Industry 4.0 is changing the world. What is the Future of Us?
A Blogpost by Vivek Kumar, Founder, Future of Us movement
While working with my previous employer, a global organisation, I recall being in a rather unique leadership workshop. We talked about differences in individual responses by gender and culture, backed by research. It gave me unique optics on how to fairly assess, grow and represent some really good talent in my team.
My employer was progressive, and it was in good company. PwC’s Annual Global CEO Survey reported that 64 percent of CEOs had a strategy to promote diversity and inclusion (D&I).
Yet, according to PwC, only 8% of these companies include #age in their D&I strategies.
Recently, some of us in various global alumni networks realized it was not always possible for mid-career professionals to get back in a meaningful job within a short time frame.
We agreed it was not a phenomenon limited to one company, city or even a country. Keen to find out more, we setup a Future of Us conversation. We keep the group small, inviting friends, and friends of friends to join. This is so our conversation would stay robust yet respectful and supportive of each other. We’ve just started, but here is what we’ve learnt:
At a mid-senior level, we need a mutual support network. A peer-powered community to share, learn & keep our positive energy alive and kicking.
One of us was brave enough to post he has been displaced. Soon, others reached out to him with messages of support and a coffee invitation. He is planning to start a business of his own and we are so proud of him.
In one of our recent meetups, one career HR professional pitched that diversity & inclusion, while doing a good job on the gender and culture frontier, must evolve to embrace age diversity.
Can we come together to set in motion a global movement where organisations self-declare how many job offers they have made, whether internally or to external candidates in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s…?
This may bring a unique empowerment to this conversation and allow senior leaders within the company to assess their ability to harness age diversity.
We discussed what makes us as employees uncomfortable. Reporting to a younger boss? Being a non-tech person in a role demanding greater understanding of tech? Moving to work in a startup? Some of us who have struggled with some of these, shared with us…
tip of the day is to recognize the discomfort, manage our fight or flight impulse, and eventually be comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable.
Today, we have over 800 co-founders and members in the closed Facebook group, spanning 18 global cities. Wherever you are around the world, if you are keen to contribute to the conversation and be part of a peer-powered community, you may indicate your interest to join us here.
Credits:
https://www.fastcompany.com/90365272/why-diversity-initiatives-need-to-tackle-age-discrimination
