Digital Workspace

CDW Executive SummIT to Examine the Continually Evolving Workplace

Having weathered dramatic changes over the past few years, many organizations are finding innovative ways to respond to elevated employee expectations and new tech needs.

Joe Kuehne

Joe Kuehne is an Associate Editorial Director at BizTech magazine.

By now, most organizations have moved through several stages of workplace evolution, progressing from in-person settings through fully remote environments to hybrid work arrangements. Gallup reports that by February of this year, “most remote-capable employees continued to work from home at least part of the time, but the mix became a nearly even split — 42% had a hybrid schedule, and 39% worked entirely from home.”

While the workforce continues to adjust to the new demands of these hybrid circumstances, organizations are confronting staffing challenges from other angles. Several factors — including, among others, the Great Resignation, generational differences in the workplace and the increasing recognition of a need for diversity — have combined to create skill gaps for many employers.

But innovative leaders have found ways to bridge these gaps. The solutions they’ve discovered will be the focus of the CDW Executive SummIT: Managing the Evolving Workforce , a hybrid event featuring an online component and in-person events in Seattle. From August 10-12, attendees will have access to keynote speakers, breakout sessions and peer networking chats designed to dive deep into how technology can help your organization meet the changing expectations of employees and customers alike.

Here’s what attendees can expect from this event.

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How Employers Can Find and Develop a Skilled Workforce

Over the past couple of years, many employees have quit their jobs for a variety of reasons, leaving organizations to handle gaps in both talent and skill. But forward-thinking employers are discovering untapped resources and finding solutions to address staffing needs.

CDW’s Tara Barbieri, vice president of integrated services orchestration, and Mike Kennedy, vice president of technology enablement and strategy, will offer their thoughts on how to use remote work policies to explore previously untapped sources of talent; how to negotiate the increasingly robust social contract between employers and their employees; and how to stay ahead of the next potential disruption.

CDW’s Ellen McRaith, vice president of talent acquisition, will be joined by Justin Avery and Matt Pavliv of Focal Point, a CDW company, to continue the conversation by sharing their insights on recruiting, developing and retaining a skilled workforce.

An Evolving Workforce Will Continue to Present New Challenges

The event will feature IT experts from Intel, Verizon, Lenovo, Tenable, Microsoft, Poly and RingCentral, all of whom will share their own experiences in adapting to the changes in the way we work.

Some of the challenges organizations face with hybrid work aren’t as obvious as others. Zafar Chaudry, senior vice president and chief digital and information officer at Seattle Children’s, will be on hand to discuss his experience with handling a workforce that can sometimes feel isolated when working remotely. And Kim Lear, founder of Inlay Insights, will share her perspective on the generational trends shaping the next era of work.

This event is the second of three planned for this year’s CDW Executive SummIT Series. The first event took place in June and focused on delivering better business outcomes through IT. In October, a third event will provide insights on how to make future IT a reality.

Find BizTech’s full coverage of the event here. Whether you’re attending the CDW Executive SummIT in person or online, follow us on Twitter at @BizTechMagazine, and join the conversation using hashtag #JoinCDW.