Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Hitachi Ltd. is leading the charge in digital systems, renewable energy, railway systems, healthcare products, and financial systems. Hitachi’s global mobility program was rapidly growing and outpacing the capacity of their team. With around 1,300 current mobile employees and plans to expand to a 2,000+ Hitachi needed a way to drive more efficiency – and fast. They turned to the Equus Platform to help in their transformation journey.
Streamlining Global Payroll Processes
Hitachi’s global mobility program was managed differently in each of the regions, which led to disparate data and inefficiencies across the teams. To accelerate their transformation, an international team of mobility experts was formed from within the business to transform and unify their program globally. The team’s priority was streamlining global payroll. Their goal was ambitious: gather requirements and design new payroll processes across 13 different areas in time to meet their go-live timeline.
Understanding the urgency and complexity of Hitachi’s needs, Equus proposed an intense, week-long onsite workshop so the companies could effectively collaborate, problem solve and scope the payroll transformation project.
A Collaborative Approach
What would have taken 4.5 months of online work was about to be condensed into one powerful week. The stakes were high, but so was the energy in the room.
Teams worked around the clock with the shared goal of transforming Hitachi’s global payroll approach. One participant recalled the experience:
“The onsite session was a game-changer for us. Condensing months of work into one week not only kept us on track with our go-live timeline but also fostered an unprecedented level of collaboration and morale among our international team.”
– Hitachi Ltd
The intense collaboration paid off. By the end of the week, Hitachi had achieved what seemed impossible: comprehensive payroll requirements were gathered, and new processes were designed, creating the foundation for a successful go-live.
A Successful and Go-Live
Hitachi’s use of the Equus Platform didn’t stop at payroll. They integrated a wide range of functionalities including:
- Cost Estimates (CE)
- Mobile Employee Experience (MEE)
- Checklists
- HR Portal
- Vendor Management
- Extensive Integrations
Initially focused on Japan to US moves, Hitachi plans to expand these capabilities to other regions in the future. Despite their decentralized structure, Hitachi has tailored their processes within the Equus platform to meet their unique needs, demonstrating adaptability and foresight.
With the foundation laid, Hitachi is now gearing up for the next phases:
- Completing the Japan to US payroll phase.
- Onboarding more countries onto the payroll and Equus platform.
- Standardizing GM processes across the Hitachi group, moving from a decentralized to a centralized approach.
A Long-Term Partnership
Hitachi Ltd.’s collaboration with Equus Software is a testament to the power of focused teamwork. As Hitachi continues to expand and refine their processes, they will leverage the Equus Platform to drive innovation and excellence across their global operations.
Contact us today to streamline your global payroll processes.
