Back in the early 90s, the US military coined the term VUCA – an acronym to describe the
unpredictable state of the world following the end of the Cold War. It stands for Volatile,
Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous.
This is the perfect metaphor for the workplace after two years of Covid, the rising threats
from technology and the rise of the uber-digital native Gen Zs. Management teams have
had to struggle with a period of almost constant change, coupled with a lack of certainty
about the future. In many cases, this has had a negative impact on profitability and sowed
the seeds of doubt about where the company may be heading.
There is one constant though, whether you’re in a large of small organisation, business or
customer facing, public or private sector – the human element.
While we may now be living in an increasingly digital world, much of the success or failure of
a business comes down to the people working within it. The happier, well supported,
healthier, better trained and empowered your team is, the more likely you are to have a
healthy long-term future.
However, to ensure that you are making the most of the ‘human capital’ within your
business, it is important to have (1) an enlightened attitude to change (2) a proper vision for
the organisation and (3) the right people who can buy into this vision.
Over the coming weeks and months, myself and the rest of the Affable Partnership team will
be exploring all aspects of the ‘human face of business’. We’ll be exploring what personal
branding means, how important sustainability is to today’s environmentally-conscious
employees, avoiding burnout in an ‘always on society, managing change within
organisations and ensuring that ED&I (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) remains at the top of any HR agenda.
We will also look at the different generations currently active within the workplace – from
the oldest Baby Boomers now in their early 70s, through to the youngest apprentices in
their teens. In the pre-digital world, these people would most likely all have communicated
and learnt in the same way. However, in our multi-channel world where education has
changed radically, people of different ages now think, act, talk and socialise in entirely
disparate ways, giving rise to inter-generational conflict inside companies.
Another theme which we will touch on is how to lead effectively in this new VUCA age.
Whether you have a senior management team, Board or a small group of directors you need
to understand how to get the very best out of all the stakeholders you have both inside and
outside of your business. We will cover effective recruitment, staff retention, upskilling your
workforce and how to empower people to become your ‘brand ambassadors’.
All of us are on a journey through this strange and at times bewildering landscape but as
humans, we have an innate ability to adapt to our surroundings. Our job within the Affable
Partnership is to guide you on this journey and ensure you reach whichever destination you
have set both for yourself and your business.
Disclaimer: Our blog content is for marketing or general information purposes only and doesn't constitute legal advice. Whilst we aim to provide accurate and up to date information, it should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Reading this blog doesn't establish a client relationship with us. For formal advice please contact us directly: info@affablepartner.co.uk
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