Will the major reorganization launched in 2021 by Sophie Brochu, CEO of Hydro-Québec, continue despite her departure? Several executives resent his decision to leave the ship in the midst of upheaval.
• Read also: Surprise resignation of the CEO of Hydro-Québec
In February 2021, CEO Sophie Brochu announced to her employees an organizational reform: the disappearance of the Generation, Transmission and Distribution divisions to create a single large Hydro-Québec. Division presidents would become VPs. executives of a single entity.
“The idea was good, but it created internal confusion. Several executives are demobilized. We now manage the maintenance of a street pole, a pylon, a high voltage line of hundreds of millions of dollars and a power plant of billions of dollars in the same group, but with several systems and disparate processes”, explains an executive at Hydro-Québec, on condition of anonymity.
“It’s like trying to convince a school teacher that he can teach young people, teenagers and academics in the same school. It’s not realistic,” he adds.
Who will carry the ball?
The CEO announces her departure as engineers and executives are in standby mode, and as efficiency losses accumulate in the company.
“A reorganization like this can take up to 10 years,” said a former Hydro-Quebec executive, who was present in 2021 and who also wishes to remain anonymous. “During his passage, Mr.me Brochu impressed the unions with his communication skills. But managers are still suffering from this restructuring. »
As the reorganization was led by Mr.me Brochu, what will happen to the project once the new management is in place?
“She didn’t necessarily have a mandate to do that, which came from a broad and transparent consultation. It is his project. So once she’s gone, who’s going to be the running back? asks Pierre-Olivier Pineau, professor at HEC Montréal.
“No matter who pushes the project, employees are likely to be even less motivated, because they will wonder if the next CEO, in a few months, will continue in the same way,” he adds.
hard to swallow
In February 2022, Hydro-Québec announced another step in its reorganization, namely the creation of four groups: Strategies and Development, Integrated Planning of Energy Needs, Infrastructures and Energy System, and Operations and Customer Experience.
“We have announced the end of divisions and the creation of four groups that form the value chain,” said Caroline Des Rosiers, spokesperson for Hydro-Québec. “In June 2022, we announced details of the structure. Since then, we have been working on improving processes and optimizing our tools and systems. “.
The Hydro-Quebec executives we spoke to remain concerned. “We expected to see a slowdown in efficiency, but we thought it was for the best in the long term,” said one of them. “But in the middle of the game, Mme Brochu leaves. It’s hard to swallow for many. “.
THE GREAT CHANGE AT HYDRO IN THREE DATES
February 2021: In a message to employees, Sophie Brochu announces the upcoming abolition of the three divisions (production, transmission and distribution). Hydro-Québec is consolidating its operations into a single entity in order to work in a more “collaborative” manner.
February 2022: Hydro-Québec announces a change in its “transversal” structure, which now includes four groups: Strategies and Development, Integrated Planning of Energy Needs, Infrastructures and Energy System, and Operations and Customer Experience.
January 2023: Sophie Brochu announces that she will be leaving Hydro-Québec on April 11.