Panel Discussion

The Future of Work

Annual Meeting 2020

Panel moderated by Leslie Beyer, President, PESA

Technology is in the fabric of our industry, but it’s actually how we use the technology to empower our people that’s really going to get us there.

Leslie Beyer, President, PESA

The Future of Work

What can we do to attract a younger workforce with the unique skills needed to position oil and gas as part of a solution to the climate challenge?

Ms. Benfield stressed the importance of having an authentic message and demonstrating that you’re going to be part of the solution. Ms. Pasini said that investment is needed to inspire younger people in secondary schools, and that companies must remove boxes, let people express themselves, and be fast in responding to them. Mr. Avuru talked of Seplat’s elaborate recruitment process targeting the brightest young men and women fresh out of college, and putting them through an 18-month training collaboration with its technology partners and service providers. Mr. Al Aryani emphasized that the credible and serious companies in the area of sustainability are the ones that will resonate most with the values of prospective students because that is important to the workforce of the future.

How do partnerships with service and technology providers facilitate talent flow? What do those partnerships unlock for you?

Beyond the technology dimension, Mr. Al Aryani said there can be an amalgamation of cultures, training programs, training philosophies, and people-development philosophies.

He said ADNOC leverages partnerships to introduce a people development dimension, because partnerships can catalyze or accelerate the realization of the company’s strategy to further unlock value.

Does a focus on mental health and well-being resonate, and how do you use that to attract a millennial workforce that is very focused on those issues?

At BP, flexible working is a key strategy. Ms. Benfield said they have tried 5,000 people in agile working methods, which it has found removes the typical hierarchal structure and barriers and, produces a healthier team environment that’s more empowering for the individuals involved.

About “the future of work,” what have we accomplished? What are some pitfalls? What still needs to be done on a macro level?

Mr. Al-Balawi commented that there has been a shift from vertical to horizontal skills, which often outpaces an organization’s ability to adapt. So Saudi Aramco is taking steps to predict future needs and proactivity nurture horizontal skillsets. As an example, the company recently sent an HR employee to get a master’s degree in data analytics and advanced computing. She now focuses on deep learning with robotics to predict attrition and address future skills requirements.

The Future of Work

Panelists

Solving the industry's toughest challenges.