In Conversation with... Avivah Wittenberg-Cox

In the second episode of our “In Conversation with…” podcast series for 2024 Lucy is joined by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO of 20-first, one of the world's leading global consultancies focused on balancing gender, generations and culture.

Lucy and Avivah discuss some of the key demographic shifts impacting the labour market and explore why generational balance needs to be a business priority. Avivah explains the importance of longevity literacy amongst workforces and leadership teams, and how a deep understanding of people’s differences will be key to any diversity and inclusion strategy. 

Key Takeaways:

• Older workers as an answer to skills shortages: In a challenging labour market, employers may be able to leverage the skills and experience of existing older workers to fill skills gaps.
• Senior leadership teams must prioritise generational balance: The impact and success of a company’s longevity strategy will depend on the buy-in, involvement and longevity literacy of the executive leadership team.
• Start by measuring the demographics of your workplace: Use data to analyse the potential impact of an ageing workforce on the business in the next 5 to 10 years.
• Inclusion requires a deep understanding of where people are from: Instead of segmenting the workforce into identity groups, bring people together to discuss shared issues and define common goals, to increase compassion and understanding of differences.