Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY COSTS

v3.24.3
TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY COSTS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]  
TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY COSTS TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY COSTS
As previously disclosed, we are undertaking an enterprise-wide transformation of our organization that includes various projects and initiatives, including workforce reductions and changes in processes and technology, that impact our global direct and indirect operating costs. For the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, our transformation strategy activities primarily consisted of the following:
Transformation 2.0: Based on efficiencies gained as a part of Transformation 1.0, and in connection with changes in our executive leadership in 2020, we identified and reprioritized certain then-current and future investments, including investments in our workforce, portfolio of businesses and technology (such projects, collectively, “Transformation 2.0”). Specifically, we identified opportunities to reduce spans and layers of management, began a review of our business portfolio and identified opportunities to invest in certain technologies, including financial reporting and certain schedule, time and pay systems, to reduce global indirect operating costs, provide better visibility, and reduce reliance on legacy systems and coding languages. Our organizational structure review indicated an opportunity to realize initial savings of approximately $400 million with potential opportunities to save up to an additional $240 million through the reduction of spans and layers of management with an anticipation that these savings would be recurring. The business portfolio review was expanded in 2022. As a result thereof, we determined to exit certain businesses that were not aligned with our corporate strategy and determined to make new investments into certain businesses, including healthcare-focused businesses, better aligned to our strategic targets. In connection therewith, we incurred costs primarily consisting of outside professional fees related to these reviews and other costs related to these transactions. Lastly, our review of our systems and technologies identified certain areas of our business that were reliant on outdated technologies. Our reviews determined that continued use of these legacy technologies would likely increase maintenance costs and that investments into new technologies would enhance our ability to leverage our data and allow us to establish a more flexible system architecture. As of December 31, 2023, we substantially completed our initiatives to reduce spans and layers of management and achieved savings in line with our anticipated benefits. Our ongoing efforts under Transformation 2.0 include initiatives related to our financial systems and our business portfolio review. As of September 30, 2024, we have incurred $785 million of costs as part of Transformation 2.0. Transformation 2.0 initiatives are expected to conclude during 2025, with anticipated remaining costs of approximately $115 million primarily related to completion of our technology initiatives.
During 2023, we implemented our "Fit to Serve" initiative, which is intended to right-size our business for the future through a workforce reduction of approximately 12,000 positions and create a more efficient operating model to enhance responsiveness to changing market dynamics.
Accruals for separation costs of $101 and $205 million within Fit to Serve were included in our consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. Separations accrued as of December 31, 2023 have been substantially completed and we expect that amounts accrued as of September 30, 2024 will be paid through the first half of 2025. As of September 30, 2024, we have incurred total costs of $370 million and anticipate that we will incur additional costs of approximately $100 million under Fit to Serve. Fit to Serve is expected to conclude in 2025.
Compensation and benefit costs under these programs during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 are primarily related to severance costs incurred in conjunction with reductions in our workforce. We are primarily accounting for these separations under ASC Topic 712 as they have been, or will be, carried out under a plan which provides a contractual termination benefit to impacted employees. The nature of our separation initiatives has resulted in a relatively short period of time, typically less than one year, between the point at which the separation meets the criteria for recognition as an accrual and the point at which the separation is completed.
Other expenses incurred in furtherance of our transformation strategy have been primarily related to fees paid to third-party service providers that supported modernization of our corporate support functions, assisted in our strategic reviews and contributed to our financial systems transition and healthcare strategy and generally have not been incurred as a result of restructuring, exit or disposal activities and as period costs, have not given rise to restructuring, exit or disposal liabilities. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, other expenses included impairment costs resulting from our business portfolio review and costs related to financial systems investments, both as part of Transformation 2.0. These costs, while not material to the three- or nine-month period, support the broader goals of our Transformation 2.0 program.
The table below presents transformation strategy costs for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 (in millions):
Three Months Ended
 September 30,
Nine Months Ended
 September 30,
2024 2023 2024 2023
Transformation Strategy Costs:
Compensation and benefits $ 110  $ 80  $ 161  $ 178 
Other expenses
44  14  66  58 
Total Transformation Strategy Costs
$ 154  $ 94  $ 227  $ 236 
Income Tax Benefit from Transformation Strategy Costs
(38) (24) (55) (57)
After-Tax Transformation Strategy Costs
$ 116  $ 70  $ 172  $ 179 
The income tax effects of transformation strategy costs are calculated by multiplying the amount of the expense by the statutory tax rates applicable in each tax jurisdiction.