Leadership in transition – from Boomers to Gen Z

The leadership landscape is undergoing profound transformation, shaped by rapid advancements in AI, shifting global markets, and evolving employee expectations. However, one of the most significant yet often overlooked transitions is the generational shift in leadership. As an increasing number of Baby Boomers (1946-1964) contemplate options for retirement, Gen X (1965-1980) is stepping into top leadership roles, while ambitious Millennials (1981-1996) and the ever-assertive Gen Z (1997-2012) rise through the ranks, eager to redefine leadership for a new era.

Each generation brings distinct values, leadership styles, and expectations, shaped by the historical, cultural, and technological influences of their formative years. The challenge for today’s organisations is not only to manage these differences but to create a workplace where these diverse perspectives fuel innovation, collaboration, and sustained success.

HR leaders and executives must navigate the complex interplay of experience, ambition, and technological disruption, balancing the wisdom of seasoned leaders with the fresh insights of younger generations. This requires an adaptive approach to leadership development, succession planning, and workplace culture. Notably, the youngest Baby Boomers turned 60 in 2024—the average age of senior leadership in the UK, particularly for non-executive directors. Executive board directors tend to be slightly younger, averaging around 55. With approximately 11,200 people across the country turning 65 each day, and over a third of UK Boomers planning to work beyond the state retirement age of 66, organisations must prepare for a significant generational shift at the top.

Forward-thinking organisations will be those that harness the strengths of each generation, fostering inclusive leadership pipelines and leveraging intergenerational collaboration as a competitive advantage.  To earn the respect, loyalty, and engagement of a multigenerational workforce, today’s leaders—regardless of their generation—must be adaptable, self-aware, and capable of tailoring their leadership approach to different contexts. Understanding how personal leadership styles impact those significantly older or younger will be key to fostering a cohesive and high-performing workplace.

Let’s explore the defining characteristics of each generation, the leadership styles they bring to the table, with a caveat that these are generalisations, and the proposed strategies that can help bridge generational divides to build a resilient, future-ready workforce.

Baby Boomers: 1946-1964

(US President Donald Trump, Jeff Bezos Amazon, Bill Gates Microsoft, UK PM Sir Keir Starmer)

The biggest generation, as the name suggests, born into a post-Second World War economic boom, alongside growing tensions between Communism and capitalism. In the West, governments prioritised national growth and individual accumulation of wealth while the expanding middle classes and their increased spending power saw a surge in the leisure and services industries. The Boomers oversaw the first high-tech revolution with the invention of user-friendly computers, the internet, space exploration and incredible medical advances; they challenged the authority of the establishment through the countercultural movement, and expanded the horizons of the ordinary family to every corner of the planet through culture and travel.

Leadership style: Research shows Boomers are more likely to be workaholics, striving for personal reputational and financial success. They respect the rule of authority and feel most comfortable in traditional transparent, vertical hierarchical structures. They may tend towards being fairly autocratic in their leadership style, seeking minimal feedback or advice and allowing functions and departments to work in silos. They value formal education and qualifications, preferably from prestigious institutions such as Oxbridge or Ivy League, and favour networking in person.

Strengths: They understand traditional markets, customs and practices, and use their experience to anticipate challenges, responding with cool rationality and caution. They will have built up strong and valuable networks and partnerships which can strengthen any organisation. They are more likely to feel that their identity is tied in with that of their company and their resilience, combined with loyalty and a desire for stability during the last years of their careers, means they will often endure or navigate through any difficulties as they seek to shore up their own legacies through continuing success.

Weaknesses: That autocratic, hierarchical style may not chime well with younger generations. Some Boomers need to be encouraged to better appreciate the potential contributions of thrusting younger employees and not be put off by their directness, which could be mistaken for callowness. They may need encouragement to make themselves more approachable and to open two-way communication through digital channels such as social media. Some older leaders looking towards retirement may feel undermined or intimidated by the march of AI and data-driven technologies into decision-making territory, though that is something of a generalisation and it is important to recognise the grandfathers of the tech revolution mainly hailed from this generation.

How to manage Boomers: They have a unique set of skills, experience and contacts essential to any organisation. To attract and retain Boomers, focus on healthcare, offer the flexibility of part-time or consultancy roles, generous retirement propositions and financial planning support. It may be worth investing in continuous leadership development to help them stay relevant, develop their digital profiles and build confidence with new technologies. Set up mentoring models to help pass on their experience and wisdom and maintain a sense of belonging. Consider face-to-face communication over digital where possible. They will particularly appreciate formal and public recognition of their successes via awards, pay rises and job titles. While Boomers can generally be trusted to manage themselves, HR might want to help them work on softening their own leadership style to enact cultural change from the top, down, and ensure more cohesive collaboration, sharing of insights and networks, and a welcoming, nurturing environment for younger, up and coming talent. Open office doors or open planning and town hall meetings can help foster a sense of transparency, community and belonging.

Generation X: 1965–1980

(Elon Musk Tesla and X, Sundar Pichai Google, Lisa Su AMD)

The oft-forgotten middle child, Generation X is focused on balancing work with lifestyle and family. They have lived through the Cold War and seen the collapse of Communism as well as the downsides of rampant capitalism – the recession and 2007 stock market crash, growing poverty gap and environmental cost of unchecked industrial growth. They tend to have more of a conscience about their impact on the rest of the world and principles of equality, diversity and inclusion than their older counterparts. The median age of General and Operations Managers is around 44, putting them firmly in the middle of Gen X.

Leadership style: Research has found Gen X leaders to be pragmatic, results-orientated, adaptable, and focused on autonomy, valuing self-reliance and independent work rather than adherence to protocols and processes. They tend to prefer a collaborative environment while creating space for delegated individuals to manage their own tasks effectively, bridging the gap between the hierarchical structures favoured by Boomers and the flatter organisational hierarchies preferred by younger workers. They are more sceptical and questioning of authority than their older peers.

Strengths: As the inter-generational facilitators, Gen X tend to be strong communicators, able to relate to others and foster collaboration. They are appreciated as managers for their transparency, generosity, decency, fairness and willingness to listen. They can be the most reliable workers. They can engender trust and respect from younger workers by seeking to rule through influence and encouragement while respecting and honouring the structures and processes preferred by Boomers. They can provide supportive, anchoring roles while preparing to step up into the vacancies left by retiring executives.

Weaknesses: Not strictly a weakness, they may see hard work as a means to a more comfortable life rather than being driven by ego or ambition. Their enthusiasm and engagement may be compromised by feeling somewhat under-valued, being sandwiched between the self-serving and self-assured leaders above and the unabashed attention seekers being elevated ahead of them from below.

How to manage Gen X: Delegate effectively, give them ownership of projects with clear expectations and provide meaningful feedback. Demonstrate commitment and appreciation by investing in their professional development, opening pathways to promotion and achievable rewards as incentives. Ensure they feel seen and put them very much at the centre of the AI revolution by supporting their continuous learning. (Older X-ers started work on typewriters so may need a bit more hand-holding through AI-led transformation.) Gen X will also be motivated by generous pension and health benefits. They may be managing children and caring for parents, so offering flexibility and compassion will foster loyalty and productivity. Using them as mediators and mentors can be mutually beneficial, allowing them to share the wisdom that comes with experience while gaining vital knowledge in new technologies from savvy youngsters.

Millennials: 1981–1996

(Mark Zukerberg Meta, Brian Chesky AirBnB, Maria Raga Depop, Demis Hassabis DeepMind)

and Generation Z 1997-2012

(Jimmy Donaldson aka Mr Beast, YouTube influencer, Greta Thunberg environmentalist, Jenk Oz 19-year-old CEO founder of Thred media)

Both of these generations came of age during the ongoing tech boom and so are confident and adaptable in the fast-moving, revolutionary era of AI. Millennials saw the internet become omniscient while Gen Y saw it become omnipresent, with the world immediately available at their fingertips in smartphones. It means they feel more connectivity with the world and sensitivity to it. Millennials see themselves as disruptors, challenging the status quo and using technologies to transform how we do things.

In Gen Z, the climate crisis, living through the pandemic and movements such as Black Lives Matter have driven a sense of ethical responsibility, but also anxiety which has led to them sometimes being unkindly referred to as snowflakes due to their perceived lack of resilience.

Leadership style: The oldest Millennials are now 44 while the oldest Gen Zers are just 27, so leaders are more likely to be entrepreneurs and innovators than have worked their way up. The tech revolution has opened new avenues to success which do not depend on traditional hierarchies and vertical ladders. Younger leaders are also sought after in new positions overseeing transformation such as chief data officer and other AI leads of teams and departments.

Gen Zers in particular can be highly motivated by a need to be noticed in this age of social media; they buy into the cult of the individual, seeking to emulate the huge followings and pervasive presence of influencers. They tend to value and aspire to transformational and visionary leadership. They like to work in collaborative cultures and environments which foster creativity, trust and courage. They distrust authoritarianism and challenge orthodoxies. They probably do not even own a tie and possibly not even a suit.

Strengths: Both groups can adapt quickly to new technologies, platforms and tools and understand the value and uses of big data and analytics. They are unphased by tech and many will be looking at ways to constantly develop their own skillsets to ensure their value is augmented by it rather than seeing it as a threat,

Millennials in particular can be driven by a strong sense of purpose and fairness. They want to change the world for the better, are willing to make personal sacrifices and value learning. They embrace transformation and diversity in the workplace, are pragmatic and ready to lead.

The most confident Gen Zers see people of their own generation becoming influential and powerful and can imagine achieving similar success themselves, sometimes giving them the appearance of supreme confidence. They tend to be comfortable promoting themselves and their brands through digital channels, including video. They can appeal to younger talent and consumers and understand the vast commercial value of social media influencers, which may be lost on older leaders.

Weaknesses: Less committed than their predecessors, millennials work around 29 hours per week compared to 48 for Gen X and 47 for Boomers. They are less loyal than older colleagues and are more likely to be quickly frustrated if they are not being groomed for promotions and leadership roles. Seventy-one percent are ready to jump in their first year.

Meanwhile hybrid working, Covid-era schooling and social media have led to Americans between the ages of 15 and 24 spending just 38 minutes a day interacting face-to-face by choice. That age group is also less inclined to spend time on work or education, while millennial women are three times more likely to text than call. Many employers complain that this has all left the younger generations lacking in vital soft skills, including being able to communicate appropriately in person. Older employees may view some of them as brash, demanding, uncompromising and lacking nuance. Gen Zers often want instant gratification with minimal effort. Some employers say they struggle with criticism and can not cope with setbacks. They can cause friction in workplaces by failing to respect conventions or the contributions of older colleagues. Their lower attention span can mean they lose focus on long-term projects and objectives and will seek a move rather than seeking to overcome any difficulties.

Managing Millennials and Gen Zs. Both generations respond best to inspirational and visionary leadership rather than rigid rules, regulations, and procedures. Instead of instructing, focus on coaching and empowerment to foster autonomy and engagement. Millennials can play a key role in guiding and channeling Gen Z’s energy and ambition into meaningful productivity.  To maximise their potential, encourage innovation by creating psychologically safe spaces for experimentation. Frame failures as learning opportunities rather than setbacks.  Provide frequent and meaningful feedback—research suggests younger workers may require up to 50% more than older generations.  Prioritise mental health and well-being, ensuring structured support systems are in place to address common workplace anxieties.  Facilitate mentoring relationships to cultivate a culture of belonging, mutual respect, and reciprocal learning. Embed purpose and values into organisational culture, ensuring visible and actionable EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) strategies. Millennials, in particular, are drawn to organisations with a strong sense of purpose and social responsibility.

Both Millennials and Gen Z have seamlessly integrated Gen AI, smart technologies, and algorithms into their daily lives and expect the same level of digital fluency at work. They value efficiency and innovation and will be frustrated by outdated or inefficient systems. Investing in relevant technology will help fully leverage their skills and appetite for innovation while enhancing job satisfaction.

Research suggests that both groups tend to prioritise work-life balance and seek purpose and fulfilment in their careers rather than defining themselves by their jobs.  Millennials pioneered the push for meaningful work but tend to seek more stability as they age.  Gen Z, by contrast, are thought to prioritise financial security and flexibility, often favouring adaptability over long-term loyalty therefore being more likely to explore multiple roles, industries, or freelance work.

To attract and retain this talent, organisations must implement highly personalised and responsive professional development plans with clear, achievable milestones. A continuous pipeline of new talent is essential, alongside flexible working arrangements, including hybrid models, sabbaticals, and opportunities for international experience. Cultivating a collaborative, engaging, and enjoyable workplace culture is key, as strong relationships and a sense of purpose drive commitment. AI-driven platforms can enhance learning by gamifying development opportunities, keeping Gen Z engaged and motivated.

Early investment in personalised leadership development programmes will be critical for long-term retention. Additionally, organisations should recognise that younger professionals value authenticity and emotional honesty in leadership, making open communication and genuine engagement essential to earning their trust and loyalty.

Leading Across Generations: Embracing Change and Opportunity

Effective organisational leadership should resemble a relay team—training together, refining their handovers, and ensuring seamless transitions—rather than a competition where individuals vie against one another.

The modern workforce is not just a collection of individuals but a dynamic ecosystem shaped by the interplay of multiple generations, each contributing unique strengths, perspectives, and leadership styles. As businesses prepare for a wave of leadership transitions, HR and senior leaders must proactively design strategies that integrate generational diversity into succession planning, leadership development, and workplace culture.

Rather than viewing generational differences as obstacles, organisations that foster intergenerational collaboration can unlock untapped potential. The experience, networks, and strategic insight of Boomers and Gen X can be complemented by the digital fluency, innovation, and values-driven leadership of Millennials and Gen Z. A well-structured leadership pipeline—one that rewards merit, agility, and adaptability—will ensure a steady flow of talent into critical roles, keeping organisations competitive in an era of rapid transformation.

To thrive, businesses must embrace a holistic approach to leadership development, incorporating mentoring, reverse mentoring, flexible career paths, and AI-driven learning. Investing in generationally-inclusive leadership strategies will not only help retain top talent but also create an environment where diverse leadership styles thrive, ultimately driving long-term organisational success.

At Rialto, we empower organisations and individuals to navigate this evolving leadership landscape through bespoke programmes tailored to multi-generational leadership development and AI adoption. By equipping leaders with the skills to adapt and collaborate across generational lines, we enable businesses to turn generational shifts into powerful opportunities for growth and transformation.

As we move into year three of Generative AI, its potential for enhancing operations, driving innovation and building a competitive edge is becoming ever clearer, as are the challenges and risks.

The world’s most innovative companies have moved, or are moving, beyond experimentation to integrate AI-first models, adjusting spending and recalibrating business strategies to maximise ROI and stay ahead of the curve. PwC found almost half of the US’s Fortune 1000 companies now have AI fully embedded in their workflows, with a third using it in their products and services.

This year, priorities should include solidifying foundational structures, measuring outcomes and adjusting programmes to make Gen AI work effectively and safely and secure that advantage. Those late to the party or failing to understand the critical need to constantly evolve and manage Gen AI may struggle to ever catch up.

In a recent survey by Ernst & Young (EY), 97% of senior business leaders reported positive returns on their AI investments with a third planning to spend £8 million or more on AI initiatives this year while UK software buyers expect to increase spending by an average 5-15%. Organisations that commit 5% or more of their total budget toward AI are seeing more positive returns than more cautious investors with the biggest in operational efficiencies, (84%) and employee productivity (83%).

It is essential for c-suite executives to have a full and proper understanding of the AI landscape, both within their sector or industry and beyond. Trying to experiment or get to grips with Generative AI in a bubble or silo is like constantly trying to reinvent the wheel when budgets would be better spent targeting funding to improve its performance. Progressive organisations will research thoroughly the tools, programmes and platforms used by competitors and sector leaders to learn what has and has not worked for them and how they are prioritising their AI budgets in 2025 and beyond.

Chaotic implementation has led to lost ROI and confidence in some early iterations of Gen AI-powered programmes as over-eager organisations put the cart before the horse, buying the latest hyped-up tools or platforms through FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) without really understanding their value, testing them or building sound foundational infrastructure. Only 12% reported using sandboxes in one survey, for example, leaving too much to chance and increasing risks of damaging failures. Getting it right demands a disciplined approach with co-operation and collaboration from every department and at every level.

UK senior decision makers told Capterra’s 2025 Tech Trends that successful technological implementation was the greatest challenge they now faced as they moved onto the next phase of adoption, followed by training and upskilling employees, economic and geopolitical pressures, assessing value and risk of AI and identifying the right technologies to invest in.

The most innovative companies will be patient, appreciating that real returns on investment may take years to materialise in terms of profit, but that agile, future-focused and strategically aligned Gen AI-led programmes will ensure long term competitive growth.

(See our previous insight on the five stages of AI maturity)

Here we look at trends within the three main focuses for the AI spending priorities c-suite executives should be considering over the next 12 months: Tech, data and upskilling the workforce.

Spending on Tech:

Globally, spending on hardware and devices, including computers and smartphones, is likely to grow by £10 billion to £118.5 billion, with Covid lockdown working-from-home technology nearing the end of its useful life and new AI-powered devices offering far more possibilities.
Spending on software is expected to see an even greater increase, accelerating by 13.2% in 2025 to £230.5 billion.

Most software buyers in the UK expect to spend between 5-15% more on digital systems this year as they seek to increase ROI on their AI investments, according to the Capterra research. Six in 10 will dedicate one to four months choosing the right product and 38% see implementation as a key challenge.

The survey found security will be the highest priority, followed by AI, IT management, IT architecture and business intelligence and data analytics.

Automation: Justina Nixon-Saintil, vice president and chief impact officer at IBM, believes AI automation will be the story of 2025. “Any tasks or jobs in the company that could be automated by AI will happen within the next year,” she said.

Alicia Pittman, global people team chair at the Boston Consulting Group said a priority should be custom GPTs and mini-automations to build bottom-up power, enabling entire knowledge-based workforces to boost productivity and quality. She said: “It’s super quick, and it doesn’t require big investments or processes.”

CRMs: This year, more companies are expected to move away from in-house Gen AI solutions towards buying partner solutions. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms such as HubSpot, Salesforce and Amazon AWS are constantly improving their AI-powered offerings with broad options for customised integrated systems that can enhance almost all business objectives, from identifying new product or market opportunities and analysing big data to hyper-personalised marketing and sales which vastly improve customer experience, boost sales and build loyalty.

Fortune Business Insights predicts that the CRM market will more than double from the £50 billion spent in 2022 to £120 billion by 2029. Most platforms offer free, simplified versions of subscription models which can keep costs down, such as Microsoft Pilot and Salesforce Einstein, enabling smaller businesses and start-ups to capitalise on these fast-evolving Gen-AI powered technologies.

Spending on Data:

As the AI landscape matures, decision-makers at innovative organisations will look to upscale, standardise and refine AI use with connected, clean data across all functions and lines of their organisations to ensure it remains relevant, agile and that risks are understood and managed.

Two in five UK companies identified data quality as the greatest challenge to successful AI adoption in a survey by Hitachi Vantara. Nearly half reported significant challenges with data storage and 56% admitted to using less than half their data. Meanwhile 83% of senior business leaders say stronger data infrastructure would enable faster AI adoption.

Gen AI is only as good as the data on which it is trained and building scalable and flexible data architecture that can manage speed, variety and volume of data is critical to enable any organisation to scale up programmes and ensure maximum ROI, potentially accelerating adoption by 30%. The IBM Institute for Business Value found that poor data quality costs the US economy around $3.1 trillion a year.

Companies like Netflix and Tesco have shown the value of substantial investment in data and data infrastructure, able to process huge datasets to hyper-personalise their services, innovate, and get closer to their markets. Innovative enterprises are investing in tools including ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, data lakes, or iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) solutions to optimise the value of their data.

Cloud storage: More than half of IT spending in key market segments is projected to shift to the cloud by the end of 2025, with global spending on cloud computing services expected to reach £1 trillion. Organisations are moving towards multicloud, open data storage to avoid vendor lock-in.

The UK government has welcomed news of £25 billion investment in data centres which will provide more computing power and data storage building infrastructure to boost AI development and innovation.

Businesses will need to manage 150% more data by 2026 and Gartner predicts that spending on data centres will climb by 15.5% in 2025 on top of a 35% rise in 2024.

Security: With this increasing reliance on data and cloud storage, security becomes ever more essential, especially in sensitive sectors such as finance, defence and healthcare. IBM reported the average cost of a data breach at more than £3.5 million in 2021. Gartner expects cybersecurity spending to increase 15% in 2025.

ESG: Organisations also need to think about the energy costs and impact on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials of increased use of Gen AI and other technologies, investing in renewable sources wherever possible. Two thirds of senior leaders fear the negative impact of increased AI use on their sustainability targets and energy supply.

Steve Wanner, EY head of Americas Industrials & Energy said: “Leaders are waking up to the energy challenges inherent in scaling AI. To create innovative solutions that enable energy efficient and sustainable AI growth, companies must collaborate across the value chain, connecting the dots from energy providers to the end-use AI customer.”

Technology could also be part of the answer. Deloitte found three quarters of public companies planned to invest in AI-powered reporting tools to help them evaluate, analyse and share ESG data to comply with tightening regulations worldwide.

However, the biggest rewards are likely to be found in the joining up and safe (anonymised) data-sharing of and between AI systems, which demands greater collaboration within and between organisations, sectors and industries.

Spending on upskilling:

This year, CEOs and other c-suite decision-makers will be more hands on and, hopefully, AI-literate, and therefore committed to restructuring operations so that departments have access to data scientists and AI leads as well as focusing on educating and upskilling all knowledge-based workers and ensuring investment is more disciplined, methodical and targeted.

The speed of Gen AI evolution has taken even tech experts by surprise since ChatGPT opened it up to the masses in November 2022, so it’s hardly surprising that most of the workforce, from CEOs to customer agents and even IT managers, often feel overwhelmed and even intimidated by it.

Almost half of companies admit to lacking the know-how to integrate AI while 90% of executives say they do not know their workforce’s AI skill and proficiency. Four in five IT professionals say they are confident they can adapt but just 12% have significant experience working with AI. Organisations should consider the users of the technology before they buy it and the current skills landscape to avoid workforce burnout and unsafe or under-use of the tools and platforms.

This skills gap threatens to seriously destabilise and restrict the opportunities offered by Gen AI while increasing risk. Babies born in 2025 will be the first of Generation Beta and will grow up with AI all around them. Until they mature, businesses need to retrain their own workforces and bring in data science and Gen-AI planning expertise where it is lacking.

Tech companies are ahead of the curve on this. Amazon developed a Machine Learning University, investing heavily in training and development programs to build its internal capabilities.

IBM has made a commitment to scale up two million of its workers in AI by 2026. Nixon-Saintil said. “There’s a sense of urgency in making sure we are not leaving people behind.”

The growing sophistication of Natural Language Processing (NLP) will continue to enable employees at all levels to leverage AI, so the workforce needs to undergo continuous learning to keep up with new and evolving tools, platforms and emerging risks. Staff who will be using Gen AI models such as Chat GPT, Microsoft CoPilot and Google’s Gemini need to learn to craft clear prompts, interrogate the responses and use them to augment their own productivity and quality of work while understanding the inherent risks and having a clear chain of supervision.

EY says 59% of organisation are planning to increase training for workers on the responsible use of AI in 2025, up from 49% six months ago.

Investment in AI is only expected to absorb around a fifth of IT spending next year. Much more, then, will go into infrastructure and the people required to make it work. Both programmes need to be organisation-wide to enable AI-first business models.

Senior leadership also need to prioritise investing in their own AI literacy to make rational, evidence-based decisions before spending on AI programmes. In the EY survey, 54% of respondents said they felt they were failing as a leader as they struggled to keep up with AI’s rapid growth.

The pressure to act decisively is intensifying. Yet many leaders find themselves navigating incremental changes, unsure of how to transform their business models or confidently prove GenAI’s ROI.

Responding to feedback from our c-suite and senior leadership clients, Rialto are facilitating a virtual strategic collaboration programme between leaders from across the globe, to share experiences, perspectives, and best practices on GenAI adoption. It is designed to support leaders with the critical insights, tools, and actionable strategies needed to broaden their understanding of the complexities & opportunities of GenAI.

All participants in the programme will receive a personalised and group alignment report, to support them to more confidently lead their organisation in the GenAI era

To find more details and register onto the Adoption of GenAI Global Virtual Dialogue click here.

In the first part of this blog series Setting the Stage for Career and Organisational Success, we explored practical strategies for executives to establish a strong foundation for personal and organisational growth in the first half of the year. Goals were set, key relationships nurtured, and resources aligned with strategic objectives.

Here in part two, the focus is on building momentum. By evaluating progress, refining strategies, and embracing innovation, leaders can ensure they meet annual goals with a sense of achievement and readiness for further challenges ahead.

This blog outlines a framework for executives to consider in the second two quarters of an annual plan to consolidate achievements, enhance personal performance, and drive dynamic organisational growth.

Q3: Evaluate, Optimise, and Expand Leadership Impact

Opportunities come more quickly to those who stay ahead of the pack, adapt early and differentiate their approach.

Evaluate and Optimise Resources

The midpoint in any plan provides an ideal opportunity to step back and assess progress.  When evaluating your business priorities, review whether current resources are effectively aligned with strategic goals. Review the year-to-date performance against projections and identify areas that require rebalancing. Key considerations include:

• Resource Allocation: Are certain teams overburdened while others are underused? Can talent be redistributed to address shifting priorities?
• Talent Management: Have unforeseen departures created gaps? Are there rising stars who can take on greater responsibilities? Should hiring or upskilling plans be accelerated?
• Operational Efficiency: Examine supply chains, vendor contracts, and project workflows to address bottlenecks or inefficiencies.

By addressing these questions, executives can ensure resources are positioned for the greatest impact during the second half of the year.

Enhance Strategic Thinking with Data and AI

Strategic thinking is at the heart of effective leadership. Being able to think laterally, vertically and see the bigger picture is the hallmark of effective executives.  Focus on enhancing this skill by taking time to review and anticipate market trends, analyse data, and make informed decisions, leveraging data and analytics tools, particularly those powered by AI. These tools provide insights into market trends, customer behaviour, and internal performance metrics, offering a competitive edge.

However, the complexity of AI-generated insights requires careful interpretation. Engage in exercises to deepen your understanding, such as:

• Reverse-engineering AI insights to understand their rationale.
• Incorporating scenario planning and other strategic models to stress-test your decisions.
• Collaborating with teams of creative thinkers or mentors to explore innovative solutions to challenges.

Expand Leadership Impact: Mentoring and Board Roles

To stretch leadership skills and broaden influence, consider taking on roles outside your immediate organisation.

• Mentorship: Guiding emerging talent sharpens your own skills and can also add to your knowledge. It can provide fresh perspectives and bring to light additional strengths or areas to develop, particularly where mentees come from a different function or educational background or have specific skill sets and expertise.
• Non-Executive Directorships (NEDs): Serving as a non-executive director on a charity or start-up board can offer rich opportunities for networking and taking on a new role with different challenges. Anyone seeking a board position in their day job can gain valuable experience and boost their executive credentials. See our insight on how to get ahead as a NED.

These activities not only bolster your leadership credentials but also create a ripple effect of value within your professional network.

Q4: Review, Innovate, and Recharge

Review Performance and Refine Goals

As the year draws to a close, review progress against the objectives set earlier in the year. Think about team members and colleagues you have supported and the progress they have made. Equally, ensure core business imperatives are being met and evaluate.

• Are the original goals still relevant, or do they need refinement?
• Where have successes been achieved, and how can they be amplified?
• Which areas have fallen short, and what lessons can be used as opportunities to learn?

Encourage ongoing honest, blame-free evaluations within teams to foster a culture of learning and improvement. Recognise achievements and celebrate milestones to boost morale and maintain momentum into the final quarter.

This is where leaders earn their stripes and respect. How can a project or team be realigned with goals and get closer to desirable outcomes. What adjustments and corrections can reasonably be made at this time? Work with both stakeholders and teams to review and shift direction or create different collaborations to remain on course and deliver outcomes.

Drive Innovation and Prepare for the Future

With year-end within reach, hopefully the planning you have put in place all year is paying dividends, you have been able to negotiate any unforeseen challenges, you are on target to deliver year-end goals and you now have the resources and space to devote to more creative thinking before jumping ahead to plans for another year.

Q4 is the time to explore current and emerging trends in your sector and function. Actions include:

• Trend Analysis: Stay ahead by identifying emerging technologies and market shifts using free resources such as online magazines and expert professional think pieces and industry insights on LinkedIn and executive websites such as Rialto, BCG and Deloitte.
• Innovation Culture: Think about your ongoing approach to innovation and change: have you been risk averse or open to new ways of doing things? Foster an environment where teams and collaborations are designed to support experimenting with new ideas and approaches.
• AI Integration: In today’s fast-evolving Generative AI-led landscape, those who fear the new are most likely to be left behind. Evaluate how AI and other technologies can be further integrated to enhance efficiency and performance. What are your rivals doing? What is happening in your sector and comparable sectors? What are AI experts telling us about what may be possible in the near future? Are you ready for it?

Rest, Reflect, and Recharge:

Leadership requires resilience, and resilience requires rest. Use the end of the year and holiday period to step back and recharge. Reflect on the journey you set both for your business but also personally.  Look at what you have found most rewarding through the year and ask yourself these questions:

• Am I where I wanted to be when I started this 12-month plan?
• Am I satisfied with my professional growth and achievements?
• Have I maintained a healthy work-life balance?
• What adjustments can I make to ensure greater fulfilment and effectiveness next year?
• Is it time for a change? Or is there see scope for progress and fulfilment in your current organisation?

Consider feedback from trusted colleagues or family to gain additional perspectives on how you are navigating your responsibilities.

Preparing for the Next Stage of Leadership

The second half of the year offers a powerful opportunity to consolidate progress, address challenges, and set the stage for future success. Having a plan in place enables you to be more ready to evaluate and face new opportunities and challenges with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Leadership, however, is a journey of constant evolution, and while careful planning is essential, adaptability, open-mindedness and reflection are equally critical. The higher one climbs, and the more responsibilities one takes on, the lonelier it can seem.  Working with a mentor or coach can encourage executives and senior leadership to step back and reflect, while providing invaluable guidance to navigate the day-to-day journey, offering perspective and accountability to help leaders reach their fullest potential.

“Planning without action is futile; action without planning is fatal.”

So said Cornelius Fichtner, a Swiss project management expert. Successful leaders understand that their careers and roles within organisations are ongoing projects that constantly needs to be consciously managed, adjusted, aligned with ever evolving strategic objectives, market forces, emerging trends and technological developments.

For executives looking to maintain their career on a positive, upward trajectory – whether pursuing a new role, growing within an organisation, or preparing for a significant step up – taking the time to reflect on personal goals and crystallising a structured vision of how to reach them by setting clear actions is key to success.

Breaking down that strategy into quarterly plans gives a practical framework to improve personal performance and retain a dynamic role in pushing for organisational growth and success.

The wind down to the end of the year and the run-in to Christmas can therefore provide the perfect opportunity for reflection and forward planning.  Executives who make this an annual practice gain clarity on what they aim to achieve, why those goals matter, how they intend to accomplish them, and what or who is needed to make them a reality. This intentional approach minimises wasted effort and maximises returns by focusing resources on meaningful priorities. Leaders who act with purpose and vision inspire confidence in their workforce and stakeholders alike.

In the first of this two-part blog series, we focus on practical steps that executives can consider to set the stage for personal and organisational success over the first two quarters.

Q1: Reflect, Assess, Set Goals.

Reflect: The start of the year often brings a renewed sense of energy and resolve. Teams return refreshed and focused from a break, making it an ideal time for leaders to refocus their efforts. The perfect time, then, to reignite and engage with key stakeholders to understand their expectations, challenges and opportunities and galvanise them into action and aligning objectives.

Asses: Reevaluate and carry out a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats).  Define both short-term and long-term career goals. Tools such as 360-degree feedback, personality assessments, and executive coaching can help shape a 12-month personal development plan with clear, actionable goals.

• Benchmark Skills: Compare existing skills against emerging opportunities and challenges. Identify areas for improvement, particularly in soft skills such as emotional intelligence, agility, and creativity, which are increasingly crucial in the AI-driven era.
• Schedule Development: Make time for training, conferences, or coaching. Populate your calendar with key events, manage conflicts, and work your projects around them
• Prioritise: Once you have a view of the coming months, you can set priorities and deadlines, Write a list of the most pressing demands on your time: what needs doing now, what can be delegated, what can wait?

Set Goals

Once objectives are defined, executives can lead team discussions to review successes and challenges from the previous year. Honest and active listening fosters collaboration, allowing teams to collectively identify potential roadblocks and opportunities.

• Explore New Markets: Evaluate how emerging trends, like AI, can enhance operations or open new avenues.
• Communicate Vision: Share objectives and inspire the team with a clear vision of the year ahead, ensuring alignment with organisational goals.
• Plan Talent Needs: Identify skill gaps and strategise whether to upskill current employees or bring in new talent. Build workforce confidence by highlighting how new technologies will enhance their roles and benefit the organisation.

Q2: Build Your Personal Brand, Communication Skills & Strengthen Relationships.

Branding

A strong personal brand is crucial for executives aiming to stand out. This involves defining a unique value proposition and aligning it with communication style, online presence, and professional networks.  Think carefully about how you wish to present yourself and the purpose of your communication. Are you looking to attract the right talent or partners? Gain a promotion? Stand out in your field? Attract or assure investors? Adjust your language content and tone accordingly with the end goal in mind. You may wish to work with a mentor or coach for an objective view.

• Online Presence: Do optimise LinkedIn and other relevant platforms by sharing thought leadership content. See our previous insights on elevating LinkedIn profiles and networking effectively.
• Networking: Stay active in professional organisations and leverage opportunities to expand influence and connections.

Whether you are in the market for executive transition, executive outplacement or you are seeking to establish yourself in a new or current position, stakeholders, employees and employers, current and potential, need to understand who you are, what you represent and why they should place their faith in you.

Communicate:

Effective communication is a cornerstone of leadership success. Plans, no matter how robust, can falter without clear articulation. Executives must refine both their digital and interpersonal communication skills whether seeking a promotion or a new opportunity, or presenting an organisational strategy to the board or other stakeholders.  The way you present and express yourself could mean the difference between success and failure.

• Transparency and Updates: Develop a plan for regular, transparent communication using emails, videos, or meetings. Provide updates and implement channels for feedback.
• Public Speaking: Hone skills in presenting to diverse audiences, both in person and online. In today’s business landscape, personality and likeability are more important than ever. While some have a natural affinity for public speaking and presenting, others may need professional coaching help improve confidence and delivery.
• Non-Verbal Skills: With increasing proportions of meetings held online, mastering the art of creating engaging presentations and holding the attention of people who may all be sitting separately in front of laptops in different time zones around the world is an additional challenge. Focus on body language, not just tone, to build trust and engagement.

Strengthen relationships:

Strong relationships are the foundation of effective leadership. Executives should prioritise key connections—whether with team leaders, clients, or stakeholders.

• Review and Follow Up: Revisit unresolved issues or recent communications to ensure alignment on next steps or actions needed. Schedule meetings with key stakeholders to maintain momentum and address emerging concerns.
• Support Teams: Collaborate with HR and managers to identify and support struggling employees, celebrate high performers, and mitigate risks of losing top talent.
• Encourage Feedback: Maintain an open dialogue to foster trust and identify challenges at the earliest opportunity, sharing your vision, identifying challenges and explaining how you plan to overcome them, to foster trust and openness. Invite feedback and respond positively.

By weaving these practices into their routine, executives position themselves for success going into the final two quarters of the year. They will have enhanced personal performance, strengthened relationships, and ensured their teams are aligned with strategic objectives. With clear KPIs in place, they can adjust plans to navigate challenges and capitalise on new opportunities.

Among all the competing critical challenges faced by CEOs on a daily basis it can be all too easy to manage with myopia – to only see what, and equally importantly, who, is directly in view. But failure to look further into the future can be costly and that includes neglecting to build a pipeline of future leaders who will ensure seamless transitions and continuous, dynamic organisational transformation. Direct costs associated with unplanned succession have been estimated at over ten times the price of an executive’s salary.

In the UK, almost half of businesses lack a formal succession plan even though by 2030, nearly a million businesses are expected to change hands due to retirement.  A fascinating Harvard Business Review study estimated that poor succession planning costs the S&P 1500 companies an eye-watering $1 trillion per year while, conversely, good planning could increase valuations of the biggest companies by up to 25%.

Prepare for handover: If the preferred successors have been identified and invested from within the organisation, they should work alongside the incumbent in the months before the transition and undergo assessment alongside the executive and HR to identify any gaps in skills, training and experience which must be filled before they take up the new position.

They should have been introduced to key stakeholders to establish working relationships and trust to ensure partnerships and teams are aware of the coming transition and confident in and familiar with the incoming leader.

If the organisation is looking for continuity and stability, the anointed successor should be fully briefed and working with HR and the board to gain full sight of all projects and responsibilities.

If the new appointee is coming in from outside of the organisation, there should ideally be a well-timed crossover where the successor joins the organisation, shadows the outgoing leader who will introduce their successor to relevant staff and partners. This period should not go on too long, or it will diminish the new appointee’s capacity to assert their own personal style and culture.

Of course, the board may be looking for a change of direction, which may come as a shock to key stakeholders. In such cases, the groundwork must be laid to prepare the workforce, customers, partners and if relevant, regulators.

Hopefully, the handover will be cordial, however there may be times when the situation is more hostile, for example if the incumbent has been fired or is going to a direct competitor, in which case key members of the teams around the outgoing leader will be key in helping smooth the transition while the CEO, other senior executives and comms teams will need to communicate with stakeholders to minimise any potential reputational damage.

Monitor and support: Once the new appointee is in place, it is essential to continue to evaluate and measure progress against KPIs and work with them to tweak any teething problems. Support them to build a team with future leadership potential to maintain the continuous cycle of development of  talent.

By taking these steps and committing to a structured leadership pipeline, organisations can plan further into the future with confidence and build adaptability and agility into business models to allow dynamic transformation while preparing for any economic or organisational shocks. None of us could have predicted the global disruption and human loss of the Covid pandemic. How many organisations have learned from it and would be able to replace stricken leaders or respond with structural and operational change to adapt models to seismic shifts such as that one? Succession planning should be loosely based on the cycle of churn for different positions, but with a pool of talent from diverse backgrounds who can step in at any time to ensure continuity and growth even as organisational objectives develop and change.

Once natural succession planning has been built into a business model it can be self-sustaining, with increasingly measurable and visible benefits. At Rialto, we find that talent that has been nurtured from within by partnering with us through  coaching or attending a  leadership development programme tend to demonstrate increased commitment and engagement minimising attrition costs and disruption. Any company that manages to keep a loyal, happy and aspirational workforce that understands hard work and impressive performance will be rewarded with meaningful promotion, will see their global reputation enhanced, productivity increase and a virtuous cycle of talent and growth. This should be balanced, however, with the introduction of fresh talent from other backgrounds, companies, sectors, industries and countries to avoid stagnation and promote dynamic cultural evolution, creativity, energy and innovation.

It is difficult to believe that just two years ago, only data scientists had really heard of Generative AI, the form of artificial intelligence that can create content, images and code; summarise vast amounts of data and extract insights according to prompts; identify patterns and illuminate concepts, stimulating creativity and filling vast gaps in our knowledge.

Below is The Rialto guide to the five stages of AI maturity – and actionable steps to help executives guide their organisations safely and strategically to a place of seamless integration and augmentation delivering growth, efficiency, improved services and products and innovation.

The arrival of the first open source ChatGPT in November 2022 led to a more dramatic transformation of the business landscape than any previous innovation and continues to evolve at a dizzying pace, offering unprecedented opportunities for growth and development.

For executives and senior leaders this has presented a new set of challenges – how to guide your organisation through this revolution at the right time, at the right speed, with the right platforms and end uses. Too fast and you risk destabilising your business model and workforce, buying into the hype, overspending on under-developed products and creating an expensive mess. Too late and you risk falling too far behind to catch up, allowing competitors to gain a defining edge.

At Rialto, we support executives to understand the five stages of AI maturity, creating a personalised roadmap aligned to their organisation’s strategic objectives, budget and culture. Those stages go from scepticism/ nascent awareness – the tentative first steps – to maturity, where AI is integrated into all relevant parts of the business, staff are trained and on board, business development and growth are driven by data and insights and a robust governance and ethics framework ensures Gen AI and other emerging technologies are being used safely.

Here is a brief outline of that map, the percentage of organisations at each stage of maturity in 2024* and some of the actions the Rialto team encourage executive teams to take at each stage.

Stage 1: Nascent awareness/scepticism. 26% in 2024

Organisations at this stage may be eschewing AI altogether or understand its potentially profound impact on growth and operations but lack a clear plan or strategy to move forward. Perhaps AI champions are meeting scepticism or fear from key leadership and stakeholders. According to various surveys, the percentage of organisations at this stage was anything between 43% and 65% in 2023, compared to the 26% figure quoted above in 2024 showing the speed at which organisations are moving on. To avoid losing ground and potentially destabilising your business’s future, our team recommend the following steps are taken as a wait and see approach in 2025 will be considered a high risk strategy.

Leadership Action

Prioritise Education and Vision: Leadership must start by educating themselves and their teams about AI’s capabilities and potential. Rialto works with c-suite leaders to support them through this vital first stage with confidence and ensure no wrong turns are taken.  Time is now at a premium, the journey into an AI-driven future must be clearly mapped out with strategic objectives at the fore to catch up with the field without rushing into critical mistakes.

Prepare your workforce: Bring in AI experts and facilitate open, two-way discussions across departments to ensure a smooth, carefully choreographed entry. Invest in training to increase awareness and understanding among employees. Invite feedback and act on it – only 17% of companies do so at this stage. Ensure your biggest asset, your people, are at the forefront of this journey throughout. Collaboration, confidence and co-operation are essential.

Evaluate the Market and Competition: Leaders should analyse competitors to identify how AI is shaping their industry landscape and assess their own position.  Rialto has partnered with a number of executive teams to build their business case for AI investment by highlighting both risks and opportunities to help ensure buy-in from all stakeholders.

Formulate a High-Level AI Vision: Leadership should articulate a clear vision of what AI could potentially achieve for the organisation. This doesn’t have to be fully fleshed out but should set the stage for future AI initiatives.

Assess Current Data Assets: Leadership should work with data teams to audit available data and build systems that can collect and analyse clean, relevant data aligned to strategic objectives as this will be key to future AI success.

Identify Low-Hanging Fruit. What are the best and least complicated first case uses? Seek repetitive, time-consuming, administrative tasks that could be streamlined; customer service portals that could be automated. You may seek external support as well as working with c-suite and data teams to build new AI-led systems that will show instant results with minimal risk to build confidence and demonstrate value.

Stage 2: Experimental/Activation. 41% in 2024

Two fifths of organisations assess themselves to be in this stage, experimenting with AI technologies to address specific opportunities or challenges. This phase is entrepreneurial and opportunistic with a focus on learning, testing agility of existing business models and data. More conservative, risk-averse companies might feel most comfortable at this stage now, trialling and preparing their organisations for more wide scale transformation in the next two to five years.

Leadership Action

Set Up Pilot/Proof-of-Concept Programmes: Identify and define high-potential, simple to run end uses and trial small, measurable projects within a controlled environment. Emphasis should be on analysing results and interaction with systems and employees, iterating and identifying areas which need to be adapted and developed before bigger, more risky projects are explored.

Foster a Culture of Experimentation: Leadership needs to encourage a mindset where small-scale failures are viewed as learning opportunities. Our project teams often find successful organisations treat their AI pilots as experimentation cycles rather than one-time projects. Ensure all learning is documented, analysed and applied to future projects and scaling up.

Identify Key Metrics for Success: To that end, establish clear KPIs to continually evaluate the success of these AI experiments, whether improved efficiency, growth, cost reduction or customer or employee satisfaction. Iterate based on feedback. Report to stakeholders, demonstrating transparency, feasibility and value.

Develop Cross-Functional Teams: Include IT, data scientists if you have them, business unit leaders, and compliance officers in pilot teams to ensure pilots are practical, scalable, and compliant. Smaller companies may wish to hire consultants.

Invest in AI Talent: As experimentation ramps up, recruiting AI specialists or upskilling existing employees will become crucial. Maintain open dialogue with existing staff and look for opportunities to upskill to foster trust.

Stage 3: Foundation Building, Investing in Infrastructure and Data, Wider Experimentation. 2024: 14%

This is where we start to enter the more advanced stages inhabited by earlier adopters.   These may tend to be enterprise and innovative and/or tech companies which have a clear understanding of how AI can benefit their operation and have defined processes for implementation across the organisation.  Leadership understands the need for robust infrastructure, data governance and AI talent.  According to a Gartner report, 80% of AI projects will fail to scale by 2025 if companies don’t build a solid AI infrastructure.

Leadership Action:

Introducing wider AI projects: Those low-hanging fruit identified in stage one should now be going live and being closely monitored for governance, security, quality, impact and ROI. Our clients have tended to scale up first in operational optimisation, customer support and marketing analytics and content creation. If your organisation does not have its own AI ecosystem in place, with a c-suite leader taking accountability and data leads in relevant teams, it might be an idea to bring in external consultants to maintain dedicated oversight and advise throughout this process.

Data Strategy & Infrastructure Investment: Leadership should prioritise building a scalable data infrastructure. This includes investing in cloud computing, data lakes and the tools necessary for managing large datasets. Test platforms for compatibility, robust compliance, cybersecurity, customer service and ease of use before scaling up.

Focus on Data Governance: As AI thrives on data, it’s imperative that leaders ensure that data collection, storage, and usage adhere to regulatory standards. Data governance frameworks must be implemented to guarantee AI models are ethical, secure, and transparent.

Recruit Specialised Talent: In this stage, it’s essential to have the right expertise to scale up and optimise AI use. Leadership should seek to build teams of data engineers, machine learning experts and AI project managers or bring in consultants.

Consider Establishing a Data Governance Committee: Form a committee to ensure data privacy, quality, and compliance are central to your AI operations. Ensure accountability and transparency.

Promote Data Literacy: As AI permeates every level of the business, leadership should invest in data literacy programs to ensure employees at all levels understand how to share relevant, clean data with the knowledge base and interact with and interpret AI outputs.

Stage 4: Strategic Scaling Stage, Deploying AI Across Functions, Optimisation. 12%

Just one in eight are at this stage and those that are here and beyond – having reached it carefully and in alignment with strategic objectives – are reporting promising results with efficiency savings, growth and vastly improved products and services.  At stage 4, AI moves from pilots to full-scale deployment across multiple business units. Agility is built into business models to continuously adjust and adapt. The workforce should be growing in confidence, with AI integrated into their routines and actions.

Leadership Action:

Consider Investing in AI Platforms and replacing some legacy systems: Seek advice on which platforms to use and look at what competitors are doing with them. You may wish to invest in a single Gen-AI powered CRM such as Amazon AWS, Salesforce or Hubspot, and bolt-on other application and tools – or have your data scientists build your own using open access Generative AI models. Continuously monitor ROI and build a relationship with the provider to ensure constant adaptation and improvement or consider alternatives.

Align AI with Business Goals: Always start with objectives, not the technology, to avoid buying into hype. New models and platforms and iterations are coming on to the market daily. In this second wave of adoption, consider prioritising high-impact areas such as supply chain management, customer personalisation and fraud detection.

Consider Creating an AI Centre of Excellence (CoE) and/or Data Governance Committee: Establish a centralised AI committee or CoE that drives AI strategy, oversees technology deployment, and ensures best practices across the organisation. An ecosystem should now be in place with c-suite responsibility and accountability and company policies, guardrails and training for anyone in knowledge-based or customer facing roles in risk and compliance issues such as data security, copyright infringement, GDPR, inaccuracy and bias.

Leverage Data: Use analytics to gain insights, drive decision-making and continuously improve your offering, operations and forward planning.

Stage 5: Maturity, 7%.

Organisations at Maturity stage will find that AI has become a core component of the organisation’s DNA, integrated into the very fabric of the company, driving every aspect of decision-making and enabling continuous innovation. According to a study by Accenture, the few businesses in this stage outperform their competitors by three times in terms of profitability. In the most extreme of AI streamlining exercises, Meta boosted net income by 201% and saw a 178% stock surge by focusing on AI operational efficiency. However this came at a cost of 21,000 jobs. Companies that have successfully reached the fifth stage of maturity find themselves in a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement while employees understand the value of data and are guided by AI copilots in everything they do. AI augments every task, function and team. Employees are 1.5 times more likely to view AI as a helpful colleague. This shift in perspective leads to increased AI usage, enthusiasm, and productivity gains. Impact is assessed and ROI and value are demonstrable and measurable.  Robust guardrails are in place to minimise and mitigate risks.

Leadership Action:

Foster Continuous AI Innovation: There is no time to rest on laurels. Other organisations are catching up and technology is constantly evolving. Leadership must keep pushing the envelope by encouraging teams to innovate continuously. This may involve AI-powered R&D initiatives or the adoption of cutting-edge technologies such as AI-generated content, AI-driven customer experiences and autonomous systems.

Evolve Organisational Structures: Leaders should ensure that the organisation is agile enough to respond to the fast-paced changes in AI technology. This may involve restructuring teams, constantly upskilling or creating new or hybrid roles.

AI in Strategic Decision-Making: Make AI a critical player in c-level strategic decisions, using AI-driven insights to predict market trends, customer needs, enhance supply chain and internal operational efficiencies.

Stay Ahead of AI Trends and New Tech Offerings: Leadership must stay abreast of the latest AI advancements such as generative AI, reinforcement learning, or edge AI, and adapt them to their current and future business models. Rialto supports c-suite leaders at this stage to maintain a bigger picture perspective, stay focused on future and personal/professional development.

Benchmark Against Industry Leaders: Continuously evaluate your AI maturity against the best-in-class organisations to identify new areas for AI-driven growth.

Maintain virtuous cycle of improvement: Ensure data analytics feed into continuous development and growth. Maintain a constant state of innovative evolution. Sustain and expand capabilities and use cases.

Ethical Considerations: Never lose sight of the governance and ethical risks and responsibilities. Build in continuous reviews and ensure continuing compliance with changing regulations in different territories.

Benchmarking your organisation against the above five stages will provide a clear indication of where you and your company lie on the path to AI maturity and the steps you may need to be considering accordingly. It’s clear that organisations are moving through this process at an ever-faster pace, reflecting the growing importance of AI in today’s business environment.  Yet with 41% of organisations now in the experimental stage and only 7% in full AI maturity, there remains a significant opportunity for competitive growth.

While cost reduction and efficiencies may be the primary goal of immature adopters, high performers are twice as likely to have shifted into a phase of innovation where they use Gen AI to create new businesses or offerings, expand into new sectors or regions armed with detailed insights and the confidence of likely success gained with reliable analytics extracted from vast lakes of data.

The shift from initial scepticism to full AI integration can happen faster than many expect with the right approach. Whether you’re just starting out or already experimenting with AI, having a clear roadmap and a focus on continuous innovation will enable your organisation to progress rapidly and stay ahead. The question isn’t whether you should move up the stages, but how quickly you can—and will—do so.

Whatever stage you are at, The Rialto team of experts can help guide you and your organisation to maturity at a pace that suits your culture, while ensuring a human-centric focus, bringing your people on this journey with you. Contact us for a free initial consultation if you would like to know more.

*Asana and Anthropic State of AI at Work study        

As we move towards Q4 and start thinking about end of year, is it just possible to detect an air of optimism that there could be some economic certainty ahead of us? While there is still a need for caution, Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) should be preparing for the fourth quarter by looking ahead at a relief on the hiring squeeze and preparing for more mobility in the market.

That means ensuring departmental strategic priorities are fully aligned with evolving demands, opportunities and challenges of both the organisation and the workforce and making adjustments which anticipate emerging trends. The final quarter is a time to review performance of team capability, plan interventions where necessary – including reskilling and upskilling – and think ahead to 2025 fiscal planning to ensure the workforce is agile and ready to evolve with AI and data-driven initiatives which will continue to be the biggest drivers of progress and growth.

Here are the priorities HR Directors should be considering to help steer their organisations through this final quarter.

Leader and Manager Development

Markets are in a more dynamic state than ever before, largely due to the phenomenal rate with which AI, and particularly Generative AI, continue to evolve and shape business processes.

Q4 is a good time for HR Directors to review how prepared their organisation is to fully realise the potential opportunities and defend against the risks. This change management starts at the top. What will differentiate companies that ride the wave of AI-driven progress from those left floundering in their choppy wake is decisive, informed, confident leadership.

Only then can they guide their managers and teams through this time of uncertainty and change and inspire and empower staff to rise to the challenges. New skills are needed for this new world. Check your leaders also are up to speed on appropriate management style with an emphasis on emotional intelligence, empathy and good communication over authoritarian command and ivory tower leadership. Now is a good time for HR to look at hierarchical structures and ensure the workplace remains open, inclusive and a safe environment in which to foster innovation and creativity.

Key actions: Audit your Board and SLT – decide how best to invest your remaining budget in development programs, executive coaching, digital fluency and continuous learning opportunities and/or plan for fiscal 2025 to help ensure they truly understand the complex new landscape and have the skills in place to constantly adapt and optimise.

Talent Acquisition and Retention

The labour market is anticipated to continue to present challenges with talent demand outpacing supply in many areas, especially around AI-led transformation. CHROs need to refine talent acquisition strategies by leveraging AI and other emerging technologies to streamline hiring processes and improve candidate experiences. How is your attrition rate looking so far this year? Are you losing valuable talent to advanced, more forward-thinking, inclusive and nurturing organisations?

In today’s market employees are far more willing to move around to ensure their needs are met, rather than consider a lifelong career at a single company. In order to retain valued talent and fill skills gaps, consider upskilling existing staff through continuous learning to help build their portfolios, keep them motivated and engaged to improve productivity and serve organisational need.

Key actions: Review your performance on Glass Door or any other company review site and conduct employee satisfaction surveys to learn what you are doing right and what you could do better. Investigate AI-driven recruitment tools and data-driven analytics to help monitor and improve employee experience. Consider how you might enhance internal mobility programs and making them more visible and accessible to current employees.

Foster Positive Organisational Culture and Employee Well-being

A vital element of talent acquisition and retention, every company’s success is closely tied to the well-being, loyalty and engagement of its employees. As the year comes to a close, it’s important to ensure that your workforce remains motivated and aligned with the company’s goals. Year end can see an ennui set in, especially with dark nights drawing in and the wind down to Christmas. How will you maintain energy levels and monitor and nurture the mental health and wellbeing of your staff?

Key actions: CHROs should prioritise initiatives that promote a positive work culture, address employee burnout, and recognise the contributions of their teams. Consider a mid-quarter initiative to lift and energise the workforce, for example, gamification of more mundane tasks, a new reward system, inter-departmental tournaments or team-building activities.

Drive Cost Efficiencies through AI-driven innovation

It’s been another tough year with economic uncertainty and budgetary constraints. CEOs and other stakeholders want to see evidence of cost efficiencies within HR functions without compromising the quality of services. Review the bottom line before the end of your financial year and ensure you remain on target.

Do you need to modernise recruitment methods using new technologies? Are you automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks such as payroll processing and benefits administration? Ensure your AI-led transformation is transparent and use internal communications effectively, including messaging from the top, to assure staff they are valued, explain how technology will benefit the organisation and ensure they do not feel alienated or fearful. All tech transformation should be people-centred. Take the opportunity of the next board meeting to ensure that all members are aware of the impact a likely acceleration of AI integration through 2025 might have on staff and put strategies are in place to mitigate and minimise this.

Key actions: If you haven’t already, ensure discussions around AI and automation are being held at C-suite level. Where can you make efficiency savings by bringing in AI to take on repetitive tasks and augment the more complex work of human employees? Look at what competitors are doing and pipeline technologies coming onto the market. Show initiative and take them to the board this winter. Audit your workforce skills: looks at training budgets and think about how that money could best be spent on futureproofing your organisation.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Promoting DEI is not just a moral imperative but a business one. CHROs should continue to prioritise building diverse teams, especially at the leadership level. Implementing unbiased recruitment processes and fostering an inclusive workplace culture can help organisations attract and retain diverse talent, which in turn drives innovation and better decision-making.

Key actions: Review any changes to DEI laws and guidance in any territory in which your organisation operates before year end. Check you are compliant and look into any laws tabled for the future to ensure you are prepared. Look at what is happening in your market for inspiration on ways to differentiate your company and make its DEI credentials stand out and ensure they are visible to prospective talent.

Align the organisational skills base with evolving drivers for growth

Q4 is a good time to ensure your workforce is aligned to strategic objectives – have they changed since goals were set at the beginning of the year? Is it equipped to respond positively to current and emerging trends, opportunities and challenges? It is essential that HR builds agility and adaptability into its workforce and can constantly assess and adjust. A staff base that is concrete-footed will be too slow to pick up new technologies and ways of working. If your workforce is falling behind, what can you do to bring it back in step and prepare it for the near future?

Key actions: Audit your workforce skills base against current and future requirements based on your organisational objectives and wider market forces and developments, especially around AI. Look at budgets for training and career coaching for the rest of this fiscal year and next and plan upskilling to suit. Consider AI tools to help monitor performance and introduce automated continuous learning to keep your workforce agile, responsive and up to date.

Modern day boardrooms are increasingly recognising the need to have HR representation at the highest decision-making level. Many CHROs will be into only their first or second year so it is imperative that they use this time of year to demonstrate value and show they are as integral to the progress and growth of an organisation as any other department. Take time in Q4 to review the year to date, make any adjustments to policy, recruitment and skills and plan future growth and efficiency savings through technology-driven initiatives.

Prepare the case for increased budgets for training and development to ensure your workforce is AI-proficient and ready to adopt new technologies and working practices to leave the competition for dust.

As 10,500 super-humans at the peak of their powers give their absolute all in Paris for the honour of bringing home a medal, most of us can only sit back and look on in awe.  They may be faster, higher, stronger as per the original Olympics motto. But simply having a natural physical advantage and access to a particular sport is only the start of the long and arduous journey to the top.

Leaders can learn a multitude of valuable lessons from Olympic athletes, whose dedication, discipline, and resilience offer profound insights into elite performance. Behind every competitor is a story. How did they get to be among the very best? What drives them? How do they maintain that discipline? And what is the magic that inspires so many to break world records and personal bests during this 11-day period once every four years?

Here we look at some of the legends of the modern Olympics; their techniques, practices, and temperamental qualities and explore how leaders can seek to emulate them to elevate their own professional and organisational performance.

Adaptability – Oksana Masters, Paralympic Rowing, Skiing, and Cycling, USA

Masters’ difficulties started before she was even born. She was exposed to in-utero radiation poisoning from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in her native Ukraine resulting in constructive surgery to her hands and a double leg amputation. After spending her early years in orphanages where she was abused, she was moved to the US aged seven. She entered her first Paralympics in London in 2012, winning a medal in the rowing, and has gone on to pick up medals in cross country skiing and the biathlon. This year she’ll compete in cycling.

“That’s the cool thing, which I think a lot of people don’t realise, about Paralympians,” Masters has been quoted as saying. “We’re constantly adapting to our environment, because the world was never created for us.”

While few of us will face the kind of challenges Masters has overcome, she is a shining example of how adaptability enables us to survive and even seek opportunities in difficult circumstances. She took up cycling to overcome a back injury and ended up competing in it at the highest level.

Leaders must be flexible and ready to pivot in response to changing circumstances.  Sometimes, the greatest innovation and the most positive transformation comes from necessity. Author Napoleon Hill said, “Every adversity carries within it the seed of equal or greater benefit.” The business and economic landscapes are changing fast with vital forces including globalisation and AI. Strong leadership needs to be alert to those changes and nuances and be able to adapt positively and decisively to seize opportunities.

Self awareness. Simone Biles, Gymnast, USA

Four-times gold medallist Biles made a triumphant return in Paris after pulling out of the Tokyo 2020 finals. She was experiencing a mental block unique to gymnasts, known as the “twisties”. Biles faced an initial backlash from critics who accused her of letting her team down and being afraid of failure after a poor first round score.

In fact she was having a breakdown.

Having grown up in foster care and later suffered abuse within her sport, she shared that she urgently needed to take time out to look after her mental health, kickstarting a wave of support and a global discussion about the subject which had been something of a taboo in sport. “Sometimes, you have to take that power back,” she said.

Her self-awareness and intuitive knowledge of what she had to do – step off the big stage and heal at home with the support of loved ones – saved her from total burnout.

Leaders face unprecedented and competing pressures and little thought is given for the toll that can take. They are expected to just get on with it all.  But they are only human and need to recognise their limits and take care of their well-being to sustain long-term performance.  Self-awareness helps leaders understand their strengths and weaknesses enabling better decision-making and personal growth. Taking time to be mindful of your physical and mental health – and knowing how, where and whom to ask for help if you need it – will keep you at the top of your game for the long haul.

Courage – Adam Peaty OBE, Swimmer, GB.

Peaty is regarded as the best sprint breaststroke swimmer of all time. He was the first British swimmer to ever retain an Olympic title and has broken the 100m World Record 14 times.

Yet as a small boy he was so terrified of water he would scream if anyone tried to get him near a bath.

He has certainly faced that fear down.

No matter how experienced, qualified or senior, nobody is immune to an attack of the terrors when faced with a new challenge or pressure.  How does Peaty deal with it? “Honestly you can overthink it,” he says. “It’s two laps of the baths.” When facing a fear it’s helpful to break it down.

Leaders often face daunting challenges and uncertainties which take courage – it means standing out in front and expecting people to believe in you. Courage does not mean having no fear – it means being afraid and doing it anyway. Embracing new challenges, even if they may seem overwhelming – like returning to defend an Olympic title after a four-year gap – is what keeps leaders sharp, engaged and at the top of their game.

In Paris, Peaty missed out on matching icon Michael Phelps’s three Gold medals in the event by just two hundredths of a second – leaders will know the feeling of giving their all and only to see an opportunity or promotion go elsewhere.

We could all learn from Peaty’s magnanimous response after what many viewed as a defeat – second place and a silver medal to add to his previous haul. He had been crying, he admitted, but they were tears of joy after his comeback from burnout, a broken foot and too much drinking.

“If you’re willing to put yourself on the line every single time, I think there’s no such thing as a loss. And I’m so happy that the right man won.”

His honesty over his own weaknesses only served to elevate his heroic status making him more relatable, another leadership attribute that inspires teams. We could all be more Peaty!

Perseverance – Eddie “the Eagle” Edwards, Skijumping, GB.

Who could fail to be inspired and enchanted by the most unlikely Winter Olympics hero of all time (with close competition from the Jamaican “Cool Runnings” bobsleigh team). With no financial backing, the plasterer slept in his car and borrowed ski boots so outsized he had to wear six pairs of socks. He qualified to represent Britain on the sole achievement of being the first and only British candidate and faced cruel opposition from the sport’s governors. After his first entry at Calgary in 1988 – when he came last in both his events, scoring only half the points awarded to the second-last placed Spaniard – the rules were changed to ensure he couldn’t return, sealing his status as a British underdog legend.

No matter how many obstacles were put in his way, sometimes by chance, sometimes intentionally, Edwards refused to give in. He knew what he wanted and was prepared to sacrifice so much, work so hard and endure hardship, mockery and snobbery to achieve his ambition, even though he knew he would never win.

Leaders must be resilient, pushing through setbacks and persisting in the face of adversity. If executives and leadership can learn anything from Eddie, it’s to dig deep through the tough times, find creative ways around or over obstacles, navigate resistance and do whatever it takes to land safely at the other side.  He may not have won a medal but he did lift the nation and challenge ideas about elitism and what constitutes success. His perseverance paid dividends in other ways with his subsequent career as a much-loved TV personality and national treasure.

Effective teamwork – Jason Gardener, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis, 4x100m relay, GB.

Nobody was going to beat the Americans at the 2004 Athens games. They had won 15 of the previous 19 Olympics finals and, with Justin Gatlin and Shawn Crawford, the 100m and 200m gold medallists, plus Coby Miller and Maurice Greene, the result appeared to be a foregone conclusion.

But that’s not how it worked out. Here were four of the most brilliant individuals in their field but this was a team event. They weren’t a team. Sloppy passing let the Brits snatch gold by a hundredth of second, the country’s first since 1912. Campbell had been all ready to go home after facing criticism from track legend Michael Johnson. “I had a meeting with the guys and said if they wanted me to keep going I would,” he said afterwards. “Once they put their faith in me, I had full faith in them. The craziest thing is we knew we were going to win it.”

Here was a team galvanised by adversity – they had almost been disqualified before the final but appealed successfully. One of their own had been humiliated internationally. It fortified and united them, ultimately propelling them to one of the greatest British Olympic victories in history.

Teams need leaders. But leaders need teams equally. Identifying strengths and weaknesses and knowing who to put on which part of a project or with a particular client, maintaining an open dialogue, building trust, genuine loyalty and mutual support builds winning teams.

Healthy rivalry with other teams within and outside of the organisation can help strengthen team identity and resolve, as long as it doesn’t get out of hand.  Think of Seb Coe and Steve Ovett, pushing one another to land gold and silver in the 1980 800m for Team GB – not figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding, whose bitter conflict resulted in Kerrigan being attacked with a metal bar before the 1994 Games and Harding banned from the sport.

Olympic athletes don’t win medals by accident. They rigorously train; stay focused and build up to peak performance with immaculate timing. They are driven constantly by the desire to break records and achieve personal bests.  They compete not just for themselves, but for their team, for their domestic club, for national pride. Similarly, leaders need to stay focused on their vision and goals, maintaining discipline in their actions and decisions to drive consistent progress and achieve long-term success.  By understanding the competition, cultivating a mindset of continuous improvement and always seeking ways to enhance skills, processes, and outcomes, they can drive a culture of innovation and learning supporting sustained growth and competitive advantage.

The inspiring journeys of Olympic athletes, of which we’ve only described a few, can serve as powerful motivators. Leaders can draw on these stories to inspire and motivate their teams, creating a culture of ambition, resilience, and excellence. Sharing stories of overcoming adversity and achieving greatness can boost morale and foster a positive organisational culture.

Here at Rialto, we find that drawing on sporting analogies can act as a powerful tool for leaders to work through leadership challenges. These analogies provide relatable, vivid, and memorable ways to convey complex ideas and inspire action.

The prevalence of older figureheads at the top of some of the most respected and best paid professions and institutions might suggest that the younger baby boomers and older Generation X-ers have never had it so good.

The median age of the world’s national leaders is 62, 70% of UK judges are over 50 and a third over 60; the average FSE 100 chief exec is 56 and the average US equivalent six years older.

Ageism, what ageism? Some might say.

However strip away these super successful outliers and the picture looks far from rosy:

• Half of all workers will lose their jobs in their fifties, most laid off or pushed out, many feeling unable to continue due to caring commitments or health issues.
• Three quarters in the same age group will not be offered promotion opportunities in their current organisations.
• Recent research by the Centre for Ageing Better found that half of people over 50 had experienced discrimination because of their age, most in the workplace.
• More than 800,000 people aged 50-64 are out of work but would like to work.
• Finance, insurance, communications and information and professional and technical services have some of the youngest workforces, making it increasingly challenging for those even in their mid-40s to remain visible and compete for some of the most sought-after roles in those sectors.
• The big four accounting giants – Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG – even have an upper age limit for global leaders who are expected to retire at 60.

So how can senior leaders and executives ensure they continue to be valued and enjoy career progression well into their fifties, sixties and beyond?

Here are six ways to beat ageism and make your extensive experience and mature expertise an asset.

1: Stay tech-savvy

Ageism in the workplace may be partly based on the myth that older means old-fashioned and intimidated by the new.

However, when you consider that the average age of the CEOs of Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia and Apple is 60, it reveals such prejudice to be reductive and ignorant.

Generative AI and other emerging technologies are here to stay and evolving at breakneck speed. It will remain a perpetual challenge to senior leadership and executives of any age to keep up – but there is an abundance of material online to help.

Whatever your sector or function, you should be considering the technological or digital dimension to every strategic decision without exception. Executives who fail to adapt and continue to use old pre-genAI tried and tested methods will find themselves sidelined and left behind.

Challenge stereotypes by learning the language of AI and other frontier and digital technologies and contributing insights at team meetings, boardrooms, networking events and in written reports.

You could start with our previous blog on Seven Steps to Transformative AI Adoption.

It is worth signing up to any in-house training and devoting time every week to reading up on the latest developments in your field as well as taking advantage of free online webinars and videos.

Helpful sites include Wired magazine, Techcrunch, Apple News and Gartner.

2: Keep your skills up to date

In order to remain relevant in today’s fast-changing economic landscape, it is essential to be aware of the skills, both technical and soft, required by employers as they look to build leadership and teams capable of grasping the potential offered by new technologies and trends.

An Ivy League or Oxbridge degree and impressive CV are no longer enough to keep executives at the top of their profession and the old idea of strong leadership and hierarchical structures of authority are making way for people-focused business, approachability, compassion and inclusive environments to encourage managed risk-taking and creativity and support good mental health in the workspace.

Aside from being confident in being able to adapt quickly to change and new technologies, organisations are looking for leaders who demonstrate agility, resilience and emotional intelligence; they must be able to collaborate, communicate and delegate effectively but also be decisive.

Look at our blog on Essential Executive Skills for 2024 for a deeper understanding of the most valued skills of the moment, how to hone them and make them visible to your current or prospective employer or organisation.

3: Refresh your CV & digital profile

Whether you are looking for an executive transition or progression or want to remain relevant in your current post, regularly re-evaluating and refreshing your CV and digital profile can help you to ensure your focus and skillsets remain aligned with the changing workplace requirements.

If you are not currently looking for a new position, imagine your dream job and seek an advert for a role as close to it as possible. What are the skills required? What keywords do they use? How could you update your own resume to fit? Use terminology to demonstrate your familiarity with current industry trends and technology.

It is a good idea to include a digital skills section, showing any software, technology and AI you currently use or any relevant strategies, programmes or campaigns in which you have been involved.

Consider using a responsive design that adapts to different devices and screen sizes. This will automatically send out the message that you are aware of the importance of user  experience and accessibility in the digital age.

You could use various LLMS /Generative AI such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot to help with ideas on developing and updating your CV & LinkedIn Profile.  Even if you do not plan to proactively market yourself for executive transition or executive outplacement in the near future, keeping both current will highlight any areas for improvement and remind you of the kind of skills and mindset you need to succeed in your current and future organisation.

4: Maintain a work ethic

There is a good reason why the UK Corporate Governance Code recommends a maximum tenure limit for a board chairman to be nine years.

Even the most proficient, experienced and skilled leaders can lose their edge or their enthusiasm if they stay in the same role for too long.

The more routine a job gets, the easier it is to fall into habits and take short cuts.

After 20, 30 or 40 years of working full time, it can be tempting to start coasting towards retirement; having longer lunches, leaving a little earlier, slowing down the pace a little.

However, ennui or lack of appetite and ambition will show itself and it can be contagious. Teams need dynamic leaders who energise, motivate and inspire. Lacklustre performances are unlikely to be rewarded with promotion or progression.

If you can afford to cut down your days to gain more of a work/life balance in your later years without losing efficacy, all power to you.

But make every minute that you are in work count and continue to grow your networks and influence. Challenge stereotypes by demonstrating that you still have the energy and passion of a 25-year-old and nobody will even consider your age a factor.

See your career as a constant journey on an upwards trajectory with unlimited scope for personal growth and development, not a hump that peaks in your 40s.

Consider a career change to suit your changing needs

Of course, if you are struggling to find any joy in work and count down the minutes until the end of the day, the days til the weekend and the weekends until your next holiday, the likelihood is, you are in the wrong job.

As we learned earlier, half of all employees in their fifties are going to lose their position in that decade, so why not pre-empt it? Seize the opportunity to reset, retrain, re-pivot and reinvigorate your career.

It might be that you have health issues or caring responsibilities that make it difficult to commute, work long days and travel for extended periods or that you have drifted from your target career trajectory.

If you have reached a senior leadership or executive level, you have a wealth of experience and skills that would be valuable in any organisation; you might just need support remembering what they are and gaining the motivation and confidence to make a change.

This is where professional career support can help. Career coaches can help you understand the changing world of work and where you might fit in it, or to gain new skills to help launch you in a different role, organisation, sector or even country.

Whether you are in a secure position or seeking work, it is never too late to look for a dramatically different role that will accommodate your changing needs or satisfy long-held but frustrated ambitions.

It can be all too easy to sleepwalk into a stale and unrewarding mid-life career; to become invisible, undervalued and underpaid or to lose sight of your youthful ambition.

But with the ageing population and over 50s fitter than ever thanks to improving healthcare and changing attitudes, middle age is just a state of mind.

Staying open to continuous learning and opportunities for personal growth and progress is key to reducing an individual’s chances of falling victim to age discrimination in the workplace.  However it can happen anywhere to anyone and is far too often perpetrated by leadership from the same age group.

Everyone in the UK, the US and the EU is protected legally from ageism and can seek recourse through legal channels.

Rialto consultants can support you to revitalise or repivot your career at any age. We also run frequent complimentary online webinars on AL, Leadership, Future of Work, Portfolio Careers and other Professional Development topics.

With rising life expectancy and pension ages and a declining birth rate, the workforce is ageing gracefully.

Almost two fifths of the UK population is over 50, up from 32% in 1981, an increase of 6.8 million people. The number of over-65s is expected to surpass the under-16s across Europe this year.

Meanwhile, the lower birth rate means fewer younger people are starting work to replace the retiring bulging Baby Boomers’ generation. Unless industry catches up, the demographic timebomb will have a profound impact on society, healthcare and the economy which is why the UK government and others are encouraging employers to value and actively nurture, retain and recruit older workers.

Over 55s currently represent 25% of our workforce. Yet over-50s are far more likely to be overlooked for promotions, retraining and hiring – one in three believe they have been turned down for a job because of their age and one in five employers admit age discrimination occurs in their organisation.

As well as being illegal and risking prosecution and reputational damage, discriminating on the basis of age is a poor business strategy which could leave any organisation short on skills and with an imbalanced and unstable workforce.

Here are five ways to support older workers – and reap the rewards.

1: Offer mid-life M0Ts.

This is a pilot that has been tested by the Centre for Ageing Better with four big UK companies and it has yielded positive results.

The scheme takes a holistic look at individuals once they reach the 50 milestone.

It explores finance and pension plans, career progression, aspirations and looks at how staff can better balance work with looking after their health and their families.

The result was increased productivity, reduced absence through sickness, commitment to ongoing learning and lower attrition rates.

A fifth of older people surveyed by The Centre for Ageing Better said lack of training was a barrier to their professional development. Are employers failing to offer training or retraining to older staff because they believe it will be a waste of resources? Or that older staff no longer wish to learn or even don’t have the capacity?

In the same survey, 90% of older staff said they took training when it was offered.

Meanwhile, the US Bureau of Statistics found that 45-54-year-old employees stayed with their company twice as long as 25-34-year-olds, meaning greater ROI when investing in older staff.

Offering clear progression pathways and keeping training programmes inclusive to all ages as part of ongoing later-career support can help keep your workforce motivated and skilled in alignment with your organisation’s strategic development and growth.

2: Include age in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training

Most firms are hot on training around race, gender and disability discrimination but age bias is the big unspoken taboo.

Training could include positive reinforcement about older workers, guidance around the law and menopause awareness.

Ensure all staff are fully aware that disparaging comments, hostility and jokes around age are as unacceptable as those around ethnicity or sexuality; create systems where such inappropriate behaviour can be safely reported and managed.

3: Create a mentoring programme

Inter-generational workforces drive greater productivity, morale, continuity and cohesiveness. Mentoring schemes help connect the generations, allow more mature and experienced staff to share their accumulated knowledge and offer trainees, interns and younger staff safe relationships in which to ask questions, test ideas and learn. They encourage younger generations to appreciate the value of their more mature colleagues and make older staff feel integral to the workplace culture and evolution. The mentor/mentee relationships can also build a sense of familial loyalty and belonging to an organisation and improve wellbeing.

4: Ensure your public face is visibly inclusive

In order to keep and attract the best talent from every age group, make sure they are all represented in written and visual communications. Keep language inclusive – avoid terms like “young” or “energetic” in job adverts. Make sure there is a broad demographic represented in any images of the company, including older men and women of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds. Ensure any potential recruit can see themself becoming part of your organisation or team.

5: Take care of workforce health and wellbeing

More than half of workers will have long-term health conditions by the time they reach 60 but this needn’t be a barrier to productivity.

Making sure they have access to programmes or groups that focus on their physical wellbeing, like lunchtime yoga or Pilates, and mental wellbeing, like meditation or mindfulness classes, could encourage a more positive relationship with work

You can keep your workforce healthier for the future by extending health services to employees of all ages. For example, being aware of ergonomic practices to prevent back pain or musculoskeletal problems and offering access to occupational health could reduce the chance of these conditions becoming chronic.

Reviewing your workplace benefits for ways to support employees’ mental, emotional, and physical health throughout their working lives could mean they enjoy a healthy, active life as they get older.

Menopause support is equally vital to help your older female workforce. Half of the population will go through the menopause, eight out of 10 during their working life. A quarter will suffer debilitating symptoms including anxiety, joint pain, hot flushes and insomnia yet three quarters say their workplace does not offer any formal support.

Too often, women suffering some of these extreme effects feel they must suffer in silence, pass over promotions, cut their working hours or leave their job. A 2023 UK survey found almost a quarter were considering quitting because work conditions had become unbearable, potentially a damaging drain of talent and experience. Companies that fail to protect the employment rights of older women suffering menopausal symptoms also leave themselves open to legal action on the grounds of gender and/or disability discrimination.

Menopause training, flexible working, cooler office spaces, wellbeing support and other health programmes can all help minimise the impact for women, remove the stigma and extend their productivity and career lifespan.

More than 2,700 UK employers have signed up to The Menopause Workplace Pledge, committing to actively provide menopause support to staff, including Tesco and NHS England.

Two thirds of employers reported a skills shortage last year, yet as we have explored here, a ready-made workforce, experienced, emotionally mature and keen to be upskilled, is available to fill those gaps.

Rialto can support employers looking to identify and fill skills shortages within their organisations and support senior employees through mid-life MoTs with personalised programmes and coaching and online seminars on subjects around leadership and new technologies.