With global specialists reporting that managers will need different tools and people skills in the new working world, Gartner concluded that a personalised approach to development and well-being would be a key metric in 2023, something Essex-based HR specialist Rachel Barratt saw coming at the start of the pandemic.
“I built my career in the NHS, which was, and still is undoubtedly one of the most challenging human resources environments in the country, but the change we are seeing in people now is unprecedented in anything I have seen over the last 30 years,” says Rachel.
“The world has changed, the way we work has turned on its head and we have a radically different generation of young people coming into the workplace, but we’re still trying to develop leaders in the old way. It isn’t working.”
Rachel’s years of experience developing skills and leadership, combined with her own ground-breaking learning has led to the launch of Rachel Barratt Leadership (RBL), a leadership coaching and training consultancy that is already delivering transformational results.
“I imagine some people reading this will be thinking, what a load of twaddle,” says Rachel. “You’re wrong. If you are looking at your business wondering what’s going wrong, struggling with absenteeism, or battling to recruit and retain good people then that tells you what you’re doing isn’t working.
“Develop insightful, caring leaders who can inspire agility, trust and resourcefulness and you’ll unleash potential that will deliver a huge return on investment”
“People-focused leadership isn’t prescriptive. It’s a human approach to HR where we can develop leaders with empathy and self-awareness who will enable others to thrive. Command and control just don’t cut it anymore, but develop insightful, caring leaders who can inspire agility, trust and resourcefulness and you’ll unleash potential that will deliver a huge return on investment.”
A recent survey by Westfield health reported that a better work/life balance, flexible working and extra wellbeing support were the highest priorities for employees. Almost one-fifth of those surveyed said they planned to look for a new job.
“Everybody needs to recalibrate,” says Rachel. “If you look at the figures and see you are losing good people or are battling to get the productivity and results you need, the only way to get what you want is to change the way you do things.
“Human leadership is about embedding skills for the next generation; it’s an integrated approach that pays dividends right down the line. I help develop leaders to lead with confidence, purpose and impact, and crucially to learn the skills to understand how to motivate others and create a thriving, happy working environment.”
The Millennial challenge is something Rachel says is going to be a huge challenge for businesses. She believes (and research agrees) that this generation will be the biggest step-change in fifty years.
“Empathic leadership will become a currency that every employee will value and measure alongside their salary.”
“We are in a competitive market,” says Rachel. “We have millions of young people coming into the workplace with different needs, values and expectations. They aren’t afraid to share their opinions and have huge expectations around what they expect from their workplace, career path and colleagues. They are also naturally agile, adaptive, creative, critical thinkers who are incredibly tech-savvy and, who given the right environment will help their employers meet any next-generation challenges.
“There is so much to think about, but essentially people aren’t a resource, they are your most valuable asset We’ll start to hear the words ‘meaningful motivation’ in every workplace. The future isn’t just about monetary gain. Empathic leadership will become a currency that every employee will value and measure alongside their salary.”
