In this face-to-face episode of The TechWolf Podcast, Kason Morris, Global Director of the Future of Work and Skills-Based Organization Strategy at Merck, joins us in New York City to discuss why skills are not a trend—they're infrastructure.

With experience at Allstate, Salesforce, and now Merck, Kason breaks down the practical realities of skills transformation: where to start, how to prove value, and what too many companies get wrong.

He shares Merck’s own journey toward becoming a more skills-informed organization, lessons learned on data governance and stakeholder management, and why the key to progress lies in durability, not perfection.

🔑 Key Takeaways from Kason Morris on Building a Skills-Intelligent Organization

🧠 Why "Skills" Are Just a Starting Point

Skills aren't new—they're just newly scalable thanks to AI.
It's not a skills problem, it's a data opportunity.
Smart orgs aren't becoming skills-based—they're becoming skills-informed.

⏳ Waiting Is a Losing Strategy

Delaying skills transformation puts your organization behind the curve.
Momentum starts with mindset—not tools or budget.
Begin lean, focused, and aligned to the business.

💼 How Merck Made Skills Strategic

Business triggers came first: diversity in hiring, cross-functional capability gaps.
Skills work supported digital transformation, talent mobility, and architecture.
Governance structure enables scaling across business units.

📊 Getting and Maintaining Good Skills Data

Start with inference and AI tools—not exhaustive self-assessments.
Treat data as "do no harm"—transparency with employees is essential.
A three-tier governance model keeps the data alive and business-aligned.

🚀 Talent Marketplaces & the Superworker

Talent marketplaces help democratize access and power personalized growth.
AI enables “superworkers” by freeing capacity for learning and creativity.
Internal mobility still faces resistance—especially from middle managers.

🛠️ How to Sell Skills Internally

Identify “hero use cases” with visible business impact.
Use pilots to earn trust—but treat them as step 1 in a long-term journey.

Link skills work to outcomes leaders already care about: time-to-hire, engagement, agility.

Sarah Fain

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