University of Phoenix Chief Operating Officer Raghu Krishnaiah leads session at the virtual conference OnCon 2023 

Krishnaiah provides insights on a skills-based approach to building Agile teams and workforce transitions

University of Phoenix leadership Raghu Krishnaiah, chief operating officer, is leading a session at the OnCon event, on Monday, October 23, 2023, in the COO track, titled, “Beyond Tech Product Teams: Creating an Agile Workforce.” The virtual event is an annual summit for executives around the world, with sessions by leaders and for leaders, offering tracks for the following job functions: CMO, CHRO, General Counsel, CISO, CFO, COO, CIO/CTO, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, & Data & Analytics.

“An Agile workforce can contribute to goals and objectives of the business, with stronger and more equitable talent attraction, acquisition and retention, and more well-equipped to address the challenges of the day,” states Krishnaiah. “In this session, we have the opportunity to talk about what has worked in organizations implementing the Agile model, and how focusing on skills can enable agility and a culture of continuous learning and development.”

According to University of Phoenix Career Institute®2023 Career Optimism Index® study, even in a free agent labor market, 70% of American workers say if their company gave them more opportunities to apply new skills, they would be more likely to stay throughout their career. Along with the way Agile prioritizes individual over processes and encourages flowing with change, this points to benefits of a skills-based approach for workforce models across industries, such as stronger and more equitable talent attraction, acquisition and retention strategies, a more adaptable and empowered workforce, and being more well-equipped to quickly address the goals and objectives of the business.

Krishnaiah leads the session in a discussion of how in an environment of demographic shifts, technology creating more rapid changes and other factors, Agile workforces are critical to companies’ future growth and have potential beyond technology and product teams, to every role within a company. “While every organization’s journey to an Agile workforce might look different, there are best practices and approaches emerging, from hiring practices to skill development to changing processes and measurements,” shares Krishnaiah. “This conversation is a chance to tackle tough questions such as how an organization can take initial steps to create an agile workforce and what needs must be met to succeed.”

Krishnaiah’s career as a seasoned change agent and strategist spans more than 20 years of progressive P&L management, strategy, sales and marketing, product, operations, technology, human resources, and data-analytics responsibilities. As the Chief Operating Officer at University of Phoenix, Krishnaiah is instrumental in the transformation of the University and responsible for all operating strategy and results. Krishnaiah earned both a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania.

Learn more here about OnCon 2023.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.