Case Study: Telefónica achieves 41% HR cost reduction and a unified digital HR platform with SAP SuccessFactors

Going Digital with SAP SuccessFactors Solutions to Keep Employees Connected

Telefonica, a global telecommunications leader with about 127,000 employees across 21 countries, faced a highly fragmented HR landscape—175 legacy HR systems across 170 entities—and lacked a single source of people data, mobile self-service, and standardized processes. To drive digitalization, enable shared services, and support data-driven decisions, Telefonica selected SAP SuccessFactors (including Employee Central, Performance & Goals, Recruiting, Learning, the mobile app, and SAP Jam) as its core HR platform.

SAP SuccessFactors delivered a cloud-based HCM suite deployed rapidly (Performance & Goals in 100 days; Recruiting and Learning in six months; Employee Central rolled out country-by-country), consolidating HR into one platform and centralizing shared services into three hubs. The implementation unified processes and data for Telefonica, improved traceability, accessibility, and employee self-service, and helped achieve a 41% reduction in HR costs over four years while replacing 175 disparate systems with a single source of truth.

Telefonica

Catherine Leaver

Global HR Transformation Director