting functions and live communications during the awards ceremonies. The awards management app also allows the GMD steering group to review and approve all nominations received, and choose finalists and winners from all locations. Overall, the app facilitated the nomination process for 1,500 staff globally, instilling a sense of fun and teamwork in a cost-effective way.

The app also acted as a social engagement tool in the run-up to and during the various awards ceremonies, encouraging employees to share photos and public messages of support. The app also includes private messaging functionality, with our team providing on-site support to ensure the smooth running of the app.