Issue 4: Powered by Gen Z

Morning all,

Issue 4 today and there's a lot to report this last week.

Team Atheni is growing...

Right at the front of our Atheni mission, is to be the most future facing business we can. That means walking the talk - fully embracing new work trends, demographic shifts, the best possible AI tools and integrations. So when we realised we needed all hands to the deck, we were looking for remarkable people, not simply their credentials.

The jobs at Atheni don't follow a conventional route - indeed I'm not sure where else you'll find a Disruptionist. The positions we were advertising don't require particular experience, they require the right mindset, an ability to connect the dots, to problem solve, to experiment and explore.

So, a big welcome to Mathilde, Hillary, George, and Daniel - I am completely thrilled to introduce our four new team members. We set out a few weeks ago to look for two new joiners, but we were overwhelmed with incredibly strong applications, so we decided we'd be mad to let any of them pass us by.

On Monday, we had our onboarding day, we were delighted that all of them could join us in person. We now have team members the UK, Canada, France, Hong Kong, and Ghana, with experience in law, venture capital, hospitality, retail, future workplace, sales, and caring, and education/degrees in philosophy, business, law, and pharmacy. We're fully remote, fully flexible timing during the summer, with the goal of more in person days in September.

Ours is a different take on the traditional job description - their roles are 100% tailored to their interests, personalities and experiences - we believe this way they will be the most interested and therefore engaged. We’re incredibly excited about their resilience, enthusiasm, and the opportunities they bring to the team and we're both looking forward to learning from them too.

Megatrends and Demographic Shifts

So it's good timing that in this issue I wanted to touch on another of the major megatrends affecting the future of work - that of demographic shifts. Currently, we have five generations in the workplace, the most ever, and which doesn't always make for smooth sailing.

• Traditionalists or Silent Generation (born 1925-1945)
• Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964)
• Generation X (born 1965-1980)
• Millennials or Generation Y (born 1981-1996)
• Generation Z (born 1997-2012)

You only have to consider the differing opinions on flexible working, to recognise potential for misunderstanding and mismanagement of talent. What we know for a fact is that older people are going to stay in the workplace for longer (if they aren't removed/or excluded by 'the system'), and younger ones, many of whom had their first experience of 'remote' during the pandemic, want a different way or working. That's just two teeny examples of generational impact.

Hang on a minute I hear you say, how is this related to AI. Well, two ways really. Firstly you can't talk about Human Capital, whatever generation, in 2024 without talking about AI, as the skills that are required in the workplace to do a job are about to go through a dramatic change. More on that next week. And secondly, these are two - AI and demographic shifts - - of several so-called megatrends affecting the workplace in the coming years - it's getting increasingly complex out there and leaders need to look further ahead to ensure they are prepared.

What is not in doubt is that to move forward into a more disrupted world, we need skills that foster adaptability, critical thinking, and digital literacy. AI plays a significant role in this landscape, it turbo-boosts our human capabilities and drives incredible efficiencies. But it is mastering the blend that will lead to victory.

Are you a leader stuck in the past or are you looking ahead to ensure that technology complements rather than replaces human skills?

More facts and stats...

- Importance of Recognising Individual Differences:By understanding and valuing the differences in people, leaders can create an inclusive environment that maximises the potential of every employee. This approach enhances engagement, innovation, and productivity.

- Need for Adaptability and Critical Thinking: 87% of executives are experiencing or expect to experience skill gaps in their workforce. Skills such as adaptability and critical thinking are crucial for bridging these gaps and fostering innovation. There are many older workers who would fill these gaps brilliantly.

- Role of AI in Enhancing Capabilities: AI can automate repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on strategic and creative activities. AI-driven tools can help in data analysis, enhancing decision-making processes and operational efficiency. Fact. Every. Single. Business. can benefit from introducing aspects of AI. GenAI is the easiest to integrate into your everyday.

- Strategic Planning and Long-Term Trends: Leaders need to incorporate the impact of megatrends such as AI and demographic insights into their strategic planning to stay ahead of trends. Now more than ever long-term planning should include continuous learning opportunities to keep the workforce adaptable and skilled in emerging technologies. Are you training your workforce in AI literacy?

Three Ways I Used Gen AI this week

1. Perplexity.ai : This one keeps coming up in conversation. It uses Claude.ai and Chat.GPT but its the way it organises the information that makes it superior in many ways. It sifts through information and producing really insightful summaries and bullet points. I used it this week to prepare for a new business meeting where I needed to go through a stack of research reports. Brilliant summaries, with sources, so I could be sure of my facts.
2. Claude.ai : Claude is excellent for building financial projections. Its new Artefacts function is especially useful, allowing for detailed and accurate financial modeling. Claude helps streamline complex financial data, making it easier to create robust projections and forecasts. I used it this week when building some of our own projections, not my area of expertise.
3. ChatGPT-4o: I used ChatGPT-4o to compile the first version of this newsletter. It's excellent for organising thoughts and creating drafts, although only for the first version, mind you! It saves time and helps structure content effectively, making the writing process more efficient. It hasn't mastered my tone or helped me with the content (yet), but I love having a first draft to edit.

The Future of Britain Conference 2024 – hosted by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and My Life My Say – will explore governing in the age of AI.

I was listening to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme yesterday, and my ears pricked up when I heard Tony Blair talking about AI. He was talking about the conference being hosted that day to discuss governing in the age of AI, and he talked about the importance to embracing these new technologies because of the real changes they could make to our country particularly in terms of productivity and efficiencies - he said, I quote (I wrote it on the back of an envelope, ironically one from HMRC) that "Any company that does not embrace AI is like to get left behind."

It prompted me to tune into the life stream of the conference, full of the great and the good - William Hague, Wes Streeting, Sanna Marin and numerous experts talking about the application of AI in healthcare, policing, Net Zero, defence, the benefit system etc, etc.

If any of you interested in the really big picture, I recommend dipping in. https://www.institute.global/future-of-britain-conference-2024#afternoon-session-2024

The challenge I expect will be in the shift required in mindset for those efficiencies to be realised by the people working in government. I liked how Tony Blair put it, he said making the most of AI will require 'imagination' - I think that is spot on.

See you next week!

Very best, Louise