Automated, Innovative and Agile: Welcome to the New Workplace

Conagra Brands – home to pantry staples like Marie Callender’s, Duncan Hines, and Pam cooking spray – saw 10 years of growth in two years as people switched to shopping online for groceries during the COVID pandemic. In addition to providing a major new source of data, the shift demonstrated Conagra’s own need to adapt, said Mindy Simon, the company’s CIO of global business and information services.

“How we drive growth, how consumers behave is all going to be different,” Simon said. “We all learned that we can change a lot and change quickly. That pace of change is only going to continue. How do we have the muscle and the skill to operate at a faster pace?”

Simon will share insights into unlocking new business processes at CIO’s Future of Work Summit, taking place virtually June 14 and 15. The event for CIOs and other technology executives will feature a packed agenda of IT leaders, analysts, and other experts to help companies navigate a fast-changing workplace.

Two keynotes bookending the opening day will set the tone. Future of work expert Cheryl Cran, the founder of NextMapping, will share relevant research and strategies on maximizing collaboration and innovation. Bob Johansen, a distinguished fellow at the Institute for the Future, will invite us to consider the “officeverse,” or the metaverse applied to the office. The question isn’t when to return to the office, according to Johansen, it’s why have an office at all?

Both Cran and Johansen will also answer questions in live, interactive discussions.

Hear directly from CIOs who are leading the way with new work models. Zeeshan Tariq, CIO of Zimmer Biomet, will explore establishing partnerships between IT and lines of business to add value. Nathan Rogers, senior vice president and CIO of infrastructure enablement at SAIC, will share how a cross-departmental team is creating the hybrid workplace of the future.

Honeywell Chief Digital Technology Officer Sheila Jordan and Chief Human Resources Officer Karen Mattimore will discuss how they have built a collaborative partnership that enables the company to set equitable work policies, implement hybrid work strategies, and deploy technology to optimize productivity and protect privacy.

Karla Viglasky, CIO at W.L. Gore & Associates, will explain how the global materials science company is pushing beyond hybrid work arrangements to develop new ways for dynamic teams to collaborate.

Does the traditional 9-to-5 workday even exist today? Examining the new work-life integration will be Homa Bahrami, senior lecturer and faculty director at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business; Audira Labs founder and CEO Stephen Kohler; and Meg Madison, senior vice president of human resources at Shure.

Metrigy president and principal analyst Irwin Lazar will explore how CIOs can encourage collaboration and boost employee engagement. And InfoWorld Contributing Editor Isaac Sacolick will lead a workshop on creating a citizen development center of excellence.

On Wednesday, the summit kicks off with Michelle McKenna, former CIO of the National Football League. Also drawing from her experience at Disney and Universal Studios, she will cover improving customer satisfaction, increasing efficiency and innovation, and amplifying the success and happiness of teams. Later, she will answer questions about transforming large organizations, as well as your own personal brand.

Offering more case studies and insights from enterprise are Pizza Hut Global Chief Digital and Technology Officer Joe Park, who will discuss building a workplace culture to respond to customer’s increased digital expectations. Tapestry CIO Ashish Parmar will share how the home to brands such as Coach and Kate Spade cultivates the next generation of IT leaders.

Audible CTO Tim Martin will talk about the company’s culture of innovation and positive technology disruption. The Hartford CIO Deepa Soni will show a workplace where agility is a core tenet.

Curious how to implement AR and VR in the workplace? Computerworld contributing columnist Mike Elgan will share why he believes that while VR has the early start, AR is the technology that will endure.

The day concludes with different perspectives on automation. Taking a deep dive into automation analytics – and overcoming resistance – will be Shail Khiyara, operating advisor at Peakspan Capital, and Ericsson Head of Automation and AI Rickard Wieselfors. And IDC’s research director for the future of work Amy Loomis will share research insights covering critical areas for ongoing automation opportunities.

Throughout the summit, sponsors including IBM and Aurea will offer thought leadership and solutions such as using AI-powered automation to overcome today’s labor shortages. Check out the full summit agenda here. The event is free to attend for qualified attendees. Don’t miss out – register today.