Welcome to the first Need to Know monthly newsletter.

I will be sharing insights with you that I learn from other leaders with the aim of keeping you up to date on the emerging trends and key issues within technology businesses, leadership and talent.?

Some of the key themes I will be exploring with you throughout this year include how the tech sector adapts to the political climate, what the change in generational dynamics means for companies and their leaders, the rise of ESG policies, embedding mental fitness in your teams and how talent acquisition strategies are evolving in the tech sector. ?

I would greatly appreciate your support by subscribing as I embark on this new newsletter.?Let me know if there is anything you need to know ??.

Quick Market Update?and 2024 Outlook

The technology industry has entered 2024 with cautious optimism, displaying adaptability despite economic uncertainty. The startup ecosystem shows resilience. However, the post-pandemic funding boom is tightening, and startups face more scrutiny in securing backing, while established tech firms are focused on re-evaluating and upskilling talent. ?

Demand continues for tech leadership roles, but salary growth is not as strong as it has been in the past few years. In-demand skills include cloud, cybersecurity, data analytics, growth, and AI, and leaders need to be more hands-on with data than ever. Hiring and wage growth rates are slowing across the board. There is now greater emphasis on retention, training, and boosting diversity. Candidates with cutting-edge skills are still well-positioned. But there is heightened competition.?

As we look ahead to 2024, the technology landscape faces both opportunities and challenges, shaped by upcoming events like the UK and USA elections and emerging regulations like the EU AI Act. Many companies are delaying major decisions until election results are in, while financial services are preparing for a highly likely government change in the UK.?

Get in touch if you'd like up-to-date salary benchmarking on any specific roles, or leave a comment below.

Unravelling the Psychology of Successful Founders?

I recently sat down with John Cushing , CEO of mnAi and steering group member of The Gender Index , to discuss his mission to tackle diversity, ESG, and growth challenges through data analytics. A serial founder, John has had two successful exits previously.?

Concerned about the lack of gender diversity data on UK companies, John and his team developed a tool leveraging algorithms to identify female and minority leaders in UK businesses. This tool, mnAI, now powers funding decisions and government initiatives, directing support where it is needed most.?

In our discussion, John shared:?

?? Fascinating post-Brexit economic trends

?? How data enables ESG progress ?

??How investors can quantify profiles to find the best bets

? His motivation to advocate for equal access to entrepreneurship ?

?? Metrics to track real diversity progress within businesses?

Here is a snippet where we discuss the psychology of successful founders. Being a talent specialist, psychometric testing, personality profiles and themes of traits intrigue me. John has a bird's eye view of the demographics of founders, so I was delighted to learn from him.

You can check out the full podcast episode of The Lucent Perspective on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or other major podcast platforms.

Retaining Staff as You Grow and Scale?

In December, I hosted a LinkedIn Live with my former Modulr colleague Andrew Bardsley , founder of JackHR and an expert in learning and development. We shared strategies around how you can retain your top talent. With rising turnover and shifting talent priorities, adapting your employee experience is key to retention and engagement.

Here's a snippet about the unique values of different generations.

You can catch up and watch the full webinar here .

Stay tuned for our next session, which will be soon, where we will be sharing best practices about how you can attract and manage a multigenerational workforce. We will explore the key trends and share insights into what matters to everyone, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers. Researching this has been fascinating, and I can’t wait to share what I have learned about how this impacts D&I, development, and hiring and hear Andrew’s tips, too.?

Email [email protected] if you want to be informed about this online event.

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Unlocking Competitive Advantage With AI?

My latest podcast episode of The Lucent Perspective features Gary Crawford , Chief Innovation Officer at Waracle . He outlines realistic ways to decentralize decision-making, nurture creativity, and rethink talent strategies to future-proof businesses for an AI world.?

Gary and his team work with large businesses to help them leverage AI effectively. If you’re in an enterprise business and are integrating AI or a startup wanting to dominate in this space, this is an opportunity for you to learn from an expert. As a non-technical tech person, I found his thoughts on how developers can use AI and what this means for development talent very useful.?

Gary shares tips on:?

?? How development teams can smoothly incorporate AI?

?? What team and workflow changes AI may drive ?

?? The skills engineers will need in an AI future ?

? Balancing innovation risks and the need to experiment?

Here is a short clip:

Thanks for reading my first newsletter! I welcome any feedback or suggestions for future editions. Please remember to subscribe for future editions, and if you’re not connected with me directly, drop me an invite. ?

?? Get in touch if you'd like help finding the leadership, sales and tech talent for growth.

??? Check out our podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts .

?? Connect with me on LinkedIn

?? Comment below if you have any questions ??

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