How to empower... – Details, episodes & analysis

How to empower… our PwC LEAP network podcast looks at the themes of Leadership, Empowerment, Action and Progression. We will be joined by special guests to give you practical advice on how you can empower yourself and others to take action and drive change for a more inclusive workplace.

Suzi Woolfson is joined by Rob McCargow, our director of AI and Faye McGuiness, Head of Workplace Wellbeing Programmes (Strategy & Development) at Mind to discuss wellbeing and mental health in the workplace, looking at why people appear to wear a ‘mask’ which can allow them to carry on as usual and ways that you can start a conversation on this important topic so that you and people within your organisation feel empowered to take off the mask.

Suzi Woolfson is joined by Graham Allcott, Director and Productivity Ninja at Think Productive and Alastair Woods, Partner in our People and Organisation team at PwC to discuss how to empower your productivity. They share their thoughts on how you can improve your personal productivity, as well as ideas for companies to consider when looking at productivity and engaging the workforce and whether there is a correlation between happiness and productivity.

In this episode, Suzi Woolfson is joined by Sophie Butler, Social Media Influencer and Gymshark Athlete, and Chris Keogh, Relationship Manager at PwC. Both suffered spinal cord injuries and share their stories of how they received their injuries, some of the challenges they have faced, lessons they have learnt as well as sharing tips on what employers and colleagues can do to help those with a physical disability.

Despite decades of progress towards workplace equality, women remain woefully underrepresented in the UK’s technology workforce. In the first episode of the second series of How to empower, new host Chris Keogh is joined by Jing Teow, Economist at PwC and Wincie Wong, Head of Rose Review Implementation at Natwest to explore PwC's Women in Work Index, as well as discussing what can be done to address the gender balance in technology careers.

In this episode, Chris Keogh is joined by Michael Vermeersch, Digital Inclusion Lead at Microsoft, and Aeron Vale, Data Analyst Consultant for PwC to discuss neurodiversity. This is the concept that neurological differences are recognised and respected as any other human variation. Both Aeron and Michael share their experiences of living with autism and how you can feel empowered to engage in a conversation on neurodiversity and support those around you.

Chris Keogh is joined by Dr Kamel Hothi OBE, Non Executive Director at TLC Lions and Laura Hinton, Head of People at PwC. Kamel and Laura share their professional and personal stories which helped shape them into the leaders they are now, who their heroes are and why sharing your vulnerabilities is a strength not a weakness.

Chris Keogh is joined by Cecil Adjalo, Director of Operations at Foundervine and Shamela Kylassum, owner of Pansophia Associates. Cecil and Shamela share their experiences and learnings from lockdown, their tips for building their resilience and the impact the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement has had on them.

Chris Keogh is joined by Dennis Owusu-Sem, Founder of Success Talks and Monique Malcolm-Hay, Multicultural Business Network Co-Chair at PwC. To celebrate Black History Month, Dennis and Monique share their thoughts on the importance of black role models in business, who their role models are and how their work is having a positive impact on those around them.

Chris Keogh speaks to Caroline Nokes, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee and Asim Siddiqi, Partner and Co-lead for Diversity and Inclusion in the South East Audit practice at PwC about inclusion, common challenges in the workplace and how we can all work together to create inclusive workplaces.