How Hitachi Energy Saved $20M by Ending Costly Turnover
By equipping supervisors with practical leadership skills, Hitachi Energy reversed costly turnover. The result: more engaged teams, stronger performance, and measurable savings in under two years.
The Need
Rapid Growth, Rising Turnover
Hitachi Energy’s North American Transformer business was expanding quickly. But growth brought pressure: high turnover, inexperienced supervisors, and inconsistent leadership were putting productivity and engagement at risk.
Nearly 90% of supervisors had been in the organization for less than two years, and many were first‑time leaders. Without a shared leadership standard, teams struggled with engagement, collaboration, and retention—threatening Hitachi Energy’s ability to deliver on customer commitments.
Hitachi Energy knew one thing was clear: frontline leaders would determine whether growth was sustainable.
The Solution
A Common Leadership Language at the Front Line
Hitachi Energy partnered with DDI to equip supervisors with the skills—and confidence—they needed to lead effectively from day one.
Using a DDI Leadership Development Subscription, Hitachi Energy launched a structured frontline leadership program focused on the behaviors that matter most on the plant floor. The program emphasized practical skill application, role‑relevant examples, and a shared framework leaders could use in daily interactions.
The result was a consistent operating model for leadership—what Hitachi Energy leaders described as a set of “Standard Operating Procedures for Human Interactions.”
Core focus areas included what Hitachi calls the “3C’s”:
- Communication
- Coaching
- Conflict management
You can have all the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment available, but still without trained and motivated people to operate it, it will be just a piece of steel.
Bartek Wielebnowski, Global Operations Manager, Hitachi Energy
The Result
$20M Saved in 18 Months
The impact was immediate—and measurable.
Within 18 months of launching the program:
- Turnover dropped 80% among salaried employees
- Hourly employee turnover fell 25%
- $20 million in turnover‑related costs were avoided
Participants also said:
- “I felt challenged to think about my future and what I can do to better myself.”
- “The tools, techniques, and principles were super relevant. I can start applying them NOW!”
- “It showed me that the company is interested in helping develop future leaders.”
- “I felt emotionally safe to share my own experiences.”
Frontline leaders became more capable, more consistent, and better equipped to engage their teams. Engagement rose, operational stability improved, and Hitachi Energy strengthened its ability to meet growth demands.
The positivity of the team members was palpable as I toured the factory. I can tell that investing in our people’s development is encouraging our employees and building trust in the organization.
CP Vyas, Head of Global Operations, Hitachi Energy