Last week, the United Nations closed their annual conference on climate change, known widely as COP26. By the end of the two-week summit, diplomats from nearly 200 countries had reached an agreement known as ‘The Glasgow Climate Pact’ to work together towards global sustainability goals. There was a great feeling of optimism as government bodies and major organisations announced their pledges, targets and commitments throughout the summit, with 60 of the UK’s FTSE 100 companies joining the UN’s Race to Zero campaign. One in three of the largest public companies in G20 countries now has a net zero target, up from one in five last year. After the summit, one thing is clear: climate change needs to be at the top of the strategic agenda for businesses moving forward.

So what does this mean for leaders? Now that pledges have been made and some regulatory standards have been outlined, what is the next step? How can you ensure that your organisation is helping to make the world a greener place rather than just ‘greenwashing’?

Following Through on Promises

While it provides a good basis for setting targets, many critics of The Glasgow Climate Pact feel that it lacks the regulatory muscle to ensure change. As a result, some feel it falls on the businesses who made pledges to make good on those promises, and for the rest of the private sector to play along.

As many leaders know, making a pledge or setting a goal is just the beginning. The challenge is in the follow-through.  With net zero targets becoming a prominent part of the conversation, expect to see businesses incorporating climate goals into their strategic plans for next year. Many may choose to use the guidelines outlined by government pledges, and others may choose to go further or reach for achievable ‘quick wins’ that can easily be accomplished. But given the new focus on climate change on a global scale, businesses can no longer get away with having no sustainability targets whatsoever.

Getting Beyond ‘Greenwashing’

Not only is acting on climate change important from a regulatory standpoint, but it also matters to your customers. A survey[1] conducted by Deloitte in May 2021 found that 65% of respondents expect CEOs to do more to make progress on societal issues, including reducing carbon emissions, tackling air pollution, and making business supply chains more sustainable. Rather than leaving it to businesses to be the change, customers are willing to act on their beliefs. 23% of consumers surveyed by Deloitte say they will switch to buying products from an organisation that shares their values on environmental issues, 42% have changed their own consumption habits to match their stance on the environment, and 21% have encouraged others to switch to a company whose values align with their own.

It is clear that customers want to do business with organisations that stand for something, but there is a difference between taking a stance and actually acting on it. In this case, being all talk and no walk could be classified as ‘greenwashing.’ This term is used to criticise businesses who go to great lengths to market themselves as being ‘eco-friendly’ and use PR initiatives to seem as though they are taking tough action on climate change, when in reality they are doing very little. In recent years, corporations such as Volkswagen, H&M, BP, Nestle, ExxonMobil, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and even IKEA have all come under fire for this. Customers are quick to see through the smoke and mirrors to the true story, and leaders need to not underestimate their audiences.

Actions for Leaders

With all this in mind, what do leaders need to know and prioritise moving forward? The first step is to take this issue seriously and understand that this is not just the latest buzzy trend in the marketplace. This is an issue that affects us all and requires swift and decisive action. As a business leader, you play an important role in driving change. Your people, your stakeholders, and your customers are all looking to you to lead the charge and set the course for how to proceed. Here are our tips for doing this effectively:

• Get Up to Speed with Expectations: Big businesses weren’t the only ones who made pledges and set targets at COP26. It is worth reading up on the targets that were agreed in The Glasgow Climate Pact and the targets set by the countries your organisation operates in. What are they aiming to achieve, and when? Even if there are currently no set, mandatory regulations that require your organisation to meet specific targets or behave a certain way, it is always best to understand what the bigger picture looks like. You and your team can use the government’s goals as guidance when plotting out your own climate strategy, and work towards the targets they have set out on a macro level. This is a means of playing it safe as well. Just because no mandatory regulations may have been set, they could be at any minute. If you aren’t already working towards these targets, regulations may make it so that you have to adjust very quickly to catch up. Instead, it is better to operate as if the targets outlined are already law so that if and when they actually do become enforced, you will already be on the right track for compliance.
• Be Realistic: As we have discussed, making a public pledge is a good start for signalling your stance, but you need to ensure your words aren’t empty. Do not overpromise and underdeliver. When creating a climate strategy, take a look at where you can actually deliver results. This might be a series of quick wins to get you started as well as some longer-term initiatives that will be rolled out over time, but everything you are proposing needs to be achievable. No business is going to reach net zero overnight, but every organisation has small actions they can take to start working towards that goal. Take an honest look at your business and where you can improve and start there.
• Don’t Shout About It: While you should be transparent with your audiences about your stance on climate change and what your organisation is doing about it, there is no need to shout it from the rooftops. It is always better to practice rather than preach, as your customers are more interested in your actions than your words. Communicate that you are taking action and be clear on how, but do not make that the central component of your marketing or media unless what you are doing can match up to the hype. Otherwise, you may be accused of greenwashing and lose a lot of credibility and trust in the market.
• Champion Change: As a leader, your people are looking to you to take charge and set the tone for change. They aren’t going to buy into the vision if it seems like you don’t. If you are going to set forth initiatives and make sustainability a key component of your organisational identity, then that change needs to start with you. Be clear on what the stance is and what expectations the team needs to meet. Provide clear actions to follow so that everyone knows what role they play. Ensure everyone is aligned on the vision and why it matters. Adjust your own personal habits if you find that they contradict what you are looking to achieve. It can be little things to start, such as carrying a reusable water bottle or becoming more conscious of how your actions contribute to your own carbon footprint. When you lead by example, you become much more credible for your people to follow.
• Keep Up to Date: The UN’s climate summit only happens once a year, but sustainability is an ongoing conversation. There are new developments constantly, and if you are going to truly become a champion of climate change it is important you stay up to date. Incorporate checking for new updates or research into your regular newsgathering activities. Just as you should be keeping tabs on your industry, you should be keeping a finger on the pulse of climate change. By building an understanding of what’s happening, you may come to find that you need to make some adjustments in your own knowledge or capabilities. Do you need to educate yourself on any specific topics to help better inform your strategy? Do you need to better understand a topic in order to effectively communicate to your team why they should care about it? Do the regulations require you to adapt your approach or capabilities as a leader?

Sustainability is a top-of-mind business issue, but one that requires firm action. It matters not whether you feel the responsibility for leading the charge falls onto the government or the private sector; we all have a role to play. Leaders need to act as champions for change to ensure that their organisation is doing their part and not making promises they aren’t delivering on. The world will be a better place for it.

[1] https://deloitte.wsj.com/articles/consumers-expect-brands-to-address-climate-change-01618945334

In the blink of an eye, we’ve arrived at Q4 of 2021. As we begin looking forward to the festive season and all it brings, now is also the time for reflection and planning for the New Year.

If you have your sights set on a career move in 2022, here are factors you need to consider about the Executive market as it stands as of November 2021.

Executive Job Market Snapshot

A fair amount has changed since our previous market update in early Q2. The government’s popular furlough scheme has come to its official end, and back in April, only a quarter of UK adults had been vaccinated against coronavirus. Today[1], that number is much higher, with 87% of the UK population aged 12 or over having received a first dose and nearly 80% fully vaccinated with both doses. A new development is that over 8 million people have had a third ‘booster’ dose. While this is excellent news for the state of public health in the UK, it also comes as great news for the recovery of the professional market.

The statistics reflect this as well. Currently, the UK unemployment rate stands at around 4.5%, which is a decrease from the 4.9% rate we saw at our last update but still higher than the pre-pandemic rate of 4%. However, these figures are met with vast opportunity with the number of vacancies available in the market hitting an all-time high of 1.1 million between July and September of this year. The number of employees on payroll has also broken records, rising 207,000 to 29.2 million in September 2021.[2]  However, at senior levels within the professional and executive market place, the numbers employed are 600,000 less today than pre Covid-19.

But with the unemployment rate higher than it was pre-COVID, why so many unfilled roles? We’re experiencing what has been dubbed ‘The Great Resignation,’ wherein professionals are leaving their roles or considering leaving their roles without having another opportunity lined up. This is creating even more vacancies in the marketplace rather than creating one-for-one swaps. What is driving these executives to take the leap? If you are one of them, what do you need to consider? The following trends may shed some light and help you better plan for your own executive career transition.

Key Market Trends

The Future is Flexible

One of the biggest changes to the professional world over the past 18 months has been our idea of what ‘work’ and the workday need to look like. Now that staff know they can work from anywhere, many are disinterested in returning to the office full time. Remote work provided greater autonomy and freed up more time for family, exploring interests and hobbies, focussing on wellbeing, and pursing more continuous learning and upskilling opportunities. Whilst some employers are calling their staff back into more traditional 9-5 workdays in the office, many executives are unwilling to sacrifice their improved work-life balance now that they have it. Hybrid and flexible working models seem to be the solution many organisations have turned to. Currently, an average of 44% of staff are back in the workplace at least some of the time and that number is predicted to rise to 56% by the end of the year.[3]

If you are considering an executive transition in the new year, your stance on flexibility will be important to determine ahead of time. If you are looking to work remote or hybrid, prioritise this as part of your search. Filter your search with this criterion and understand opportunities and potential barriers of compromises. Be up front with potential employers or any contacts who may be putting feelers out for you. Let it be known that this is what you are looking for in your next role. That way, you end up in an organisation that shares your views and will be much happier in the long run.

The Skills Divide

The number of vacancies and the unemployment figures demonstrate that the issue is not with the number of roles or candidates available in the marketplace. Rather, it’s a skills issue. The jobs available simply don’t match the people. At the executive level, this looks a bit different. Rather than having an overabundance of skilled staff and too many roles that they are overqualified for (or in some cases, that individuals no longer have the relevant skills for), the problem is that there are very few opportunities available at this level and a highly competitive market of executives to fill them.

At this level, the skills focus needs to be about differentiation. The candidates who stand out will be those who possess the in-demand, future-focused skills that will help the organisation progress and futureproof. Executives who show a clear understanding of the direction their industry is heading and who demonstrate the ability to meet the evolving needs of the organisation are those who will stand out from the pack. Let’s look at what those skills might be.

Sought-After Skills

In our previous update, we listed four skills that will be crucial for anyone looking to make an executive career transition. These are still the main areas to focus on, but it is worth reiterating and expanding on these given the current trends.

• Technological capabilities: We have undoubtedly become much more digitally-oriented during the pandemic, and that will continue and expand to include more advanced tools. A PwC survey found that 52% of companies accelerated their AI adoption plans because of the Covid crisis, close to the results of a similar survey conducted by Harris Poll and Appen at 55%. Executives are beginning to invest in upskilling to respond to this change rather than resisting it. A survey by The AI Journal found that most executives (74%) anticipate that AI will deliver more efficient business processes, help to create new business models (55%), and enable the creation of new products and services (54%).[4] The task at hand for executives is to get up to speed with the tools available, understand their potential impacts and benefits, and begin thinking critically about how these capabilities can be leveraged in their desired role, industry, or organisation. Understanding these impacts may highlight other areas for improvement that can help the executive get ahead of the curve. For example, most professional roles will be done in partnership with AI, wherein the technology will do the more mundane, time consuming, or routinised tasks and the human will take on the more strategic and creative roles. With that in mind, the executive may choose to focus their attention on improving in these areas or other human-specific capabilities that technology cannot fulfil.
• Communication: Now that hybrid working is taking off and becoming more widely practiced, it is essential to develop the right skills for staying connected with colleagues across locations. You might be really excellent at delivering your thoughts in person, but not as great at presenting virtually. Or maybe you are a strong verbal communicator, but not as skilled at putting your thoughts into written word. Hybrid models combine all forms of communication, and therefore you should strive to strengthen your capabilities in the formats that may not be your current strong suit. The success of these working models hinges on teams’ ability to stay aligned and leaders’ ability to keep everyone on track and on the same page. Focusing your attention on this specific soft skill will prove incredibly valuable in any role you are looking to pursue.
• Collaboration: Our changed relationship to the office has carried over into how we conduct our workday, with much more emphasis on project-based work. It is essential for executives to have strong collaborative capabilities to help lead and execute projects. It is more likely that the executive will be managing and overseeing, so the focus needs to be on delegation. In a hybrid model, it can be challenging to fairly distribute work and monitor individual contribution and impact. It falls on leadership to keep their finger on the pulse of the project to ensure things are running smoothly and each member of the team is successful. Assessing your own management style and making changes as needed is crucial for navigating the next chapter of the working world.

The climate for a New Year career move is looking much more promising than it did this time last year, but still requires focus and determination from the candidate. If you are serious about advancing your career in 2022, it’s best to begin now. Set your objectives, determine your goals, begin plotting your strategy, and do the necessary legwork that you have to do to fill gaps in your knowledge or capabilities. That way, once the holiday break is over, you’ll be able to hit the ground running and be seen as a leader of the future that organisations want to invest in.

[1] https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations

[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58881124

[3] https://www.ft.com/content/e0c6e4f7-4d5d-477d-9ac7-fc74e8391075

[4] https://hbr.org/2021/09/ai-adoption-skyrocketed-over-the-last-18-months

If you were to say that the pandemic changed the whole course of technology in business, you would only be partially correct. In truth, what the pandemic did was push us further and faster along a path we were already heading down. Digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption have been on the annual strategic agenda for many businesses for the past several years, mainly as an exploratory item. At the start of 2020, the average global share of products and/or services that were partially or fully digitised was at 35%. By the midway point to the year, that figure had jumped to 55%, indicating that the onset of the pandemic led to approximately seven years’ worth of progress in around six months[1].

Now that we are well on the path to some version of recovery, no one is going to drop their tools, say “Well, that was fun while it lasted,” and go back to the way things were before we realised we could do it all differently. Nor should we go back. The pandemic not only changed the market conditions that leaders must navigate in order to keep driving their business forward, but also changed the way they need to lead within new target operating models.

Much has been said about AI’s potential benefits for different business functions, but can this technology help leaders bridge some of their key people management challenges? We explore the question in 5 key areas:

1. Can it support business decision-making?

Just as businesses have begun using more technology in their day-to-day practices, so have their customers. Every website visit, virtual appointment, online communication, and social media interaction creates a data story that can tell business leaders more about their consumers needs, habits, wants, lifestyles, and feelings. But the problem usually is that most businesses have no idea what to do with any of this data or no way to make sense of it.

That’s where AI comes in. These tools can continuously collect, process, and analyse large volumes of data quicker and in more detail than any human could possibly replicate. This data is translated into more digestible formats for easier analysis, detailed forecasts, and insightful recommendations that bring focus to leaders and their teams more quickly. This analysis might reveal trends to expect, issues that have been overlooked, or areas for improvement.

Collecting and making sense of this data will fall on technology, but it is up to leaders to decide what they want to do with it. AI gives leaders the clearest picture possible of what they are up against and where the opportunities are. Because these tools work continuously and provide insights in real time, leaders can act fast to course correct and keep their finger on the pulse of an ever-changing consumer market. This capability will become increasingly valuable as global competition rises and the customer journey continues to evolve.

2. Can it support diversity and inclusion?

Issues of diversity, inclusion, and equality have been thrust squarely into the spotlight as several societal conflicts have arisen this past year. As a result, many decision-makers are taking more purpose-led approaches to leadership (we have a blog on that here) and prioritising these issues in their company’s strategy. For these efforts to be genuine, they need to be reflected in the makeup of the organisation.

AI helps to build more diverse teams through hiring by eliminating some of the inherent biases that human decision-makers may unknowingly bring with them into the process. By automating everything from scanning CVs to conducting early rounds of interviews, AI is able to keep the process as impartial as possible. Of course, this does not always work as intended. AI follows the algorithms that it is trained on, so if it is fed biased information its outputs will reflect that. For example, perhaps the algorithm is trained to hire candidates that sound like a good fit for the organisation and was trained to determine this ‘fit’ based on the organisation’s current team. If the existing staff is predominantly male, all went to a certain set of schools, or are a certain racial background, then the algorithm will most likely select candidates that also possess these attributes. Some have tried to counteract this by programming the algorithm to seek out clearly diverse candidates, but this practice of ‘token’ hiring has raised questions of whether this is a truly fair practice.

It is important for leaders to remain conscious of the suggestibility of algorithms if using AI tools with this purpose, but when programmed correctly these tools can facilitate more equal hiring and help to minimise some of the bias that presents itself in the process.

3. What benefits can it bring for recruitment and onboarding?

Beyond promoting more diversity, AI can make it easier to build the right team and support their growth long term. As mentioned, automation can be used to streamline some of the process, such as scanning CVs for keywords in order to narrow down your candidate pool. While this initial screening will likely be handled below the management level, the increased accuracy of this process helps to ensure that the candidates presented to decision-makers are the best talent available for the role.

Additionally, these tools can help ensure you match the right talent to the right roles, every time. This is typically accomplished through the use of augmented and autonomous AI to personalise the experience and guide the candidate to the role that best matches their capabilities. This makes it easier for the leader to ensure that they have the right skills on their team and the support they will need for long-term success.

Integrating new talent to your team is another area where AI thrives. Technology can help to improve the onboarding process by getting new hires up to speed efficiently and via a more tailored experience. For example, there are tools available that can match a new employee’s preferences with recommendations about which benefits package best suits their needs. Starting employees off on the right foot helps to improve long-term retention, meaning leaders can focus their attention on achieving objectives rather than worrying about their team.

4. How does it support upskilling and training?

While many organisations may be actively recruiting and some leaders are having to build and onboard new teams, others have focused their attention on their existing staff. The adoption of new technology impacts all parts of the organisation, not just those at the top. If new tools are being introduced, then training and upskilling activities may need to be undertaken in order to ensure the team has the right capabilities to use them effectively. But your people don’t know what they don’t know, and as a leader, you should never assume that all members of your team are on the same level of capability and comfort with using technology.

AI learning tools can not only assess your team’s current level of knowledge but also meet them where they are. The use of personalised learning tools in L&D functions is on the rise due to their ability to tailor training to suit individual skill levels and learning styles. For example, these tools might offer staff a series of questions or activities. On the back end, AI and machine learning algorithms are analysing the responses to pinpoint the individual’s level of understanding of the topic at hand. Based on this assessment, the platform may offer the information in a new format that is more suited to the individual’s learning style and repeat the lesson until the information is absorbed, or may deem it suitable to move on to the next lesson.

For leaders, this helps to ensure that staff are getting the necessary training in the most effective way possible. Training can be a costly expense for businesses and approaching this in a one-size-fits-all way cannot ensure effectiveness. Tailoring training to your team helps to engage them in their learning and provide the best chance at absorbing these new skills.

5. How can it impact culture, progression, and engagement?

In an ideal world, every team member would be perfectly satisfied in their role and your best team members would stick around forever. But that is not our world, and therefore leaders need to pay attention to their team’s needs, levels of engagement and team atmosphere.

Sentiment analysis tools are able to assess employee communications to identify potential dissatisfaction, while intelligent employee surveying can be used to gather insights directly from staff about their feelings. If an employee is showing signs of displeasure, AI algorithms can be trained to identify patterns that suggest when they may be ready to turn over. The system would then send an alert to the HR team, allowing them to intervene before it’s too late. In some cases, this desire to leave is tied to compensation. AI tools can analyse market factors, the employee’s performance, and their job achievement to help suggest compensation.

Beyond holding onto staff that is on the verge of turning over, AI can help your team progress within the organisation. Some talent intelligence platforms are able to provide personalised career guidance to employees based on their innate capabilities, potential, and future positions of interest to encourage long-term planning. Some companies use this intelligence to match employees with mentors in the organisation who can provide relevant advice related to that individual’s identified pathway. Additionally, these tools can help to identify higher performers who may be ready for the next level or may be well suited to a leadership opportunity.

The mark of a successful leader is a successful team. By partnering with AI, leaders can conduct more regular temperature checks with their people and intervene before issues can have negative consequences.

It’s clear that AI can take on some of the heavy lifting of leaders’ people management responsibilities, but it should be noted that this technology should be treated as a tool rather than a replacement. Leaders should not become complacent and expect that AI will solve all their problems. There still needs to be a ‘human touch’ involved, especially in matters of people management. When considering AI, leaders should simultaneously work to adapt their own styles and skillsets in order to incorporate these tools into their style of leadership, but should not lose sight of all the attributes that make them a strong leader in the first place.

[1] https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever

Your career can feel very personal at times. You chose your path. You pursed it via your studies and work experience. You have built and nurtured your network of connections, contacts, and colleagues through the years. You have experienced the highs of success and lows of setbacks, the pride of a promotion, the stress of a deadline, and the other range of emotions in between. Your career is a part of your legacy and the impact you make on this world. With all that in mind, it makes sense to want to be in full command of any career moves you might make. But sometimes, to keep moving forward, you may need to seek specialist external support to improve your career valuation and change trajectory.

Executive career coaching can help professionals gain a valuable new perspective on their goals and objectives, their position in the competitive marketplace, the skills needed for the future, and the steps to take in order to reach that next level. But, what benefits can a professional career coaching programme really provide?

Why Career Coaching & When to Seek It

Today’s marketplace is more competitive than ever, moving at a faster pace and with greater ambiguity. Desirable positions that are a step up are not as readily available, so when these opportunities do arise, there will be many of your peers, both internally and externally vying for the role. With the rise of remote work, qualified candidates can be sourced both nationally and globally, adding to this competition and making it more difficult to stand out.

Executive career coaching can help you as a candidate put your best foot forward whether you are looking to pursue an entirely new role, rise in the ranks of your own organisation, secure an outside opportunity such as an NED position, or take your career to the next level. Coaches are here to help you strategise your options and prioritise your next move, determine what it will take to get there, and execute the right approach.

Because our careers are so personal, it’s easy at times to get stuck in old habits or wear blinkers or put blinders on. An executive career coach is able to look at your skills, experience, values, and capabilities through an objective lens and help you to become clear on what you have to offer and how to optimally position yourself. This strong self-concept is incredibly important for executives to have as they navigate the shifting world of work and an increasingly competitive landscape.

The most common time to seek a coach is typically during a career transition, between roles, or while angling for a new opportunity or promotion. But you don’t have to be in the job market to benefit from the expertise of an executive coach. In fact, this third-party perspective can be invaluable when making any major career decisions, building and expanding your network, or establishing yourself as a thought leader.

The Role of a Career Coach

At Rialto, the executive coach can wear a lot of different hats depending on the needs of the client. The coach can take on an information-focused role if the executive needs insights, advice, ideas, expertise, inspiration, guidance, or consumer intelligence in order to achieve their goals. If the executive needs access to the right people or resources, the coach can help to unlock those doors, make those introductions, offer endorsement or credibility, or lend thought leadership or influence. Other times, the executive just needs support and encouragement. The coach then takes on the role of cheerleader, challenger, motivator, stabiliser, and sounding board.

An executive might choose to seek out a specific individual that has a special niche in one of these areas or seek out a programme or coach that fulfils all these roles. For example, in a Rialto executive coaching programme, clients work closely with our team of specialist accredited executive coaches and mentors, all of whom possess extensive business and leadership experience. These coaches help clients understand their capabilities and where they can deliver impact, where they stand amongst their competition, realise their goals and ambitions, and remain competitive in the future of work. These coaches can play whatever role the client needs them to fulfil, whether it be the role of an advisor, connector, or supporter.

Choosing an Executive Career Coach

You have worked hard to make it this far in your career and should not entrust the future of it to just anyone. If you are investing time and money into an executive coach or programme, it needs to be a worthwhile fit with clear targets.

As with any successful relationship, there needs to be a good rapport between you and the coach or coaching team. Trust is a crucial component for success. Career coaching is a vulnerable process. You need to feel comfortable enough sharing both your strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures with your coach or coaches. You also need to be open to accepting their insight, advice, and criticism. If you do not trust and respect the person you are working with, then all of this effort goes to waste and you will not get the results you desire from your programme.

Credibility is also essential in these relationships. As an executive, surely you would not want to accept career advice from just anyone. If you are looking to move up, you’ll want to work with someone who has been in the shoes you are looking to fill, or someone who can lend relevant insight and experience that is applicable to what you are trying to achieve.

You might often see loads of people on social media promoting themselves as career coaches with flashy advertising or attention-grabbing posts. But is it all smoke and mirrors? A read through their LinkedIn profile or even a quick Google search should be able to tell you if that person has the background and skills you need in your corner. A credible coach’s experience should speak for itself, and you should feel comfortable enough to enter that relationship without any doubts that he or she will be able to walk the talk.

A safe method is to go through an accredited provider such as Rialto, where the expertise of our team and their proven track records in industry have been vetted to back up their promises. At Rialto, we have worked with thousands of executives through the years to take their careers to the next level, with much success.

Entrusting your career to an initially unknown individual can be intimidating, but it can make all the difference when looking for a new role, building your network, securing a board position, earning a promotion, or preparing for the future of work. If you are interested in taking the first step to improve your career trajectory, earnings potential or work-life balance in the coaching process or would like to learn more about our executive career coaching programmes, get in touch with our team.

It has often felt as though we have been reminded at every turn that the world of work is changing more rapidly and more fundamentally than ever. It is a truth that we are well aware of because we are living through it and have heard it talked about regularly over the past 18 months. The pandemic gave us no choice but to adapt quickly to sudden changes, overcome aversions to technology, rethink more deeply what the working day looks like, and step out of our comfort zones.

Now that we have reached September 2021 and are approaching Q4, we have come too far to turn back now. Now that we know we can do our jobs from just about anywhere, many of us will never work a full week in the office again. Now that technology has become more integrated into our working lives, it is likely that we will only continue to add tools to our arsenals rather than retiring them post-pandemic. Therefore, you should not expect that the job that you were hired for will be the exact same job you will be doing two, five, or even 10 years from now.

What does this mean for you? It means that you will need to refocus, reprioritise, and reskill or upskill sooner rather than later and more often than before. As your industry, organisation, and job function change, you will likely be forced to change with them. With the final quarter of the fiscal year drawing near, the time has come to begin your preparation. Here is a summary of what you need to know about the state of skills in September 2021.

Where We Stand

In a PwC survey of 32,500 workers, more than one third of respondents (39%) think their job will be obsolete within 5 years. It makes sense then why only 50% of respondents reported feeling excited or confident about the future. These fears are not unfounded either. The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Future of Jobs Report posits that by 2025, automation and technology will disrupt 85 million jobs globally. While these figures may be shocking, it is important to remember that 97 million new roles will be created. In both these disrupted and new roles, there will likely be partnership and collaboration between humans and technology with tech automating specialised tasks and humans having the advantage in activities involving management, decision-making, strategy, communication, and the like. As a result, the WEF report predicts that 50% of professionals set to stay in their current roles in the next five years will need reskilling.

BCG and Faethm recently released a report exploring the potential impact of various technologies on jobs in three countries over the next decade. Their findings revealed that the US, Germany, and Australia will all experience labour shortfalls in certain industries and sectors. The recommendations presented suggest that the solution to preventing widespread labour crises includes strategic workforce planning,  the creation of cultures of lifelong learning, and investment into upskilling and reskilling by both organisations and individuals. But where should you focus your attention?

Skills to focus on

Based on our research and our day-to-day work with executives of all backgrounds, we recommend focusing your attention on developing or strengthening the following skills and capabilities in order to remain relevant and competitive in the future world of work.

Adapt to Overcome

In the most recent findings uncovered by Rialto Accelerated Leadership Index (RALI) released at the start of this year, we highlighted the need for agility in order to overcome many of the challenges presented by the pandemic. It is not just us who think this is an incredibly important capability for executives to have. Earlier this year, the World Economic Forum (WEF) conducted a global survey of learning and development professionals. Of the top ten skills these professionals cited as being the most important this year, ‘resilience and adaptability’ ranked first.

Even with the lockdowns (hopefully) behind us and though we have surpassed the height of the pandemic, we are not yet out of the woods. Leaders have spent the past several months planning their next moves and as the time comes to bring them into practice, they may find that the plans they came up with were not as effective as anticipated or were not the best move for the business. It is important to remain flexible and agile during this period of trial and error. Do not become discouraged when a plan does not pan out, and quickly change course instead. That way, you can continue to help drive the business forward via the best possible course. That might require changing working models, or adopting new tools.

Digital and Technological Capabilities

According to the previously cited PwC survey, 40% of workers successfully improved their digital skills during the pandemic while an amazing 80% report feeling confident that they can adapt to new technologies entering their workplace. Given the way that our relationship with technology changed this past year and the speed at which many organisations have accelerated their transformation plans, it is understandable why tech skills are some of the most important to have. New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation (RPA), Internet of Things (IoT), and more are reshaping how we perform tasks and achieve our business objectives.

Not only is it crucial to develop the necessary skills to properly use these tools, but also to develop the right capabilities to work alongside them. Many of these technologies are specialist tools designed to perform specific tasks and will require human oversight and partnership to run effectively. But just as important is a change mindset. Having both the capability to use these tools and the open-mindedness to adopt them into your professional practice will be incredibly valuable in the future of work. Those who resist technological change stand to be the ones left behind by it. The best thing you can do now is embrace this change, work to understand what is to come, and fill any gaps in your own capabilities.

Embrace your own humanity

But as important as technological skills are, it is human capabilities that will be most valuable in the future. In a recent survey we conducted, ‘People Skills’ were ranked as the most in-demand skills in the future of work, earning 35% of the vote. In the WEF’s ranking, human skills such as emotional intelligence, communication, creativity, collaboration, and mindfulness made up the rest of the top 10. While these ‘soft skills’ might seem less important than some of harder more technical capabilities, these skills can make those tech capabilities more effective and valuable.

That is because in the tech-driven workplace, humans will need to fill the gaps that technology cannot satisfy. While technology may be really good at performing the tasks it is designed for, it has its limits. Machines currently cannot replicate skills such as empathy, strategic thinking, and creativity. These areas will be where human workers will be able to add the most value.

The Challenge for Leaders

For individuals, the task is to seek out learning opportunities and invest in their own skills. For leaders, the challenge is building diverse teams that offer capabilities spanning a diverse range of skillsets. You will always have your experts in specific areas, but those experts should also bring value in soft skills. Similarly, your excellent communicators or creative thinkers should also be able to operate and oversee the technological tools used for their job function. It’s all about creating a balance and ensuring strength in all areas throughout the organisation.

This can be done via the hiring process but can also be accomplished via your existing workforce. Consider investing in reskilling or upskilling initiatives to help your people develop the right capabilities and to ensure you have the necessary skills on your side. But at the same time, this investment should not just fall on your people. As a leader, it is essential that you continuously invest in your own skills as well. Lead by example and demonstrate the same skills and mindsets you would like to see reflected in your people. If you want your team to embrace new technology, then you need to champion it yourself. If you want to create a culture that values collaboration and communication, then you yourself need to work with other and communicate effectively.

As we move forward out of this challenging business period, the skills of the team will become one of the most valuable assets the organisation has available. If you are interested in developing your own skills or those of your team, get in touch with us about our leadership development and change, digital and business transformation programmes.

It’s hard to believe that we are fast approaching the final quarter of 2021. As the ‘Out of Office’ replies dissipate and the summer lull picks up pace, expect to see more than just a busier workload and fewer team members on annual leave as autumn beckons.

Many organisations have been discussing the introduction of plans for new, hybrid working models for months now, but many have not truly put them into practice yet. With the entire UK adult population on track to be offered both vaccinations by the end of September, it is likely that people will begin to feel more comfortable returning to the office.

The Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been gradually winding down for months now but is currently scheduled to finish on 30 September. The furlough scheme helped businesses keep their staff on payroll during the challenging 18 months of the pandemic, and provided a safety net for many staff. Official figures show that around 3.4 million people were on furlough in July 2021, and the scheme has supported around 11.5 million jobs throughout the whole pandemic.

The development of new business models has required leadership teams to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their organisations together with the imperative to implement further digital transformation. There will have been serious discussions about culture and staff, and an evaluation of the skills and capabilities that will be necessary to drive the business’s plans forward within an environment of new operating practices and greater use of technologies. Other organisations may still be struggling to sustain pre-pandemic levels and will be dealt a blow by the loss of furlough grants. Both cases will unfortunately lead to redundancies.

No business leader wants to have to make staffing cuts and in many cases, it presents both a tough personal and leadership challenge. Cutbacks cause tension, anxiety, and hurt feelings not just with those leaving, but also for those who remain. Executive outplacement services can help mitigate this and enable exiting staff to transition smoothly to a new role. But what exactly is ‘executive outplacement,’ and why might you need it?

What is ‘Executive Outplacement’?

‘Executive outplacement’ is an umbrella term for a suite of services related to helping executives find and secure their next role. You may have also heard it referred to as ‘executive transition services.’ Within an executive outplacement programme, such as those offered by Rialto, you work with an expert or a team of experts who are well-versed in the demands of the rapidly changing senior level job market. The expert(s) will assist with everything related to a job search, such as the development of a compelling value proposition, helping draft your CV and other written materials, assisting with your presentation, interview skills and elevator pitch, understanding the different approaches to managing different campaign strategies and providing advice throughout the process. These are the bare minimum services you should expect from your programme, but the mark of a good programme is its understanding of the demands of the current market and the need for candidates to differentiate by the most effective means possible. These programmes will include services related to market/industry research, skills and capabilities benchmarking, personal branding and reputation building, and digital and real-world networking and influencing.

For example, on a Rialto executive outplacement programme, the executive job candidate will partner with a team of experts that cover different specialties in the outplacement process. The team will start by helping the executive determine their specific goals and by conducting research into the skills needed, the industry trends and conditions, and the competitive landscape for available opportunities. The executive would receive assistance with drafting a strong digital profile and CV to showcase their skills, as well as a compelling value proposition and other targeted personal statements. They would also work with an expert on their personal brand, which will include coaching on strengthening their online presence and generating valuable thought leadership to help them differentiate and get noticed t attract opportunities. A good outplacement will also help with high-level face-to-face or virtual networking, connecting the executive to the right networks and provide advice on the type of people with whom they should be connecting. When discussions are secured, the executive will practice with their expert in a mock format.

While outplacement work is always conducted one-to-one, it is usually offered on a wider scale by corporates for their departing staff, usually via a partnership with a third-party provider such as Rialto. Organisations who provide services that help staff find their next role normally experience good ROI in terms of the company’s reputation and remaining staff morale.

Why Corporates Need Executive Outplacement

Whatever job cuts are being made now, you will need to hire staff in the future and continue to attract customers.  If handled poorly, redundancy can leave employees with a poor perception of your brand. By contrast, executive outplacement enables them to leave on a better footing and builds your positive reputation as a supportive, caring employer, which is particularly important in today’s intensive social media spotlight. Employees who receive outplacement support are likely to feel more valued and appreciated by the organisation, and are therefore less inclined to share their negative thoughts on social media or on review aggregator sites like Glassdoor. Reviews like these don’t just look bad to your customers who may see them, they may also deter excellent candidates from applying for open positions in the future. The COVID-19 and corresponding social and economic issues have created a demand for more empathetic and compassionate leadership. Offering executive outplacement meets this demand.

Offering these services can also have a positive impact on the staff you are retaining by helping to enhance the “psychological contract” between the organisation and its people.  Even in situations when the economic case for making redundancies is clear, your people can still feel very let down and anxious during cutbacks, which will affect creativity, innovation, and productivity.  This will be a time of heightened emotions which need to be carefully managed by leaders in order to maintain morale and mitigate panic. The peace of mind that offering such support can provide should not be underestimated. Knowing that there is a safety net in place to help leavers move forward helps reassure staff that they will not be left hanging should their role be made redundant. Morale and productivity are maintained, or at least not as severely impacted, as remaining staff can find comfort in the fact that their employer cares and is doing whatever they can to help. This will go a long way to assist with retention.

Why Individuals Need Executive Outplacement

If the executive’s current or former company does not offer these services, that does not mean the individual cannot seek them out themselves. An executive can always go direct to a reputable provider such as Rialto. They will receive the same scope of services and personalised attention as corporate clients. The benefits and value these services can provide the executive more than justify the cost of such an investment given the accelerated results of job search and better-quality outcomes.

The executive job market is highly competitive and is likely to become even more so following the end of the furlough scheme. Working with an experienced executive outplacement partner can help you to gain a deep understanding of what you are up against and help you to put your best foot forward in the market. In the case of Rialto, we have successfully assisted more than 5,500 leaders and executives with making successful moves over the last 10 years.

All in all, executive outplacement is a great way for employers to support their people during difficult periods. These services help leavers move forward and successfully navigate the market that they are having to enter. The benefits to the individual are both professional and psychological, offering long term value to one’s career and ensuring that they don’t feel left behind or less valuable because of their redundancy.

If you are interested in partnering with Rialto for your organisation’s executive outplacement services or are interested in seeking these services for yourself, get in touch with our team.

We have seen a massive shift in what ‘work’ means since early 2020. Instead of being a place that we go to, it is now something that we do from wherever we can manage to do it. Working this way allowed businesses to stay functional and stay afloat when the lockdowns brought the world to a standstill. However, over the past several months, remote working models have transitioned from being a safety net to becoming a mainstay. In fact, the majority of both C-suite executives (85%) and employees (71%) in the UK believe hybrid working will make their organisation more resilient and better equipped to survive future economic cycles.

Some of the world’s biggest companies have taken notice. At IBM, the frequency in which an employee is required to go into the office will be determined by work deliverables or the need for team collaboration, while Ford’s office workers will need to be on site for certain meetings or projects. Other companies like Uber and Citigroup are requiring a specific number of days in the office, typically two to three per week, rather than a full return to work or totally remote model. A few employers such as Salesforce and TIAA will place workers into categories or tiers based on how they will work, ranging from fully remote to flex to fully in-office. Top tech companies such as Google, Microsoft and Apple are embracing flex as their future and professional services firms such as Deloitte and PWC have empowered employees by providing them with a choice. Deloitte has given it’s 20,000 employees the choice of when and where they work and PwC has introduced what they call ‘the Deal,’ a flexible working solution that enables employees to set their own schedules provided that 40-60% of their time is spent alongside colleagues at its offices or at client sites.

This way of working recasts the corporate HQ as a destination (‘hub’) to which employees will travel for collaboration and creative meetings, rather than the base from which they should work every day. The shift to hybrid work is more than a logistical challenge, and there is no single blueprint for success in these models. Companies need to start thinking about hybrid work as an opportunity for transformation and reinvention and by doing so recognise that a fundamental change in leadership mindsets and  skillsets will be required to continue to provide the best employee and customer experiences and to innovate to new required operating models.

Rialto are working with leaders and their teams to create, maintain and enhance high performance through combined best practices from pre-pandemic leadership and new remote working and hybrid leadership. Our work has identified five key mistakes leaders tend to make when adapting to these models, which ultimately lead to friction, lack of results and engagement and retention challenges. We have outlined these areas of concern below to help guide you through your own transition.

Mistake #1: You aren’t managing collaboration or workflows effectively

From the examples above, it seems as though teamwork and collaboration will be the primary function of the office for many organisations and their staff. This is a smart approach, as it gets everyone in a room together so nothing gets missed and no one feels left out. But not every business will adopt this approach, and teams will likely have to navigate working across locations.

This might mean that those who are not on site feel left out of discussions or miss information that their teammates in the office can easily and casually exchange. It may also mean that work is unevenly distributed with the bulk of the burden landing on either the in-office staff or remote team members.

At first, this may be easy to overlook so long as work is getting done. But over time, it can have negative effects on productivity, effectiveness, and team morale. It is likely to become grating if team members feel excluded or overworked. As a result, leaders should encourage their team to follow meeting etiquette where video calls are prioritised over phone calls and remote workers are given equal opportunity to contribute. Extra care and attention should be paid to making sure that remote staff are kept in the loop when it comes to the casual discussions that happen naturally in face-to-face settings. If something is decided during one of these talks, then a call or message should be sent right after informing the rest of the team of any changes or updates. It may seem tedious, but it ensures everyone has the right information at the right time, regardless of where they may be working from that day.

Another option is to keep the office as a hub for in-person collaboration and allow remote time to be spent on independent work. Save team meetings, strategy sessions, brainstorms, or collaborative activities for the days of the week where everyone will be together in the same place. Use that time as productively as possible to align the team and ensure everyone has clear marching orders to take away and work on while they are remote. Communication will still need to be a major focus here, but it is much easier to navigate this format than constantly trying to loop everyone in.

Leaders also need to take care to ensure that work is being evenly distributed. You should not assign work to people simply because they are in the office that day, or alternatively because they are working remote and you feel they need to be ‘kept busy.’ Hybrid model or not, a good leader should always prioritise the workload based on who has the right skills and capabilities first and foremost. You should not be enacting any sort of preferential treatment for those who came into the office, nor using that as a reason to overload them. As a Leader, you need to take care to ensure that the right work is making its way to the right people in order to ensure the right outcomes are achieved in a timely manner.

Leaders in particular need to be more visible than ever. The easiest way to ensure you remain accessible is to run regular check-ins. Frequent contact via video technology is an effective way to maintain your visibility, and provides your employees with the opportunity to ask questions and keep the lines of communication open and transparent. Communication will be crucial for the success of these models, and should be a top priority for all.

Teamwork supports connections between colleagues via the opportunity to discuss projects,

share ideas, network, mentor, and coach, for example. Two-thirds of leaders report that

these kinds of collaborations have enabled high performance. As leaders look to maintain high performance, they will need to design and develop the right spaces for these small interactions to take place, and adapt their culture to support it.

Mistake #2: You’re sacrificing culture

It is easier to create and foster team relationships and culture when your entire staff is in the same place as one another day in and day out. The pandemic will have diluted company culture, removing the chance for certain rituals, routines, jokes and valuable ‘water cooler moments.’ Moving to hybrid working is a challenge because it requires acceptance from leaders that the future will be culturally different to what it was. That said, it also creates an opportunity to review what aspects of a culture are important to keep and which no longer serve the organisation well.

To shift to a hybrid or even remote work model does not mean that culture has to die, and many make the mistake of either doing too much or too little to adapt to this change. On one end of the spectrum, we had those organisations who overloaded their staff with Zoom quizzes, virtual happy hours and online activities when the pandemic first broke out, which was nice at first but eventually became a bit annoying for staff. At the other end, there are organisations where staff’s only interaction with one another is for work-related purposes and there is no real sense of community.

Leaders now need to find a happy medium that fosters those bonds between colleagues but does so in a way that feels natural for this type of working model. It might be as small as starting all meetings with having everyone share an anecdote from their week just to get people talking or arranging in-person events periodically just to get everyone together and mingling. What works best will differ based on your organisation, but the important thing is to meet people where they are and do what feels natural. If you aren’t sure what that is for your organisation, then talk to your people. Make them active participants in determining what your new culture will look like. Not only does that help you to find what works, but it also fosters deeper investment into the organisation and a wider sense of community. The best organisations are those that empower their people to be part of the decision making by being truly inclusive to create a winning culture.

Mistake #3: You’re still in panic mode

There has been a lot of uncertainty in the current circumstances, and many leaders have had to scramble to adapt quickly to changing conditions. That has led to a lot of trial and error, which has proved successful in some cases. Experimentation is a good and necessary step to change, but if you are constantly trying something new without learning from it or acting in support of a solid strategy, you are doing it wrong.

Haphazard experimentation worked fine at the start of the pandemic when everyone was just trying to stay above water, but now is the time to be strategic and deliberate. We shared our advice for maximising the value of your people with strategic workforce planning in this blog, but leaders should be focused now on creating long term plans for the business now that the situation is more stable. Whereas remote working started as a means to an end to facilitate business continuing during the pandemic, leaders would be naïve to continue viewing it this way. It is time to see remote and hybrid work for the strategic and human-focused value they can provide to the business moving forward, rather than just serving as a life raft in tough times.

That’s not to say that experimentation should be scrapped; rather, it needs to be intentional. A failed experiment does not mean you need to immediately launch into another. Take the time to learn and assess. What went wrong? Why didn’t it work? What can be improved going forward? How do attitudes need to adjust? We are no longer operating in panic mode, and it is time for boards to continue making strategic decisions about the future of the organisation that go beyond the end of the pandemic period. Begin to lay solid foundations for your bigger picture objectives and future proof for technologies, changes in consumer behaviours, or shifts in the marketplace. That might mean beginning the process of upskilling your staff or deciding what your organisation’s permanent relationship with the office will be.

This is the time to determine and understand best practice in the new normal. Keep your focus on the future and on the steps you can take now in order to meet your objectives for long term success. Take risks, learn from your team, learn from outside your organisation, and formulate a strategy to achieve something that matters.

Mistake #4: You aren’t taking a people-centric approach

As we plan for the future, we have the many lessons of the pandemic to take along with us. One of the major takeaways of this past year is the importance of people-centric leadership. This past year was a challenging, humbling, and humanising experience for most of us. Not only did the pandemic bring widespread loss and hardship, we saw major social issues come firmly into focus and businesses take public stances.

For example, sustainability has been a hot button issue for many years but became even more prevalent after the pandemic revealed just how much our previous day-to-day activities impact the environment. A study by KPMG showed that 89% of CEOs want to lock in the sustainability and climate-change gains they’ve made during the pandemic. Hybrid working may be the answer to achieving environmental goals, as cutting commutes or switching business trips to online interactions can significantly reduce a company’s carbon footprint. However, organisations must also consider that many large office buildings are more energy efficient than residences, but for workers at organisations where climate change has been cited as a priority, it is going to be harder to justify the five-day-a-week office model as being aligned with carbon goals without a clearer accounting of exactly how that is being measured. It will be a fine balance for leaders to manage the expectations and priorities of their people while continuing to deliver value.

Beyond catering to what their people care about, businesses need to also begin catering to and caring for their people more. The employee wellbeing implications of COVID-19 will be with us for some time. This may require supporting employees experiencing poor mental health, addressing specific concerns and anxieties about the return to the workplace, supporting staff through personal loss, and mitigating the impacts of ‘Long COVID.’ In the longer term, hybrid working may support improved wellbeing through reducing commuting time, providing employees with more autonomy around their schedules, and allowing extra time for health and wellbeing activities. But every pro has its con, and there are also issues of work like balance involved with remote work.

Leaders will need information and guidance on ensuring inclusion and diversity, effective induction, and employee engagement with a distributed team. More importantly, there needs to be an empathetic understanding of the challenges staff face day-to-day.  The way in which managers monitor performance, engage their team, and approach mental wellbeing are all areas which need to be developed for hybrid working. Understand that staff may be dealing with issues that go beyond their work responsibilities, and work to be empathetic and as accommodating as is appropriate. Your team are human beings with needs, emotions, values, fears, and concerns. While the nature of your relationship is to serve the business, that does not mean that you need to remain cold and detached. In fact, the most inspirational leaders are those who show compassion, respect, and vulnerability with their people. The human face of business will need to take shape over the next few years.

Mistake #5: You’re resting on your laurels

One of the worst things you could do as a leader in a time like this is to settle. Although leaders may have developed new skills for managing a remote workforce over the past, hybrid working brings unique challenges that are different from both fully remote and predominantly office-based models. The leadership styles that worked five years ago, a year and a half ago, or even six months ago might not carry over to hybrid work models.

Organisations will need to put enhanced learning and development in place to ensure effective people management. We already touched on the challenges of navigating dispersed teams and appropriately managing workloads. But another area that may require rethinking is assessment and expectations. High performing leaders need to invest time into themselves and their teams to shift behaviours. Some examples of this include honing and improving soft skills such as communication and mentorship. It also requires an honest and potentially harsh examination of both the positive and negative impact your behaviours can bring forth. Avoid micro-managing, set specific metrics for productivity, encourage open and empathetic communication, and provide actionable feedback. Understand that this is a transition for everyone involved, and seek out constrictive criticism so that you can grow and improve.

Performance management is an area worth reassessing for the hybrid environment. Instead of assessing employees based on time in the office or in virtual meetings, managers will need to adjust to assessing performance through outcomes, contribution, and value generation. Managers will not be able to monitor every aspect of an employee’s work when they are working remotely, nor should they try. Instead, create new systems for ensuring that objectives are met and impact is created without sacrificing the autonomy and flexibility of hybrid work models.

While we may no longer be in panic mode, the rise of hybrid is still a new chapter that will take some adjusting to. These mistakes are common, but very easy to correct once you are aware of them. The key is to listen, learn, and adapt. Remain strategic, yet people centric. Above all else, understand that this new phase will likely require you to personally reflect and make changes to your own style and approach.

If you would like additional support in strengthening your capabilities as a leader or aligning your team for the world of hybrid work, get in touch with our team regarding our range of Leadership Development or Culture, Digital and Business Transformation services.

In recent instalments of our Executive Outlook series, we examined what it takes to secure the seat at the top of the organisation and succeed as a CEO, and provided some insight on joining the board by becoming a Non-Executive Director (NED). While these positions are arguably two of the most desirable and highly sought-after leadership roles, there are several other seats at the table that hold significant voice.

Being appointed as a member of an organisation’s board is both a huge honour and a massive responsibility. As with any position of leadership, one should have a deep understanding of what is required of the role and what your value is. Every day at The Rialto Consultancy, we work with both executives who hold board positions and executives who aspire to them. This has given us strong insight into the process for securing and succeeding in these roles. Read on for our top tips for developing the right strategy to obtain a board position.

Role Overview

An organisation may have various Senior Vice Presidents, Directors, and other senior leaders spread out across its departments, offices, and geographies, but it only has one main board. There is no set number of board seats an organisation is required to have, but most range from three to 30. Some analysts suggest that seven is an ideal number, but the makeup of the main board will really depend on the needs of the organisation.

In addition to the main board, which serves as its primary governance and decision-making body, there are frequently opportunities internal to an organisation to join executive committees or operating boards as well as verticals for specific initiatives, projects, or functions, which can contribute to your career and personal development in a positive way. For example, many companies are putting together committees for COVID-focused health and safety initiatives in the post-pandemic return to work. There are sub committees or verticals tasked with embedding topics such as digital, D&I, and sustainability into day-to-day business operations. While positions on these committees may not always come with a title change or salary hike, they add value by showing initiative, involvement, and a deeper investment into the organisation that may result in a promotion or opportunity down the line.

Similarly, there are external board positions you could secure to help make you a more desirable candidate for an internal role you may be after, such as that of an NED. Some external board positions you could hold might include a role at your child’s school, on the board of a charity you are involved with, or a trusteeship. Holding these positions of leadership can help you develop the necessary skills and positions you well for future high level or high responsibility opportunities.

Regardless of whether it is an internal or external board you are serving on, your purpose remains the same: to lead, govern, and act in the best interest of that organisation and its shareholders/stakeholders. While some board members are brought in from outside of the organisation, many are promoted from within it. Aiming for a board position is like any other job search or attempt at a promotion: you’ll want to put your absolute best self forward. But due to the high demands of these roles, the responsibilities involved, and the limited availability of these positions, you will need to compete effectively. When developing your strategy for securing a board position, we recommend taking the following steps:

Know Your Value

To gain a seat at the table, you must first identify what you bring to it. If you have not yet developed your own personal digital brand, now is the time to do so. This blog can help you get started. Just as every successful business offers something valuable to the marketplace, to be successful as a board member you need to bring your own unique contribution. Take stock of the relevant skills, experience, and knowledge that you have to offer that might be worthwhile to the rest of the board. What perspectives can you provide? Perhaps you have a non-traditional background, a wealth of experience in your field, or strong connections in your industry. What gaps can you fill? Once you can answer these questions, you should have a solid idea of what attributes and skills to champion.

Champion Your Personal Brand

Identifying your personal brand and USP is only part of the battle. You must also communicate it clearly and effectively in both online and offline networks so that you become known for the skills, capabilities, experience, and messaging that you want to champion. There are various ways to do this, including thought leadership on social media. This blog will help you to develop your online presence and drill into the ‘digital’ element of your personal digital brand. The goal of this activity is to be seen by the right people for the right reasons. If your USP is your decades of experience in your industry, share some of that wisdom in your content. Comment on the issues facing your sector and share relevant examples of how you tackled similar challenges in the past. Organisations want executives who are at the top of their field sitting on their boards, and you can build that perception about yourself with strategic thought leadership and personal digital branding activity. It takes time and patience, but will definitely be worth it.

Master the Art of Influence

In order to get in front of the right people, you have to know who you are attempting to influence. Typically, new board members are appointed by the existing board. What do they read and listen to? What social media are they using? What topics are they interested in or engaging with? Meeting your audience where they already are and providing thoughtful insight into topics they are interested in can go a long way for building your name recognition among the right people. If you are aiming for an internal board position and already hold a leadership position in the organisation, you are likely already acquainted or working with at least one member of the board. Even if you have close relationships with several sitting board members, strategic thought leadership and personal branding activity can help to paint you in a new light and position you as the person who immediately springs to mind when a new board member is to be appointed.

While being your own biggest fan is essential to your cause, it helps to have others who can vouch for you. Your influencers can be very valuable for helping build your credibility with the audience you want to influence. Mentors, colleagues, and even past clients can be some of your most valuable assets.

Tap Into Your Networks

Business is built on networks, and you never know who your connections might be connected to. So many aspects of business life revolve around who you know, and having the right relationships can lead you to the role you are looking for. But your network can provide so much more than a word-of-mouth referral. Lean into your network for advice, guidance, support, introductions, feedback, and insight. If you have executives in your network who already hold board positions, reach out to them to ask questions, find out more about their experiences, and get their advice for succeeding in the role. Turn to those who know you well and have worked with you closely to glean what you do well and what you can improve on.

A board position is a leadership role, and so many of the core skills required can be gleaned and strengthened from networking. You need to be good with people and work well with others. You need to be the type of person who takes initiative and proactively seeks out opportunity to learn, improve, and grow. Communication skills are key, as is the ability to listen and take feedback on board. All of these are valuable capabilities that nurturing your network can provide.

Carry out Strategic Research

You have decided to pursue a board position, but are you fully aware of what that will entail? Are you up to speed on board competencies and the mindset required for success? Are you clear on the expectations of the role, as well as any potential liabilities? If an external position, executive committee role, or NED position is what you are after, are you clear on what the time commitment will be and able to give that?

Talking to others about their experiences is one of the best ways to answer these questions, but there are some passive methods to explore as well. Read articles from trusted resources or thought leadership pieces from respected executives. If there are bylaws or handbooks available within the organisation, familiarise yourself with them. Another great tactic is to work one-on-one with a knowledgeable and credible executive coach who knows this space and can provide individualised guidance.

Craft a Board Bio

By now, you will have identified what you have to offer and who you are as a professional, and will have found a way to express that. You know who you need to influence, and maybe have some others on hand who are willing to vouch for you. You have tapped into your network and received valuable insight, advice, and feedback. And above all, you are clear on the role you are pursuing, the skills and mindset needed, the expectations involved, and the responsibilities. The time has now come to put the pieces all together into a well-crafted bio.

This bio should be informed by all of the research you have conducted and insight you have gained in early stages of the strategy, and tie your own skills and experiences to the requirements of the role. The bio should clearly and succinctly articulate what you have to offer and why you are the perfect person for the role. It may seem intimidating now, but these are the same messages you have been trying to portray in all of your activity thus far. It’s just a matter of piecing together all of the hard work you have already done. Be patient, be persistent, and be confident in what you bring to the table.

There are many elements to consider when planning to make this significant a career move as you will need to weigh up both the positives and associated risks, but with the right strategy you will be well on your way. Due to the scarcity of these positions, the requirements they entail, and the work required to build your personal brand, we recommend planning your move two to three years in advance of when you would ideally like to secure your role. This will allow you adequate time to make the best impression possible. Be consistent and persistent, and one day you should find the hard work pays off and you gain what may have seemed to be a far off aspirational role.

The workforce landscape today looks quite different to what we saw back in March 2020. Since then, we have seen the unemployment rate fluctuate, predictions about the economy change like the weather, and a shift in the way we do business. Most organisations are battling an increasingly competitive marketplace, navigating disruptions in their supply chains, and adapting to changes in their customers’ habits and needs. Though the situation appears to be looking up, it is likely that businesses will be grappling with these challenges and impacts for many months to come.

As a result, most leaders recognise that there is an imperative to look at and think about ‘work’ differently, including what it really means, how it’s done, and where it is done. After operating in survival mode for the past year and considering these issues from a place of uncertainty and instability, many organisations will feel it is time to establish a more constant and stable foundation. The organisations that will come out on top are those who seize this moment to shape the future of work, developing new business models and ways of working that successfully encompass their purpose, goals, and vision while also improving the customer experience.

At the core of bringing these plans to life and enacting the vision day-to-day is the business’s people. People now need to be valued more highly than capital, or at least on par. Business leaders need to be thinking about the contributions their people can make, how their people need and want to work, and what their people need to do to help the business reach its objectives. This is where strategic ‘workforce planning’ can and should come into play because oftentimes, the most impactful change starts from within.

What is Strategic Workforce Planning?

Strategic workforce planning involves pulling together a coherent and agile plan that blends business strategy, people, data, and technology in order to make workforce composition and capability decisions that meet the organisation’s financial, productivity and customer targets.

During the planning process you may uncover a need to make some restructuring decisions, but there is far more to strategic workforce planning than hiring new talent or making redundancies that, if not thought through, can also create the risk of losing existing talent. These plans need to encompass how you intend to meet current demands in a sustainable, timely, and cost-effective way and they will likely require you to take an honest look at your existing workforce to spot risks and opportunities. If meeting the demands of the business means growing a specific area of it, do you intend to bring in new talent or invest in what you already have? Do you have the right skills in the right roles? Are there internal promotions you could make, or talent that would be better utilised in a different area of the business? Do you have the right expertise on your side in the necessary areas?

Putting people at the heart of any restructure is what will separate a successful attempt from a high risk one. The people in question will include both your internal and external stakeholders, such as your staff and your customers. All stakeholder groups have specific needs and roles to play in the function of your business, and the complex and wide-ranging needs of these varying audience groups may require deeper expertise in topics such as employment law, social planning, engagement, psychology, or consumer behaviour. Identifying the areas that need strengthening and working that into your plans by allocating the appropriate workforce resources will go a long way in helping restructuring efforts or transformation projects to succeed. Putting the building blocks together now ensures that HR teams, line managers, and business leaders have the opportunity to implement a smooth with mitigated risk.

A People-Centric Approach

People are one of the biggest if not the biggest expenditure of most organisations. Maximising the potential in this area is crucial, not just for the sake of your investment but also for the sake of your organisation. While strategising and planning happens at the top, your staff are the ‘boots on the ground’ actually bringing these plans to life. The C-Suite may determine what customer targets need to be met, but it’s the organisation’s employees who interact with those customers on a regular basis and have a direct responsibility for accomplishing the goals set by the higher ups. The people you choose to put in those roles matter.

Each member of the C-suite normally represents a different specific function of the business, whether it be Marketing and Sales, Operations, Technology, Diversity, Innovation, or even People, but they cannot properly fulfil their roles without all of the individuals representing different roles, specialisations, and functions throughout the organisation. Managing a dynamic workforce and supporting capability development that spans the entire business is a central challenge for leadership to overcome and relies heavily on successful communication.

Communication and Culture

In an ideal world, every business experiment, innovation, restructure, or project would run smoothly, effortlessly. Unfortunately, organisations don’t always have all the answers needed in order to make that happen and today’s environment is too dynamic to enable such change. As a result, successful firms are relying on their workforce to be part of the journey and play an active role in developing solutions to the problems that arise.

A key component of keeping a people-centric approach is not just assuming what’s best for your staff or customers, but actually communicating with them and shaping a fully inclusive culture. Don’t assume that your staff automatically have the skills you need, and attempt to identify which areas seem to be lacking. Don’t deliver your plans as edicts and expect buy-in, either. Allow your workforce to be architects of the organisation’s future structure and culture. Clarify and communicate an inspiring vision of what success looks like and how it will be measured, solicit employees’ opinions, listen to their contributions, take feedback on board and allow it to inform the strategy, and share impact measurements as they’re achieved. Ensure individuals know what is expected of them in terms of action and behaviour, and the role that they play in the bigger picture.

It would be remiss of the leadership team to not include elements of organisational culture in their strategic workforce planning. Focus on employee satisfaction in order to dam the flood of staff dissatisfaction or turnover and to build brand goodwill. If the last year has taught us one major HR lesson it is that one uniform way of working may not be the most effective approach for all staff. It’s worth rethinking ways of working to be more stimulating or providing staff with an environment that supports them in how they want or need to work, whether that environment be a designated office or a remote location. If skills gaps have been identified, encourage continuous learning or support upskilling initiatives. By investing in your people, you can broaden your horizons rather than narrowing them and build an environment that engenders a sense of purpose.

The most progressive employers will give their people a choice to join them on this new journey, or to bow out. Those employees who are not committed to the vision should be allowed to go with grace and without spectacle. After all, once they are no longer your employee, they could very well become your customer or a key thought leader in your industry.

The Role of Staff

While the brunt of strategic workforce planning will fall on the leadership team, there are a number of actions staff can do in order to support these efforts and ultimately shape their own career paths and future contributions.

The first and most imperative is to keep up with trends and identify future-focused skills that may be of long-term value to the organisation or may become a requirement for their role down the line. This provides a bit of leverage for the individual during organisational cutbacks and having these skills already on the payroll may help minimise leadership’s need to recruit new talent in order to meet their goals.

Once the new business models or plans have been introduced and the expectations have been clearly outlined, staff should take stock of their own behaviours to identify what needs to change in order to support a potential culture shift. It might involve becoming more open-minded to change, collaborative, communicative, innovative, or curious.

Finally, the people-first focus should not only be a leadership priority. As mentioned, it’s the staff who work most closely with the customers and who have the most first-hand knowledge of what their needs, priorities, habits, attitudes, or behaviours might be. It’s important to understand how these influences might impact the business on a large scale in terms of its products, services, profits, messaging, and so on. However, it’s also valuable to be able to maximise this knowledge on an internal basis in order to further your own career and help inform wider strategy.

In order to create impactful and widespread change for the business, the process often needs to start at its core with its people. From top to bottom, an organisation’s people play a crucial role in driving success, and therefore need to be one of the first areas considered when developing plans and solutions. But in order for a business to get the most out of this resource, it’s crucial to invest the time into proper planning, the resources for proper skills development, and the effort of cultivating a culture worth buying into. This may be a challenge for some Leaders, but it can make all the difference.

Every organisation needs third-party oversight to keep it accountable, and for listed companies this is even a listing requirement. This is enacted by government, trade and regulatory bodies, the organisation’s customers, and the court of public opinion. Just as important, the organisation’s own leadership and executive board need oversight as well. While the influences that impact the organisation as a whole will steer the board, many companies choose to bring in a Non-Executive Director (NED) to keep their decision makers accountable and ensure that leadership is running the business properly.

These executives are independent, objective, and typically have subject matter expertise, commercial knowledge, experience, or excellent reputations within the industry. They are brought in to provide key insights and fresh perspectives. NEDs have a seat in the boardroom, but unlike the rest of the C-suite, they are not involved in the day-to-day running of the business. Rather, they are there to guide and advise on policies, plans, and other major decisions.

There are more than 6,000 NED’s serving on the boards of the UK’s top 1,000 firms, and numerous others within the public sector, SMEs, NGOs, and non-for-profit organisations. But what does it take to secure one of these coveted roles, and how do you succeed once you get there?

Role Overview

The main purpose of an NED is to hold the board to account, represent the interests of the organisation’s various stakeholders, and provide outside perspectives to various organisational challenges. NED’s are not involved in the day-to-day running of the business, and therefore can usually provide a different perspective on issues such as policy, compliance, risk management, corporate governance, succession planning, and so on.

Four key areas where an NED might advise include:

• Strategy: NEDs should constructively challenge existing and proposed practices, and assist with the development of strategy.
• Performance: NEDs need to keep an eye on performance throughout the organisation to ensure goals are being met effectively, on time, and on budget.
• Risk: NEDs should ensure that all reported financial information is accurate, and that systems of risk management are compliant, thorough, and defensible.
• People: NEDs play a key role in determining succession plans as well as the appropriate remuneration of executive directors. They are also responsible for taking part in the process of appointing and removing senior management, when needed.

Remuneration for the NED role will vary based on a number of factors such as the organisation’s size and type, the industry, the experience of the individual, and the time commitment required. According to Glassdoor, the national average salary for an NED is around £71,000 per year, however this tends to be based on FTSE data. In contrast, those within charitable organisations, may be held on a voluntary basis without pay. Typically, for commercial organisations, remuneration varies widely, between £12,000 to £20,000 per annum in private SME’s, moving between £30,000 to £45,000 per annum at larger private companies. In the FTSE250, the average base salary for an NED is £53,000, while in the FTSE100 it can be anything from £100,000 – £300,000.

A more competitive and challenging business environment has also altered the mix of experience, expertise and skills which organisations are looking to add to their boards, including AI and digital knowledge and skills. Therefore, the criteria for choosing an NED may vary, and businesses may seek to increase the diversity of their board by onboarding NEDs of varying genders, ethnicities, backgrounds, and even ages.

Top Attributes of Successful NEDs

NED roles are highly sought after in almost every industry, so when these opportunities arise, they attract a large number of qualified applicants. To be successful in securing a role you must be clear on what you have to offer and what value you can add to an organisation and its board. You must align your objectives with your experiences and aim to match your skills and characteristics with an organisation that shares your values and can benefit from your input.

You will have your own unique set of personal and professional experiences that will shape what you have to offer, but several universal skills and attributes will set you up for success and allow you to be most effective in the role.

Though not an official executive of the company, NEDs are members of the board and part of the organisation’s decision-making process. Therefore, strong leadership and management skills are essential. As many of those decisions will impact people outside the boardroom, an NED should be people-focused, have high EQ, and be able to make judgements and decisions with empathy. It is crucial to be analytical and think about the big picture as well as all of its smaller moving parts. Successful NEDs stay up to date with the latest industry trends, keep up with technology, have strong knowledge of governance requirements, and always keep one foot planted firmly in realistic territory when drawing up future plans. Strong problem-solving skills are a must have, as that is a central tenet of the job. And while they may technically be an outsider, an NED still represents the organisation and should conduct themselves accordingly.

The responsibilities of an NED require skilful challenge, therefore one of the most critical keys to success in these positions is communication skills. Boards look for candidates that they can confidently rely on to deliver expert advice, and expect honest opinions. However, while an NED is there to hold power to account, most of the time the role is spent working alongside the company’s executives to solve problems and make plans. At the end of the day, the C-suite and the NED share the same goal: to ensure the future sustainability of the business. There needs to be clear communication, open-mindedness, collaboration, and constructive discussion in order to reach these objectives.

A Worthwhile Position?

If you’re considering pursuing the role of an NED, you should first consider the following:

• Time commitment: The average NED role will require a commitment of at least 10 days per year, with some requiring much more than that. Some organisations may ask for a commitment of up to three days per week, likening the position to a part-time job. Should a crisis arise, an NED may be asked to put in more time than usual, and often this does not come with additional compensation. It’s worth weighing up whether or not you have the time to commit fully to the role in addition to your other professional or personal obligations.
• Legal liability: NEDs are still considered to be directors of their organisation and therefore may be liable in various legal scenarios. An NED can be tied up in civil action for negligence, breach of duty, or criminal action for breach of statutory duty, wrongful trading, and director disqualification. Before accepting a role, decide whether or not you are comfortable accepting this level of responsibility should things go wrong.
• Personal Brand: Just as you are a reflection of the organisation, your association with that organisation becomes part of your personal brand as an NED. Choose a role with a company whose vision you believe in, whose values you share, and who you feel comfortable going to bat for publicly.

Practical Steps for Securing an NED Role

If, after weighing the pros and cons, you decide that an NED role is worth pursuing, you should take a proactive approach to planning and preferably start 12 to 18 months prior to when you would like your appointment to commence. This may seem far in advance, but it helps you to nail down what it is you’re looking for and what you can offer. Think critically about where you would like to be in three to five years’ time and chart a path for how you intend to get there and why it is compelling. Determine the types of organisation you could see yourself fitting into and adding value to, taking into account factors such as scale, ownership, skills and challenge. That way, you can better define your USP and hone the way in which you present yourself.

Experience is crucial, and the more you have of it, the more attractive a candidate you will be for the highly competitive roles. Consider applying for a voluntary NED position with a charity to gain a foundational understanding of the role.

If you already hold an executive position, connect with and talk to some of the NEDs on your own board to learn about their journey and experiences. If not, ask your current network if they can put you in contact with anyone for a chat, or reach out on social media. You will likely find that the vast majority of existing directors and NEDs are happy to speak about their experiences. This outreach may actually lead you to the role itself. Although a number of NED roles are advertised, many are still found through networking and it is therefore important to invest time and resources in building a network of professionals who operate at board level. Identify and meet with board members that have succession planning and decision-making responsibilities for the appointment of new directors. Training, individualised coaching and support, strategically shaping an NED CV and personal digital brand can also pay dividends.

Additionally, we regularly run virtual events focused on specific topics relating to NEDs. Visit our Events page for our upcoming dates and sessions.