In this episode of The EX Conversation, Kaz sits down with Kim England, VP of Digital Employee Experience and Community at Pearson, to explore how workplace communities have evolved, and why they still matter more than ever.
Kim shares the story of Pearson’s long journey with enterprise social networks, from the early days of Jive and global employee communities to the strategic reset that came with launching a new intranet. Along the way, the conversation explores how digital workplace platforms can connect people across a global organization, and how communities are now playing a new role in helping employees navigate the rise of AI.
They also discuss the real challenges of AI adoption inside organizations: the people who feel left behind, the overload of tools and agents, and the responsibility EX leaders have to make AI practical, accessible, and human.
If you’re working in employee experience, internal communications, or digital workplace leadership, this episode will resonate. It tackles familiar challenges — from tool sprawl and governance to culture change and AI enablement — and offers practical insight from someone navigating these shifts in a large global organization.
🎧 Enjoy the episode and thanks for listening.
00:00 – 01:00 | Introduction to the conversation
Kaz introduces Kim England and the focus of the discussion: the evolving role of workplace community and its connection to AI adoption.
01:00 – 04:40 | Kim’s path into employee experience
Kim shares how she moved from internal communications into employee experience and digital workplace work at Pearson.
04:40 – 06:20 | The value of professional communities in EX
A discussion about the collaborative nature of the employee experience community and why peer learning matters in this field.
06:20 – 10:00 | Pearson’s journey with enterprise social and community
Kim reflects on launching Pearson’s early enterprise social network, the excitement of global participation, and the moment she saw the power of connected employees.
10:00 – 12:00 | When social platforms become overwhelming
The realities of managing large internal communities — information overload, governance challenges, and the decision to reset the platform experience.
12:00 – 14:00 | From communications to employee experience
Kim explains why her work shifted from traditional internal communications to connecting people and enabling collaboration across the business.
14:00 – 18:00 | Connecting the “tissue” of employee experience
How Pearson approaches digital workplace tools, avoiding tool sprawl, and why simplicity often delivers a better employee experience.
18:00 – 23:00 | The AI adoption challenge
Why many employees feel excluded from the AI conversation — from confusing language to lack of time and ethical concerns.
23:00 – 24:30 | Designing practical AI learning pathways
How Pearson structured beginner, intermediate, and advanced AI learning paths to meet employees where they are.
24:30 – 28:30 | Culture, experimentation, and “vibe coding”
Why permission to experiment matters more than formal training — and how playful experimentation helps employees build AI confidence.
28:30 – 30:50 | Real examples of AI innovation at Pearson
Kim shares a practical AI experiment: using LinkedIn profiles and internal frameworks to generate personalized skill insights.
30:50 – 34:30 | Quickfire: working styles and decision-making
Kim discusses gut instinct vs data, working from home vs the office, and lessons learned early in her career.
34:30 – 36:30 | Simplifying the employee workday
How communication approaches like Smart Brevity can help employees cut through information overload.
36:30 – 40:00 | What should go in the EX “Room 101”?
Kim argues that rigid return-to-office mandates undermine employee experience — and why flexible, intentional collaboration works better.
40:00 – 44:00 | Final reflections and a question for the next guest
The episode closes with Kim’s challenge for the next guest: are we trying to make work better for employees, or better for the business?
The EX Conversation is a podcast series from Unily that brings together employee experience, internal communications, and digital workplace leaders from across industries.
Each episode features an open, practical conversation with people on the frontlines of EX: sharing what’s working, what’s hard, and how they’re navigating complexity in real time. No hype. No scripts. Just honest perspectives and hard-won insight to help EX leaders learn from each other and move the workplace forward.