Digital Upskilling: How PwC Is Ensuring No Employees Get Left Behind In The Digital Revolution

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Mike Fenlon is the Chief People Officer at PwC US, a global network of firms with 208,000 people across 158 countries. PwC firms provided services to 429 of the Global Fortune 500 companies and more than 100,000 entrepreneurial and private businesses 

Mike has responsibility for employer branding and social media, talent acquisition, analytics and talent management.  He has held a variety of senior leadership roles in human capital since joining PwC, including strategy, operations and lead generalist roles. Mike is a psychologist with expertise in strategic and organizational change, talent management and leadership development. 

PwC is focusing on an inclusive agenda to assist people to become ‘digitally fit’. To that end, they have created an app. The app allows people to take an assessment that gives them personalized feedback on their digital fitness across a number of domains. Based on their assessment they will be provided with a connection to learning assets and an individualized training plan. The plan could include articles to read or other resources that are available.

There is really no option to opt out of this drive for digital fitness because every domain of life and business is being transformed. Therefore, it is critical for everyone to be involved in some manner.

They are also working in areas to ‘digitally up-skill’ people. One way they are working on this is through their Accelerator Program. This has an inclusive agenda to ensure that all people are involved.

Specifically, the Accelerator Program involves a focus on design thinking, digital storytelling, and leadership skills. It also includes a deep dive on data – how to structure data, clean data, do analytics using tools and how to drive automation. Currently there are about 1,000 people in this first cohort.

Mike’s advice for companies to digitally up-skill employees:

● This is an agenda for everyone – not just for some people. It needs to be an inclusive agenda for all people, regardless of age, industry, level of employment, etc..
● It needs to be a personal agenda. Create a personalized experience
● Make it fun and socializing. This accelerates learning and is beneficial for culture
● We all have an obligation to not leave anyone behind in the community as a whole

What You Will Learn In This Episode:

● What is the PwC Digital Accelerator Program
● How PwC is ensuring no employees get left behind
●Why the message to become digitally fit is not based on age, level of employment, education, etc.
● Mike’s view of leadership
● Why Mike is not worried about automation taking over jobs

Links from the episode:

Mike Fenlon on LinkedIn

Twitter: @michaelfenlonNY

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