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The Human Face of Business

David Taylor

Updated: 4 hours ago

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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