Future of Work Hub Podcast Series: Recent Episodes
Lucy Lewis
Welcome to the Future of Work Hub’s In Conversation podcast. In this podcast series, Lucy Lewis will be hosting exclusive discussions with innovators, business leaders and thought leaders, to explore their perspective on the changing world of work. The global pandemic has accelerated longer term societal, economic, and technological trends, giving us a unique opportunity, a once in a generation challenge to rethink who, how, what and where we work.
In our latest Peer-to-Peer podcast, Julia speaks with Jenny Shiers, Chief People Officer at Unily, about crafting truly personalised employee experiences, reducing digital friction to unlock focus, and creating the organisational velocity needed to pivot quickly and deliver on strategy.
Human skills, agility and proactive workforce planning
In our launch episode, Julia Paulding, Chief People Officer at Lewis Silkin, sits down with Rob Worrall, Head of People at BDO UK, to explore the future of work - and it’s looking optimistic.
They discuss how organisations can stay ahead by investing in human skills, embracing flexible working models, and engaging future talent from day one. It’s a conversation packed with peer-to-peer insights for business leaders, people managers and anyone navigating the evolving workforce landscape.
Key takeaways include:
- Early talent engagement: embed values from the first interaction
- Flexibility in hybrid/agile working: serve clients and teams
- Training for people managers: build confidence at all career stages
- Amplifying human skills: curiosity, creativity, collaboration
- Long-term planning: stay agile while thinking ahead
In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s Peer-to-Peer podcast, Julia Paulding, Chief People Officer at Lewis Silkin, sits down with Cathy Temple, Head of HR, EMEA at Salesforce. They discuss HR’s evolving role in AI-driven workplace transformation, emphasising the need for trust, transparent communication, human-centric leadership and continuous upskilling to build agile, future-ready organisations.
In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis is joined by Professor Alan Felstead, Emeritus Professor at Cardiff University and a leading expert on work, skills and employment. Alan shares insights from the landmark Skills and Employment Survey 2024, exploring how the world of work in the UK is evolving, what workers value, and the challenges and opportunities facing employers and policymakers.
Key takeaways
1. Make fair work your business advantage: When employers treat workers as valued assets, fostering respect, autonomy and development, it strengthens wellbeing, drives business improvement, and sets the foundation for lasting organisational success. Regularly survey staff to track how job quality is changing over time and identify areas for improvement.
2. Foster meaningful work by investing in line manager capabilities: Research shows that the majority of workers find their jobs meaningful, with managerial support, skill utilisation and participation at work playing a greater role than pay in driving a sense of purpose. Organisations should train managers to provide timely guidance, deliver constructive feedback, and show empathy - particularly when supporting younger employees and new joiners.
3. Prioritise genuine employee participation: Employee control over job tasks has sharply declined, negatively impacting wellbeing and productivity. Employers should regularly measure and monitor employee task discretion across their organisation and hold managers accountable for progress.
4. Promote equality in flexible working: Offering a range of solutions, such as flexi-time, compressed hours, and part-time roles, helps to ensure all employees, including those whose jobs cannot be done remotely or who lack dedicated home workspaces, can access the benefits of flexible working.
For more discussion of the themes explored in this podcast, see the Hub's latest report "Strategic workforce priorities - What matters most?".
In this special episode of our In Conversation podcast recorded live at our Managing an International Workforce
Conference. James Davies, Partner at Lewis Silkin is joined by Ius Laboris colleagues from Canada, Italy and Poland
to discuss the rapidly evolving global landscape, from intensifying trade wars and shifting alliances to the rise of
populist politics and regional unrest. As the forces of geoeconomic fragmentation reshape international business, our
expert panel unpacks
the implications for employers managing global workforces, offering a valuable roadmap to stay
resilient and competitive in uncertain times.
In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis speaks with Till Leopold, Head of Work Wages and Job Creation, at the World Economic Forum's Centre for the New Economy and Society. Till shares key insights from the latest Future of Jobs report examining the five major trends that are expected to transform the world of work by 2030. They discuss the nuanced impact of these trends on job creation and displacement and how employers can develop proactive strategies for skills adaptation and reskilling.
Key takeaways
- Technological change, geoeconomic fragmentation, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts and the green transition are the major drivers of net job creation as well as displacement. Look beyond the headline numbers to consider the quality of jobs being created and focus on creating "good work" to ensure sustainable growth.
2.Be proactive in addressing long-term trends including demographic shifts and climate change mitigation alongside immediate challenges. By embedding these considerations into strategic planning now, businesses can position themselves to benefit from future workforce changes and achieve more positive outcomes.
3.Adopt a balanced approach to skills development. 40% of skills across all roles will change over the next five years but there will be a convergence of two types of skills: technological proficiency and human-centric skills. Foster both skillsets through targeted training and ongoing learning opportunities to equip workers for the skills transition and address skills gaps.
4.Build trust through meaningful engagement and communication. Reskilling is a crucial component for building trust and employers should take a holistic approach to how they communicate in relation to this, consistently explaining why it matters and giving workers agency to shape new initiatives.
Creating inclusive workplaces: diversity, ageing populations, and socioeconomic equity
In this episode of the Future of Work Hub’s In Conversation podcast, Lucy Lewis speaks with Dr. Grace Lordan, Founding Director of the Inclusion Initiative.
Lucy and Grace discuss whether DE&I is good for business and why, amidst political shifts, employers are reframing their efforts to focus more broadly on respect and inclusion.
Key takeaways
- Diversity is good for business: there is a business case for diversity. Research suggests that having a more diverse workforce does not negatively impact businesses and is likely to generate positive outcomes in the medium to long term.
- Diversity doesn't work without inclusion: inclusion is vital to harness the potential of a diverse workforce. Businesses should review whether their current DEI initiatives are working and focus on building inclusive organisations so that diverse perspectives are heard, respected and considered.
- Address the impact of ageing populations: businesses often struggle to visualise the impact of longer-term trends such as ageing populations on their workforce. A lack of diffusion of knowledge across generations in the workplace is a significant blocker of productivity, so managers must pay attention to who is visible, being listened to, and given opportunities within their organisation.
- Focus on socioeconomic inclusion: employers can give opportunities to individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds by lifting financial barriers and offering opportunities to train later in life. However, managers must ensure fair distribution of opportunities and advocate for individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to prevent organisational culture from limiting their voices and prospects.
Shaping the future workplace: insights on people, AI, leadership and flexibility
In the latest episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2025, Lucy Lewis speaks with Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the CIPD.
Lucy and Peter revisit their 2021 conversation, exploring how the workplace focus has evolved since the pandemic. They discuss the importance of people in organisations, evolving employee expectations, and the critical role of leadership and culture. They touch on the ongoing debate about the future of office work, hybrid models, and the impact of economic and geopolitical uncertainties on business strategies. The conversation dives into the shifting landscape of DE&I in businesses as well as the challenges and demands on business leaders and line managers in a time of transformational change.
Join Lucy and Peter as they explore the evolving role of AI in the workplace and how it can be used to transform work. They discuss the emerging trends that employers should focus on to future-proof their organisations, highlighting the need for agile organisations and adaptive leads who can empower their teams, listen to diverse perspectives, and foster a culture of continuous learning.
Key takeaways:
- Importance of people: The focus on people in organisations has strengthened, highlighting the strategic importance of skills, talent, leadership, and culture.
- Flexible working and work-life integration: Flexible working arrangements and work-life integration have become critical, with a need for equity in flexible working options.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I): DE&I initiatives have grown, driven by social change and the need for businesses to navigate complex issues and manage workforce expectations.
- Leadership capabilities and training: Enhanced leadership capabilities and proper training for managers is essential to navigate transformational change and manage people effectively.
- Trust and integrity in leadership: Trust is a fundamental aspect of the employer-employee relationship, and integrity in leadership is crucial for fostering trust and engagement.
- AI as an opportunity: AI is seen as a tool to drive growth and improve employee experiences, requiring ethical and responsible use and integration with human skills.
- Long-term investment in skills: Investing in the skills and capabilities of the workforce is crucial for long-term success, including upskilling and reskilling employees to adapt to changes.
Strategic Workforce Priorities for 2025 and Beyond – What matters most?
In the first episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2025, Lucy delves into the findings of our recent survey and report, "Strategic Workforce Priorities – What Matters Most?". Lucy explores the major shifts shaping workforce planning and HR strategy, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges businesses will face in the coming years.
Lucy discusses how businesses are navigating the pressures of resourcing constraints, the impact of AI and technology advancements, and the evolving needs of a diverse workforce. With insights on topics such as the cost of living crisis, tight labour markets, and the regulatory landscape, Lucy provides expert recommendations on how businesses can prioritise key areas like leadership development, employee engagement, organisational culture, and data-driven decision-making.
Key takeaways include:
- Optimism for the future: Businesses are optimistic about the future, focusing on fostering positive work cultures, embracing AI for innovation, and using data for strategic decision-making.
- Key challenges: The biggest hurdle businesses face is resourcing constraints (81% report significant pressure), which limits their ability to manage change effectively.
- Top concerns for 2025: Global dynamics, politics, AI advancements, and the cost of living crisis will continue to impact businesses. There’s also concern about tight labour markets and the need for reskilling and upskilling employees to meet new demands.
- Regulatory and cultural pressures: Businesses are dealing with complex legal reforms and cultural pressures from employees demanding alignment with values. Social and cultural divisions are affecting workplace cohesion and trust.
- Priorities for the year ahead: upskilling leaders and employees to navigate transformational change and evolving business needs, fostering employee voice to create a supportive and meaningful work environment, and investing in a purpose-driven culture to attract and retain talent. Additionally, leveraging data will enhance workforce insights and strategic objectives, while horizon scanning will help anticipate future trends, challenges and regulatory shifts to strengthen risk management.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and how you’re navigating these challenges for the year ahead.
Tune in or download our report to gain valuable insights and prepare your business for the future.
Over the course of this year, we’ve hosted conversations with leading experts and thinkers to explore their perspectives on the future of work and consider the opportunities and challenges ahead for employers and their people as the world of work continues to evolve rapidly.
In this final episode of 2024, our podcast host, Lucy Lewis, Employment Partner at Lewis Silkin, reflects on the conversations she has had this year and draws together a range of insightful perspectives shared by her guests.
Lucy spotlights the key themes that emerged across her conversations:
- Trust in the Workplace: against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, polarisation, and economic instability, the need for trust in the employment relationship has never been greater.
- Workforce Diversity: embracing the opportunities and challenges of a diverse workforce, including the impact of ageing populations and migration on workforce demographics.
- AI and Emerging Technologies: exploring the transformative impact of AI and automation on jobs, skills and the importance of embracing a human-centric approach to technology adoption
- Ethical Business Practices: the growing expectation for businesses to demonstrate ethical behaviour and manage their social and environmental impact, leading to greater employee activism and increased focus on “good work”.
- Workplace Conflict: navigating the overspill of emerging tensions from a polarised political climate and increased conflict in the workplace
- Leadership and Management: the critical role of leaders in addressing these challenges and the importance of equipping managers with people management skills.
Whether we’ve been talking about technology, diversity and inclusion, workplace culture, or managing conflict – a consistent message has emerged. And that is the importance of putting people at the centre of workplace strategies. Lucy’s guests were unanimous in their view that giving employees a voice, creating rewarding and meaningful work and bringing them on the journey (whatever the issue), is crucial to building organisational resilience and growth for the future.
At the end of each discussion, guests shared their thoughts on what priority actions organisations should take to build resilience in the year ahead. Tune in to hear what they had to say!
Welcome to this month’s podcast, where we reflect on the impact of recent global elections on the future of workplace regulation. Join Lucy and partners James Davies and David Hopper as they explore emerging global trends and their implications for the UK. Discover how political shifts are reshaping the employer-employee relationships and union influence in an increasingly volatile and uncertain landscape.
In the latest episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2024, Lucy speaks with Dr Vivienne Ming, a theoretical neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Socos Labs, a company dedicated to leveraging AI-driven research to maximise human potential.
In this conversation, Lucy and Vivienne explore the evolving relationship between AI and the workforce, discussing how technology can enhance our capabilities rather than merely focus on productivity gains. Vivienne emphasises the concept of “productive friction” and how AI can challenge us to become better at our jobs. They also delve into the implications of job disaggregation and the importance of finding balance in the age of automation.
Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of work, human intelligence, and the role of AI in shaping our professional landscape.
Key takeaways:
AI as a tool for enhancement: AI should be viewed as a tool to augment human intelligence and creativity rather than replace it, emphasising the importance of human value in technology strategies.
Understanding vs. Knowledge: While AI excels at recognising patterns and processing known information, it lacks true understanding and creativity, which are inherently human traits.
Productive friction: Embracing “productive friction” involves using AI to challenge our ideas and improve our skills, rather than simply automating tasks, thereby enhancing the quality of our work.
The risks of disaggregation: The disaggregation of jobs may lead to productivity gains, but it also risks diminishing professional identity and satisfaction. Finding a balance between automation and meaningful work is essential.
Empowerment through AI: The focus should shift from AI making our tasks easier to how it can enable us to achieve things we couldn't before, fostering growth and innovation in our roles.
Identifying peer role models: It is crucial to identify “unofficial” leaders who can inspire and influence others. This offers untapped potential in companies by bridging the gap between leadership and everyday employee experiences.
In the seventh episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2024, Lucy speaks to Simon Roberts, anthropologist, author and co-founder of Stripe Partners, a consultancy firm which incorporates social and data science to give companies a deep understanding of the world, their customers and their organisation.
In this conversation, Lucy and Simon discuss anthropology and why, in a tech and data driven world, it is increasingly being used by organisations to better understand the behaviours and culture of their workforces. In particular, Simon highlights the importance of embodied knowledge and the potential impact of remote and hybrid working on the professional development of junior employees.
Key Takeaways:
- Be aware of sub-cultures: Even where a business has defined its vision, mission and values, in practice organisations are broken down into sub-cultures which are sometimes in conflict with each other.
- Embodied knowledge is very important: Executives, leaders and employees should immerse themselves in real-world experiences. to enable them to build an understanding of the business based on first-hand experiences (as opposed to a second-hand understanding obtained from data and reports).
- Remote and hybrid working may inhibit embodied knowledge: The challenge for junior employees is that by not being in the office with their more experienced co-workers, they are missing out on observing how to run a meeting, dealing with conflict and learning how to “read the room”.
- Adopt AI to do “peripheral work”, not “core work”: People are more resistant to having AI help with core work (which runs to the centre of their role and their professional identity) compared to peripheral work (which tends to be more administratively burdensome).
- Consider training “lay anthropologists”: Develop “in-house” anthropologists and provide them with a toolkit which enables them to observe the organisational culture and then report their findings to HR leaders and senior management.
- Change the focus of conversations about technology: Technology conversations often revolve around productivity, cost-savings and simplification. Instead, organisations should adopt a more human-centred approach which focuses on how technology can make work more meaningful for people.
In the sixth episode of our “In Conversation..” podcast series for 2024, Lucy speaks to Giles Gibbons, co-founder and CEO of Good Business, a strategy consultancy firm with almost 30 years of experience advising organisations on purpose, behaviour change, sustainability and responsible business strategies.
While many organisations are taking positive steps to manage their social and environmental impact, the sustainability agenda continues to move faster than business’s rate of change. In this conversation, Giles explains how having a sustainability and responsible business strategy is good for business and why this is a growing area of focus for employees and wider stakeholders. Lucy and Giles explore the role of employee activism and regulation in driving corporate action in the sustainability space and the challenges that poses for businesses, particularly where views and opinions in the workplace conflict. Lastly, they explore practical ways employers can make impactful change.
Key Takeaways:
- More rapid change is needed. According to the IPCC, climate change is moving ever faster and organisations’ rate of change is not quick enough.
- Organisations should be proactive. To differentiate themselves, businesses should use regulation as a catalyst for governance transformation and innovation by taking proactive instead of reactive steps towards change.
- Focus on the issues on which you can make the biggest impact. Organisations should assess their impact on the climate and society and focus time and resources to affect change in those areas through the way it does business.
- Employer brand is so important. Employees want to know they work for a company that is having a positive impact on the world. As employers strive to attract and retain the best talent, increasingly employees have a greater share of voice in the importance of sustainability within an organisation.
- Create a safe place for divergent viewpoints. Create an organisational culture where it’s okay to have diverging views and it feels safe for employees to engage with people with conflicting viewpoints.
- Have conversations with your employees. Rather than demanding change, turn this into a proactive conversation between employers or employees.
In this fifth episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2024, Lucy is joined by fellow Lewis Silkin partners and co-heads of the Data, Privacy and Cyber Group, Alexander Milner-Smith and Bryony Long.
In this fascinating conversation, Alex and Bryony discuss a variety of emerging technologies, their use cases in the workplace and the potential legal and people-related risks that might arise. Some of these technologies are ones that many businesses are already exploring, such as the metaverse and ChatGPT. But Alex and Bryony also look ahead to evolving technologies such as neurotech, biometrics, empathic and semantic AI, and explore their potential impact on the workplace and what that might mean for workforce trust.
They also suggest some practical steps employers can take to make the most of these transformational technologies while also minimising the people and data risks. Lastly, Lucy talks to Alex and Bryony about how businesses can navigate an increasingly complex and evolving regulatory landscape, both in the UK and around the globe.
Key takeaways
- Bring employees on the journey. Businesses are increasingly seen as more trusted than government to lead on innovation and implement AI technologies ethically and responsibly. To mitigate employee concerns and build trust when introducing new technologies: communicate clearly with the workforce, particularly about organisational and individual benefits and efficiencies; be transparent about the reasons behind adopting the technology; train employees on how to use new technologies responsibly; give assurances on the impact of new technology on the workforce and people’s jobs.
- Be clear on your use case. Using AI or other emerging tech just because everyone else is using it or because of a fear of being left behind, is not a good reason to adopt technologies. Identify a business need, engage with the workforce to help identify problems or challenges that need to be solved, and when considering solutions, consider the role of AI alongside other alternatives.
- Don’t act in a silo. When adopting emerging tech, particularly AI, this is multi-jurisdictional and multi-departmental. Do not act in isolation. Ensure organisational cross-collaboration to enable far better deployment of technology, both from a risk perspective, but also a trust perspective.
- Take steps to mitigate risk. To mitigate employment risks of discrimination and bias, it is essential to carry out initial due diligence on any new the technology, and then test it on an ongoing basis throughout the life cycle of the project. To mitigate data risks when deploying technology, key factors include explainability and transparency, identifying a lawful basis, fairness, security and accountability.
In this fourth episode of our “In Conversation…” podcast series for 2024, Lucy revisits a fascinating conversation she had on navigating and managing workplace conflict with David Liddle, founder and CEO of TCM Group.
Recorded in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, this conversation from 2022 resonates with many of the challenges businesses are experiencing today. Growing societal divisions and tensions are increasingly spilling into the workplace, such that navigating and managing workplace conflict is emerging as a key business priority.
“Conflict is unavoidable, inescapable. In fact, it’s a healthy expression of working life and indeed I would argue that when it’s managed well, conflict can be a really important driver or a catalyst to innovation, creativity, growth, insight, and learning. In fact, well-managed disagreements and conflicts within our workplaces are the antecedent to growth.”In this episode, Lucy starts by exploring the reasons behind today’s growing workplace conflict challenges. Then we rewind to 2022, where David and Lucy discuss a variety of potential solutions and approaches.
Key Takeaways:
- Take a restorative, rather than a retributive, approach to conflict. Reframe HR policies and procedures with purpose-led, person-centered and values-based approaches to conflict and complaints resolution.
- Managing conflict should be a strategic, leadership priority. Provide managers and leaders with the skills, training and support to intervene early and resolve issues constructively at the source.
- Dialogue must have primacy. Start by listening and creating space for people to engage in dialogue.
- Conflict is not to be feared. When managed well, conflict can be a catalyst to innovation, creativity, growth, insight and learning.
In the third episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2024 Lucy is joined by Ben Willmott, Head of Public Policy in the CIPD.
The relationship between employer and employee is changing and the “social contract” is evolving. There’s a growing focus on ethical behaviour, on people’s individual needs and on “good work”. In this episode, Lucy and Ben explore what “good work” is and why it should matter to employers and their people. They consider the key drivers shaping the good work agenda and the role employers and the government have to play in promoting good work practices. Ben highlights the importance of people management skills in creating trust in the employment relationship to develop a productive, resilient and sustainable work culture.
Key Takeaways:
- Good work is a shared agenda: Investing in good work practices is the responsibility of both employers and the government. Areas of recommended public policy reform include statutory sick pay reform, increased occupational health support for small businesses, and introducing skills or training levies.
- Start by investing in people management training: Day-to-day people management skills are fundamental to employees’ engagement and productivity in work.
- Incorporate the principles of good work into job design processes: By designing jobs that give employees flexibility, autonomy, purpose and challenge, this can both improve job quality, as well as supporting business performance and productivity.
- Flexible working arrangements should benefit the whole workforce, not just those who can work from home: Employers should consider putting in place flexible working arrangements that benefit all employees, including those who can’t work from home, for example term-time working, job shares, or compressed or annualised hours.
In the second episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2024 Lucy is joined by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO of 20-first, one of the world's leading global consultancies focused on balancing gender, generations and culture.
Lucy and Avivah discuss some of the key demographic shifts impacting the labour market and explore why generational balance needs to be a business priority. Avivah explains the importance of longevity literacy amongst workforces and leadership teams, and how a deep understanding of people’s differences will be key to any diversity and inclusion strategy.
Key Takeaways:
- Older workers as an answer to skills shortages: In a challenging labour market, employers may be able to leverage the skills and experience of existing older workers to fill skills gaps.
- Senior leadership teams must prioritise generational balance: The impact and success of a company’s longevity strategy will depend on the buy-in, involvement and longevity literacy of the executive leadership team.
- Start by measuring the demographics of your workplace: Use data to analyse the potential impact of an ageing workforce on the business in the next 5 to 10 years.
- Inclusion requires a deep understanding of where people are from: Instead of segmenting the workforce into identity groups, bring people together to discuss shared issues and define common goals, to increase compassion and understanding of differences.
In the first episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2024 Lucy is joined by fellow Lewis Silkin partner Naomi Hanrahan-Soar.
Lucy and Naomi discuss the trends behind shifting migration patterns and what that means for the workplace. They explore how employers can harness the benefits of migration, while also addressing a range of challenges.
Key takeaways:
- Brexit has had a significant influence on the type of migration to the UK: One impact of Brexit is an increase in migration from countries outside the EU and, potentially, those coming from further afield are likely to have a longer-term view of staying in the UK.
- COVID-19 has accelerated cross-border working: A rise in people requesting to work remotely from abroad is giving rise to numerous challenges from an immigration, employment law and tax perspective.
- Migration can address skills shortages: This is particularly the case given ageing populations and economies experiencing ongoing skills shortages. However, workforce strategies need to consider the cost of recruiting skilled workers from abroad and the opportunity to upskill and retrain existing workforces.
- More diversity leads to more creativity: Bringing different experiences, skills, perspectives and ways of thinking into an organisation increases the ability of the workforce to identify new opportunities and creative solutions.
Over the course of this year, we’ve hosted conversations with leading experts and thinkers to explore their perspectives on the future of work and consider the opportunities and challenges ahead for employers and their people as the world of work continues to evolve rapidly.
In this final episode of 2023, our podcast host, Lucy Lewis, Employment Partner at Lewis Silkin, reflects on the conversations she has had this year and draws together a range of insightful perspectives shared by her guests.
Lucy spotlights the key themes that emerged across her conversations - from the role of trust and employee voice in the workplace, to the four-day working week, the importance of organisational resilience, adapting to an ageing workforce, what the future of the platform economy looks like and the impact of automation and AI on jobs and workforce skills.
At the end of each discussion, we asked each of our guests to share their thoughts on what is missing from the current conversation on the future of work. What is not getting enough attention? What are we not talking enough about? Tune in to hear what they had to say!
In the tenth episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2023, Lucy Lewis, partner at Lewis Silkin, speaks to Shruti Singh, Senior Economist at the OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs.
Lucy and Shruti discuss the impact of ageing populations on the world of work and how employers, governments and individuals can respond to demographic shifts and build productive intergenerational workforces.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- Ageing populations are a growing issue: Rapid population ageing due to increases in life expectancy and falling fertility is a key issue for businesses, policymakers and governments across the OECD. By 2050 the proportion of the population in OECD countries aged 65 and over is expected to increase to nearly 28%.
- Employers should focus on the employee life cycle: There is substantial individual variation in the support that is needed within age groups and at different life stages. Rather than looking at what certain generations might want, employers should focus on supporting a multigenerational workforce through the whole life cycle at work.
- Intergenerational workforces work: Employers that promote age inclusive workforces and successfully combine the talents and diverse outlooks of their employees, whatever their age, generally find that their workforce is enriched and more productive as a result.
- Employers can take steps to support older workers: An age inclusive organisational culture plays an important role in supporting longer working lives. To succeed, support must be integrated, taking into account job quality, health and flexibility. Line manager training is essential to embed these components into company culture.
- Skills are key: It is important that older workers continue to upgrade and expand their skills over their working life, particularly in light of continuing technological change. Mid-life career reviews, personal development plans and career conversations are increasingly used by employers.
In the ninth episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2023, Lucy Lewis, partner at Lewis Silkin LLP, is joined by Paul Miller, Chief Creative Officer and founder of the Digital Workplace Group.
“We are living in a time which is no longer the industrial age, it’s not even the digital age; it is the living age.”
Lucy and Paul discuss the need for organisational adaptiveness and resilience to better withstand and respond to the current disruption and pressure on business, and explore concepts from Paul’s book ‘Nature of Work: The New Story of Work for a Living Age’. In this book, Paul draws on patterns from the natural world to provide leaders with the language and questions to evolve their workplaces from organisations to organisms.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- Organisations are organisms: Companies seeking to build a sustainable organisation and to humanise workforce experiences can benefit from viewing their organisation as a dynamic and living thing rather than a rigid and industrialised structure.
- Corporate purpose is key: Companies must focus on taking corporate purpose from concept to practice and identify where they can have a direct impact at a local level.
- Leadership today is challenging: To succeed, leaders should consider adopting “servant leadership” and reflect on core values around meaning, purpose, empowerment and agility.
- Advances in generative AI are deeply significant: AI will change the way we work and raises important ethical and societal concerns. However, the current labour shortages experienced by many countries are likely to remain.
- We may need to rethink tax: As technology continues to significantly impact on jobs, debate is growing on the merits of an “AI tax”.
In the eighth episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2023, Lucy Lewis, partner at Lewis Silkin LLP is joined by fellow partner James Davies.
What if these optimists have been seriously underestimating the pace and scale at which automation will replace and change the jobs of today in the second quarter of the century? What if the insipid productivity growth we have experienced over the last 10 years or so continues into the second quarter of the century? And what if we have too few workers with the skills needed for the occupations of tomorrow?
Lucy and James discuss James’ upcoming report for the Future of Work Hub, and consider whether, despite current skills shortages, the future world of work in 2050 could feature too few jobs.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- We could see a future with too few jobs: there is a significant risk that the future of work could be characterised by too few jobs for the number of workers. Employers, policymakers and individuals must take steps now to prepare.
- Skills shortages will persist: employers, policymakers and educators must invest in developing the skills of the future. If workers do not have the skills needed for the occupations of tomorrow, we could see a future where high unemployment co-exists with significant skills shortages in some areas.
- The current tax regime is becoming untenable: as companies decide whether to automate jobs, we should reconsider how we tax employment so that there is less of a cost disparity between employing people and automation.
- Cross border competition for key skills will become more intense: employers will need to deliver on the values and priorities of workers, particularly younger generations, to attract and retain the best people.
- Technology and AI are not the only drivers of change: other drivers, such as demographics and geopolitics, could significantly impact the jobs market of the future.
In the seventh episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2023, Lucy Lewis, Partner at Lewis Silkin LLP is joined by fellow partners Colin Leckey and Tarun Tawakley.
“There is the opportunity to be ahead of the regulators and not wait for the regulation to catch up with you but be the ones who are innovating and taking the lead when it comes to developing the models that are most attractive for the people who want to work with you.”
As expectations around work continue to evolve, Colin and Tarun discuss the big questions surrounding the future of the platform economy, including opportunities to foster good work and the impact of regulation on the future landscape.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- Platform work has advantages: whilst there are well-publicised concerns that the platform economy could foster insecure work, it can provide individuals with genuine flexibility and enhance DE&I.
- Good work and platforms: platforms are starting to offer more benefits, perks and a sense of community, notwithstanding the current legal uncertainty and risk of reclassification from self-employed to worker.
- Regulators are playing catch up: achieving an appropriate balance between heavy and light touch regulation is very difficult, there is currently no consensus and approaches vary across the globe.
- Platforms have the opportunity to take the lead: platforms can be ahead of the regulators and be the ones who are innovating and leading when it comes to developing models that are attractive for those that want to work for them.
In the sixth episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2023, Lucy Lewis, Partner at Lewis Silkin LLP speaks to Nimmi Patel, Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK and advisory board member of the Digital Futures at Work Research Centre.
“The impact of generative AI is expected to vary from industry to industry and people have said it can cause significant disruption. But, email caused significant disruption, the printing press caused significant disruption, and I think we can handle it as long as we focus on people first solutions.”
The launch of ChatGPT has reignited the debate about how advances in technology could reshape the world of work. In this podcast, Nimmi and Lucy explore the opportunities and challenges that automation and emerging AI technologies present and the extent to which these technologies can be leveraged to create good work and more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- Jobs are at risk (but jobs will also be created): more than 6,000,000 people in the UK are employed in occupations that are likely to radically change or disappear entirely by 2030 due to technological progress and changing demographics. However, the adoption and use of AI will generate opportunities for the creation of new innovative jobs.
- Humans will work alongside tech: AI will not be able to replace human judgement and it is the responsibility of humans to decide how to teach it, deploy it and acquire the skills they need to thrive in the workplace of the future.
- Risks of algorithmic bias: while the risk of biases in AI are not new, generative AI’s ready accessibility to public data may magnify the risk. Maintaining trust in AI development will be essential and regulation will play a key role.
- AI can enhance DE&I: deploying AI in recruitment can mitigate biases in traditional decision-making and increase the pool of applicants.
- The metaverse presents opportunities: building the metaverse gives us the chance to better reflect our humanity and remove societal biases.
In the fifth episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2023, Lucy Lewis, Partner at Lewis Silkin LLP speaks to Joe Ryle, Director at the 4 Day Week Campaign.
“All these long working hours that we put in don’t really produce very good results but produce a lot of burnout, a lot of stress, a lot of overwork, a lot of unhappiness and, not only is that no way to live, it’s also no way to run an economy.”
The UK’s four-day week trial has been hailed as a breakthrough moment for the move towards a four-day work week. Joe and Lucy explore what this means for employers and the future of work. They consider key learnings from the trial and address the most common concerns held by employers when considering moving to a four-day week. They also reflect on the important role government has to play in driving an economy-wide transition, and the potential for lasting legal and societal change.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- The UK’s four-day week trial was a success: the vast majority of companies (almost 95%) have decided to continue with a four-day week following the end of the trial.
- Introducing the four-day week benefits employers as well as employees: companies adopting the four-day week can benefit from higher employee retention, more motivated staff and increased revenues.
- Employers should avoid top-down implementation of the four-day week: organisations that empower their staff and consult with them in advance are more likely to succeed.
- The four-day week can drive wider cultural change: individuals can balance different aspects of their life, enabling men to take up a more equal share of caring responsibilities.
- The government has a key role to play: an economy-wide transition to a four-day week will require industry leaders, business leaders and trade union leaders to work with the government, supported by the introduction of new legislation.
In the fourth episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2023, Lucy Lewis, Partner at Lewis Silkin LLP speaks to Nita Clarke OBE. Nita is the Director of the Involvement and Participation Association, a leading organisation delivering employee engagement, partnership and employee voice in the workplace.
“People want respect and fairness and to be listened to, and to have their diverse needs thought about. That operates in workplaces now in a way I genuinely don’t think it did a generation ago”.
Nita and Lucy discuss the important role employee voice has to play in building organisational trust as well as the challenges and opportunities that the evolving landscape of collective and individual voice presents for employers.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- Unions are not the only mechanism for employee voice: works councils, employee forums as well as individual employee voice all have an important role to play. Assimilating different forms of employee voice can be challenging but extremely beneficial for employers.
- Employee voice must be informed: to get the most out of employee voice, employers must share strategic information with their workforce to empower them to engage in a more developed discussion.
- Trust is key: to succeed, employers must trust their staff and treat them as serious stakeholders in their organisation. Building a culture of trust and listening to employees also protects organisations from reputational risk.
- Employee engagement can benefit society: effective engagement strategies could help to solve the UK’s productivity puzzle by increasing performance and productivity.
- Management styles need to change: shifting generational attitudes and expectations at work mean that organisations taking a command and control management style will lose out.
In the third episode of our “In Conversation with...” podcast series for 2023, Lucy Lewis, Partner at Lewis Silkin LLP, speaks to Philip Ross, Founder and CEO of UnGroup and Cordless Group and Jeremy Myerson, Director of WORKTECH Academy.
Jeremy and Philip recently co-authored the book ‘Unworking: The Reinvention of the Modern Office’ and, in this episode, they share their insights into the future of the office. Philip and Jeremy consider the habits and rituals we will need to ‘unlearn’ in order to reimagine the workplace of the future, with a particular focus on rethinking both learning and leadership, as well as how to make the workplace as inclusive as possible.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- Leadership is being reimagined: Leadership will be less focussed on presenteeism and more focussed on outputs and purpose. Leaders must drive a sense of purpose and belonging, and organisations will need to rethink their physical spaces to align with this vision.
- Space will no longer define status: While workspace does not dictate culture, it reinforces and supports it. Organisations are moving away from the idea of modern efficiency – rectangular spaces in box-like buildings – towards more democratic spaces, such as circular and curvilinear spaces.
- Workplace experience is key: Companies need to take workplace experience seriously. Many are introducing workplace experience apps to enhance workplace experience and drive a sense of purpose and belonging.
- Office design should support diversity and inclusion: A diverse workforce has diverse needs, and employees may work best in different conditions and environments. To be truly inclusive, the workplace of the future must be heterogeneous and provide employees with genuine choice and variety.
- Organisations need to rethink learning: Hybrid working has resulted in arapid shift away from the ‘eavesdropping’ model of learning, requiring companies to rethink their current practices and invest in new and emerging technologies.
In the second episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2023, Partner Lucy Lewis speaks to Penelope Mantzaris, Senior Vice President at Edelman Data & Intelligence about trust and how it is evolving.
“Trust is the foundation that allows an organisation to take responsible risk and to innovate and, if it makes mistakes, to rebound from them”.
With the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer hot off the press, Penelope and Lucy consider the role that trust has to play in an increasingly polarised society and what this means for employers.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- Factors such as distrust in the government, a lack of shared identity in communities and economic pessimism are leading to intense polarisation in society. However, trust in employers remains high.
- Trust is local. People trust those that they have real interactions with like their neighbours, co-workers and the CEO of their own employer.
- Consumers and employees are applying pressure to business, buying brands which match their values and choosing to work for companies that have a positive societal impact. CEO behaviour matters.
- To build trust, leaders must place their trust in employees first, provide information about contentious issues and make employees feel comfortable voicing their opinions.
- Businesses should use trusted voices at each level of the organisation, particularly if difficult decisions need to be taken.
For more on this topic, visit the Future of Work Hub.
In the first episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2023, Lucy speaks to James Davies, Partner at Lewis Silkin LLP. James is a leading expert in employment law and speaks widely on issues relating to the future of work. He published his latest report on the future of work, “Eight drivers of change: 2022 and beyond” in November last year.
In this episode, James and Lucy explore the impact generational attitudes, particularly those of younger generations, are having on work and society more broadly and how that will influence the world of work in the years ahead.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
- Generational attitudes and values are having a profound impact on the world of work
Generational attitudes, particularly those of younger generations, are impacting employer decision-making around the world. Employers, particularly in the US, must consider their stance on social and political issues as part of their value proposition.
- Shifting generational values will lead to political change
Shifting attitudes are predicted to drive significant political change in the UK which could, in turn, dramatically influence the employment landscape, including in areas such as tax, immigration and labour relations.
- Employers must act now to navigate the road ahead
To attract and retain the best people, employers will need to look outside traditional demographic and geographic recruitment pools and review their recruitment models. Employers need to recognise the importance of connecting organisational and employee sense of purpose.
- Focus will shift to climate change and growing inequality
Climate change and inequality are likely to emerge as dominant societal and business critical issues in the years ahead and garner the attention and action they deserve from society, governments and employers.
You can read James’ report here.
In our 2022 ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series Lucy Lewis asked ten leading experts and thinkers to share their insights into what the future of work could hold.
In this final episode of 2022, Lucy reflects on the conversations she has had this year and draws together many of the insightful perspectives shared by her guests.
Lucy explores the key themes that emerged across her conversations. These touched on the role of trust in the workplace, the impact of shifting employee values across generations at work, the Great Resignation and the employee value proposition, the significant challenges of building skills for the future, and the continuing importance of diversity and inclusion.
Importantly Lucy considers what we’ve learned from these insights and explores what action we, collectively and as individuals, need to take as societies and businesses adjust to the rapidly changing world.
Finally, Lucy reflects on some of the fascinating responses she received to the question we asked all of our podcast guests this year: ‘If you had the power to ensure one change for the workplace of 2032, what would this be?’ Tune in to hear what they had to say!
In the tenth episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2022, Partner Lucy Lewis speaks to Elizabeth Bieniek, Director of Innovation at Cisco and an internal start-up founder.
Elizabeth’s particular focus is on the interface between people and emerging technology, developing technologies that will help build a bridge between our experiences today and the experiences that might be possible as technology advances.
In this fascinating discussion, Elizabeth and Lucy consider how technology can be used to build trust and a sense of belonging to make hybrid and remote working more ‘human’. Elizabeth explains the important focus that is needed on the underlying human motivations driving societal trends when anticipating future technology that will successfully enable human interaction when people can’t be together physically.
Finally, with growing discussion on the impact of the metaverse and other emerging technologies on work, Elizabeth lays to rest any confusion we might have had about the differences between augmented and virtual reality and their role in the future world of work.
In the ninth episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2022, Lucy speaks to Ritu Mohanka, Managing Director and Head of EMEA at Syndio, a leading workplace equity platform.
In this episode, Ritu shares her fascinating insights into how data can be used to drive workplace and pay equity and how businesses are responding to increasing pressure from stakeholders, employees and legislators to address systematic bias in the workplace.
Ritu discusses the important role that communication and transparency have to play in building and creating high workplace trust and considers some of the key factors driving the creation of pay gaps, including the ‘opportunity gap’. She goes on to explain why data driven decision-making is one of the most important components for future strategic decisions, pushing it to the top of HR’s agenda.
Turning to intersectionality, Ritu explores how this poses particular challenges when assessing and tackling pay gaps and illustrates the different approaches employers are taking to address this. Finally, Ritu and Lucy discuss the role that pay transparency legislation has to play in driving change, and how multi-national companies can navigate their global obligations from a cultural and regulatory perspective.
In the eighth episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2022, Lucy speaks to Dr Grace Lordan, an Associate Professor at the London School of Economics and the Founding Director of The Inclusion Initiative which supports firms to build more inclusive workplace cultures.
Dr Lordan discusses the importance of leveraging under-represented talent in the workplace and the practical steps that businesses can take, particularly in light of the challenges presented by hybrid working. She questions the concept of the four-day work week, arguing that employers could instead increase productivity by reducing presenteeism and offering greater flexibility.
Moving on to technology, Dr Lordan touches on her recent research which finds that AI is actually less biased than humans when used in recruitment, and discusses the value AI can bring to employers. She also considers her research findings on automation, including the prospect of widening inequalities, and reflects on how the skills agenda needs to shift to accommodate the changing needs of businesses.”
In the seventh episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2022, Lucy Lewis speaks to Harriet Molyneaux, Managing Director at HSM Advisory.
As a future of work expert, Harriet shares her practical expertise on the big future of work trends of the moment. Harriet explores how organisations can embrace hybrid working to create sustainable high performance environments with productive and happy employees before turning to how employee voice can be harnessed as a check and balance mechanism for organisations.
Moving onto demographics, Harriet explains how the three stage life of education, work and retirement isn’t fit for purpose in technical high speed change environments, suggesting that it might be time to retire the word ‘retirement’. Finally, Harriet concludes with her thoughts on what the future holds for HR and how HR professionals need to evolve.
In the sixth episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2022, Lucy Lewis speaks to David Liddle, founder and CEO of TCM Group and best selling author.
David is passionate about reforming organisational culture and HR conflict resolution processes, believing we need to move away from the retributive systems of blame, shame and punishment within workplaces. David explains how managing conflict needs to become a strategic priority, with dialogue having primacy rather than retribution. Ultimately, HR will need to decide if they want to focus on people, culture and values or simply governance, rules and processes. David finishes by talking about the clear business benefits of shifting to a people centred, purpose led and values based leadership system. After listening to David’s conversation, you won’t feel the same way about the grievance process found in every employee handbook.
In the fifth episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2022, Lucy Lewis speaks to Kevin Cook, CEO and co-founder of TreasurySpring, a fintech company launched in 2016.
Kevin discusses the ESG demands that are at play in the market as well as exploring how awareness and focus on ESG has shifted over the past few years. Kevin explains that pressure doesn’t only come from investors, but also employees who want to understand company views on fostering an ESG agenda, with a clear warning not to fall into the trap of greenwashing or lip service. Lucy and Kevin also discuss why TreasurySpring took the decision to become remote first with Kevin sharing some practical tips to avoid two tier culture.
To find out more about TreasurySpring, please visit www.treasuryspring.com.
In the fourth episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2022, Lucy speaks to Dr Eliza Filby, a generational expert helping businesses understand workplace dynamics and demographic trends through the prism of age and generations.
Dr Filby shares her fascinating insights into the impact of four generations in the workplace, how technology has accelerated generational differences and her views on what motivates people to work and how that has changed over the decades. Turning to hybrid working, Dr Filby goes on to consider the dangers of a ‘hierarchy of needs’ approach and how this could potentially disadvantage women and ethnic minorities.
To find out more, please visit www.elizafilby.com where you can sign up for Dr Filby’s fortnightly newsletter or follow her on twitter.
In the third episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2022, Lucy speaks to Kit Krugman, Managing Director and Derek Newberry, Senior Director co:collective's Org + Culture Design practice.
In this episode, Kit and Derek discuss their approach to gender parity and what companies can do to create greater diversity, both inside and outside of their companies. Derek shares his view that the ‘Great Resignation’ is really the ‘Great Re-calibration’ meaning employers should be re-defining their relationship with their staff to architect their value proposition.
With offices re-opening again, Kit and Derek share practical insights into the drivers of culture and relationship building that can help businesses navigate this new transition. Derek leaves us with his thought-provoking hope that the office of the future will see a revival, not because staff feel they have to be there, but because they want to be there.
If you would like to find out more about co:collective you can visit their website here: www.cocollective.com.
In the second episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series for 2022, Lucy speaks to Dr Carl Benedikt Frey, Director, Future of Work, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
In this episode, Carl revisits the landmark study he co-authored in 2013 “The future of employment: how susceptible are jobs to computerisation” and discusses their conclusions - that 47% of jobs in the US, and 40% of jobs in Europe, would be vulnerable to technological displacement in the next 20 years. As well as exploring the types of work that are at risk of being easily automated, Carl also identifies three areas of work that aren’t readily susceptible to technological displacement.
Carl explores the impact of current labour shortages on driving automation and the importance of focussing on skills to allow people to better transition into new jobs and industries. Finally Carl shares his thoughts on the importance of our physical in-person networks and communities for innovation, and the crucial role communication has to play in overcoming automation fears in the workplace.
For further information about Carl, Carl is active on Twitter @carlbfrey or you can visit Carl’s website www.carlbenediktfrey.com where you can also find details of his latest book “The Technology Trap: capital labor and power in the age of automation”.
Our first ‘In conversation with…’ podcast for 2022, features Claire Haidar, technology entrepreneur, future thinker and Founder and CEO of Wndyr and Pattyrn.
Claire explains how the future of work is chaos, why we should all be embracing it and how companies can build resilience to adapt. Claire shares her view that hybrid working doesn’t work and explores what clashes of cultures can happen in trying to maintain a hybrid workplace. The conversation ends with some lessons learnt from building culture in virtual organisations and Claire’s one wish for the workplace of 2032 – hologram technology.
In our final ‘In conversation with…’ podcast for 2021, our host, Lucy Lewis, reflects on the perspectives shared by our ten guest speakers on what the future of work could hold. Our conversations have covered a lot of ground, reflecting the dynamic landscape of the world of work. Highlights include how the role of trust between people and business is changing, the rise of hybrid working and the future of the office and how the workforce is shaping the sustainability agenda. Lucy concludes with a look back at what some of our ten leading experts and thinkers consider will be the biggest and most radical change for the future of work that we’ll see coming out of the pandemic.
Our tenth episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ podcast series features Andrew Magowan, Director of Sustainability and General Counsel at Berry Bros. & Rudd.
In this episode, Andrew explores the significant impact on businesses, both as employers and brands, of the expectation to “do the right thing” in terms of sustainability. Andrew shares his thoughts on the government’s role in driving change in relation to sustainability issues, noting the value and impact government intervention has made in other areas. However, believing business must take the lead, Andrew shares his perspectives on approaching sustainability as a risk management issue and offers some practical advice on how to take those first steps to meaningful sustainable change.
For further information about Andrew, you can follow him on LinkedIn here, or if you’re headed to Northern Ireland, check out the Inside Track.
James discusses his new report, the Eight Drivers of Change, analysing that whilst the pandemic has been a leading catalyst for change in the future of work, it is only one of many drivers of change. James talks through the emerging themes he has identified as a result of the drivers of changes, in particular exploring how changes to the labour market will see ongoing skills shortages and the pandemic meaning employers will be striving to restore a sense of belonging at work. Finally, James makes some thought-provoking predictions for the future, predicting we will all work less hours yet work for longer.
Neta explains how the creation of Vault Platform came about, how being able to ‘speak up’ and report goes hand in hand with creating or breaking trust in organisations and how companies should be striving for high reporting rates. Neta explores how trust tech has the ability to create bonds between a company and it’s people as well as recognising the growing importance of employees having an active voice within their organisation. Finally Neta shares some insight into what companies should be doing to tackle misconduct in light of the impact of the pandemic meaning that open door policies are no longer fit for purpose.
For more information about Vault Platform, please see their website.
Our seventh episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ series features Philippa Wagner, creative strategist and thought leader with over 20 years’ experience in strategic trend forecasting and shaping the future of some of the world’s leading brands.
Philippa explores the rise of the sustainability agenda and the response of businesses, together with their role in helping consumers make better choices. Philippa shares her thoughts on brand activism and the increasing convergence between what employees and consumers want and expect from businesses today and in the future. Philippa also shares advice on creating an environmental strategy and redesigning office space, post pandemic, through the prism of wellbeing and our carbon footprint.
For more information about Philippa’s work, please visit her website.
Our sixth episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ series features Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO of 20-first, one of the world's leading global consultancies focussed on gender balance.
Avivah highlights the business opportunities of gender balance for organisations, the focus on female leadership traits as a result of the pandemic, the rise of “conscious capitalism” and the role government and policy have to play in shaping demographic change. We are encouraged to change the way we think about gender balance and think beyond the unsuccessful gender inclusion strategies of the past. Avivah also shares her thoughts on what companies can be doing now to bring about lasting change.
Our fifth episode of our ‘In Conversation with…’ series features Alexander Milner-Smith, partner and Co-Head of Lewis Silkin’s data privacy group. Alexander explores the main trends in data privacy in recent years and what the future looks like in light of the pandemic. The conversation turns to the shifting attitudes towards the handling of health data and what employers can and should be doing to embed a culture of respect for data privacy in the future workplace post Covid-19.
In our fourth podcast of the series, we talk to property workplace expert and change leader, Neil Usher.
We discuss how the pandemic has caused us to question the purpose of the office, the future impact on our workspaces and the growing importance of sustainability.
For those contemplating a return to the office, Neil offers advice on how to adopt an experimental mindset when designing a fantastic workspace for the future, without losing sight of employee wellbeing and workplace culture.
For more information about Neil’s work, he can be found on Twitter @workessence.
In our third podcast of the series, we talk to thought leaders in education, Rebecca Glover, Principal of Surbiton High School and Clemmie Stewart, Senior Head of Prep Schools at Surbiton High.
Rebecca and Clemmie presented a TED talk last year asking whether parenting approaches need to change to prepare children for the future, proposing ‘trampoline parenting’ as the solution. We explore with them what the most important tools and skills are for the workplace of the future and the role of the education system in providing that. Rebecca and Clemmie also explain all about trampoline parenting as well as the unexpected benefits the pandemic has had on learning.
To learn more about trampoline parenting and the work of Clemmie and Rebecca, please click here.
In our second podcast of the series, we talk to Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, championing better work and working lives.
Peter discusses how 2020 has changed the agenda for businesses, the potential for the end of the 9 to 5 working day and the future of the office. We go on to discuss how people professionals should be planning for the future of work, the increasing importance of employee voice and why upskilling to futureproof your workforce is so important.
To learn more about the work of the CIPD and read their People Profession 2030: a collective view of future trends report, please click here.
In our first podcast of the series, we talk to Ian Goldin, Professor of Globalisation and Development at Oxford University and Director of the Oxford Martin Programme on Technological and Economic Change. Previously Ian was economic advisor to President Mandela and then Vice President and Director of Development Policy for the World Bank.
Ian gives us his views on the key trends at play in the world of work and discusses the Oxford Martin Programme’s research showing 47% of jobs may be vulnerable to technological displacement over the next 20 years. He goes on to discuss the impact of the pandemic in respect of the transformation of office space and property prices as well as the increasing inequality and divisions in society. Finally, we hear about how the global pandemic will affect globalisation in the future.