Schneider Electric, a Fortune Global 500 company specializing in digital automation and energy management, faces the same challenges other enterprises face today, namely finding new IT talent or retraining employees to build talent pools from within.
The company is recruiting new IT talent from diverse backgrounds, not specifically computer science graduates. Across the tech industry, more companies are dropping college degree requirements in favor of talent with soft skills, such as the ability to learn, lead and work as part of a team.
One way Schneider Electric is tackling its workforce challenges is by being AI-based Talent market open, which identifies current employees as an ideal fit for opportunities other than their current position. The program includes training, part-time and full-time positions, and mentorships.
Another method of filling IT gaps is employee upskilling and programs such as Edison, an internal initiative to recognize internal talent and increase expertise and leadership skills. The program currently has nearly 1,500 Edison employee “experts” and is expected to grow.
Bobby CainSchneider Electric CIO Bobby Cain
In November, Bobby Cain took over as Schneider Electric’s new CIO. Cain previously served as the company’s Vice President of Business Transformation and previously Vice President of US National Sales.
Cain will be tasked with driving digital transformation initiatives and developing the company’s IT infrastructure to support Schneider Electric’s operations and business growth in North America. His responsibilities include strategic transformation initiatives around supply chain resilience, simplified finance and improving the employee experience while working closely with the North America Operations leadership team.
In June, Computer world spoke with Schneider Electric’s senior vice president of digital rechnology and North America CIO Abha Dogra about retaining talent in a tight IT job market.
This time, Computerworld asked Cain about his biggest challenges in his new role, his hybrid and remote working strategy, and what he sees as the most important attributes of an IT worker.
What is the most challenging aspect of your job (that is, what keeps you up at night), and how do you plan to tackle it? “As remote and hybrid work environments continue to be prevalent, cybersecurity attacks will continue to be a challenge as IT departments are concerned about security. Employee productivity, collaboration, and application tools are now largely cloud-based, often lacking proper security measures.” It will be important for CIOs to ensure their company’s physical workplace, remote devices and IT networks are equipped with the necessary tools to maintain data integrity.”
What has been your approach to using technology to increase employee engagement, especially in a time of hybrid/remote working? “Despite its benefits for increasing employee engagement, technology (including the debt associated with the investment) can sometimes itself be an obstacle. Eliminating cumbersome technology and legacy systems allows us to focus more on business agility and the ability to increase employee collaboration and shifts.
“For example, moving to a more constructive collaboration platform at the beginning of the pandemic allowed us to leverage new virtual tools that make a hybrid work environment more productive and more effectively engage employees, even if they are located around the world.
“In addition to investing in new technology platforms, early this year we also created a senior leadership role within our IT organization specifically responsible for leading the employee experience. At the start of an employee onboarding, the Employee Experience organization helps employees succeed in their careers at Schneider. As part of this focused effort, we have technical partners in over 50 locations for on-site IT support, meaning help is never far away for our teams.
“Providing this level of advanced support allows us to bring a human touch to traditional IT needs, which has proven especially beneficial for our new hires.”
What advice would you give other CIOs? “Simply put, don’t index too much on the digital aspects of your role. Today, it’s not enough for a CIO to just be a tech expert. Leadership skills and a high degree of business acumen are increasingly important. In this role, CIOs need to bring more experience, whether that be commercial leadership, military experience, as in my case, or time spent in a different field or career that is adaptable to your current position.”
In what ways is IT important to an organization’s sustainability and what do you think is the most important effort today? “Sustainability has become extremely necessary for businesses in recent years, and digital solutions are at the heart of building resilience and supporting a company’s sustainable transition. At Schneider, we strive to be the digital partner for sustainability and efficiency needs from our customers. Digital twin technology has been a game changer in supporting the company’s sustainability efforts. The convergence of several new factors makes the digital twin concept a proven catalyst for accelerating digital transformation.
“In addition to the products we offer, our services reflect our emphasis on sustainability initiatives within our IT landscape. At our factory in Lexington, KY, we took over the formerly aging legacy infrastructure and completely revamped the operations and facility to align with our climate goals. From our products to services, it is important for us to practice what we preach to partners and customers and be able to improve the manufacturing process to achieve sustainability goals.”
What is the CIO’s role in transforming an organization’s digital technology and business landscape? “Today’s technology-driven landscape has completely changed the roles and responsibilities of CIOs. Technology is driving more aspects of businesses than ever before. As a result, this new landscape has forced CIOs to become essential employees for business challenges, problem-solving skills and broader innovation goals. However, to be successful, it is essential to have a team with digital experience to execute digital transformation agendas. In addition, that team must have credible relationships with the right business partners so that they do not underestimate the complexity or difficulty of change management.”
What do you think is the most important quality of an IT employee and is that quality innate or developed? “All employees, including IT staff, should be connected to their company’s mission and have a say in what their company’s goals and values are. At Schneider Electric, it’s important that IT people understand what we do as a company, in addition to our overarching mission to create and deliver solutions to help our customers. This attitude creates awareness and commitment to their role within IT and the wider business.”
“In terms of the specifics of these employees, one that is learned is what we call the power couple model – a domain and digital leader – when the business leaders and technology leaders complement each other by playing different roles in solving. The domain, or business leaders, are responsible for the ‘what’ and the ‘why’, while the digital leaders are responsible for the ‘how’ and the ‘when’. They do this by leveraging new technology to provide customers with the most efficient solutions and create a beneficial partnership.”
How do you plan to address the shortage of technicians? Are you setting up new programs, such as apprenticeships or boot camps, to bring in non-CS graduates?
“The proliferation of technology within the industry requires a new group of workers who are equipped with the right skills as new technologies come into play. With companies struggling to fill critical gaps, attracting next-generation talent is a top priority for CIOs, especially as some of the workforce retires. At Schneider Electric specifically, we have graduate development programs to build a talent pipeline for today and the future. For this program, we recruit across the board with multiple backgrounds and degrees, not specifically (computer science). In addition, we pay attention to the development of our organization and technical talents in various ways. We do this through the Open Talent Market, Digital Upskilling and programs such as Edison.
“Career acceleration is key in all Schneider Electric locations. We are “automating” more of our top performers and potentials to move into the tiers just below our premium digital roles, so we have a larger internal talent pool to move into key digital roles as they become available. By doing this, employees are offered more career advancement and there is less pressure and reliance on talent acquisition to find external candidates.”
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