The world of work has never been so volatile, uncertain and complex.  Seismic changes and trends that would normally take decades to emerge have followed one after the other!

To make sense of where we find ourselves I'm joined by  world’s preeminent authority on organisational culture and employee wellbeing.

 Professor Sir Cary Cooper CBE is the 50th Anniversary Professor of Psychology at Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester.  He is a founding President of the British Academy of Management and Immediate Past President of the CIPD. Among his many achievements, Professor Cooper is currently the Chair of the National Forum for Health & Wellbeing at Work.  In 2014 he was awarded a Knighthood by the Queen for his contribution to the social sciences. 

 I don’t like my boss [04:17]
Professor Cooper remarks that a significant driver of the so called ‘great resignation’ was in part employee’s dissatisfaction with their boss.  He think this has led some in HR about whether they have right managers or managers with the right skills in place. Sadly he feels too many organisations recruit solely on technical skills and not soft skills or EQ.

What do we do about Millennials and GenZ workers? [06:03]
Professor Cooper believes this generation of workers have a very different value set to their parents. Mis-characterised as ‘Snow Flakes’ Professor Cooper argues that this ‘generation’ don’t feel entitled.  They’re just not prepared to tolerate what their parents did.

 Is Jacob Rees-Mogg right about flexible working? [07:53]
Not according to Professor Cooper. He goes onto give a withering assessment of the UK’s perennial issue with productivity despite working some of the longest hours. 

 Hybrid working another way [9:20]
What is HR’s obsession with numbers of days at home or spent in the office? Professor Cooper takes us back to the psychological contract and tells us to look at this in a different way.  He says this isn’t a big conversation, so why have we made it one?

A new deal for blue-collar workers? [11:18]
Many of those in the ‘professional classes’ have enjoyed the ability to work flexibly but what about those jobs that cannot be done from home? Professor Cooper recommends that a new deal such as a 4 day week or a variation of created to allow these workers some time off.

 Employee wellbeing is not about bean bags [15:33]
Bean bags, sushi and ping pong is not employee wellbeing. Employee wellbeing is a major strategic shift. Professor Cooper highlights the NHS where every trust now has an non-executive director responsible for health and wellbeing. At [14:25], Professor Cooper argues for an NED responsible for health and wellbeing appointed to the board of every UK company whatever their size.

 Why don’t business schools teach soft skills? [26:26]
Business schools contrate far too much on teaching technical skills such as the key theories in HR, marketing and accountancy but in the main ignore more experiential leaning that gets individuals to understand their personality and the effect they have on others.

 Recruiting on the wrong skills [29:04]
Attending a top business school or university isn’t a guarantee an individual is going to be any good at managing others. Organisations need to look beyond the technical skills and assess instead an individual’s interpersonal or soft skills. Professor Cooper believes the majority of managers/leaders can develop these skills and the ones that can’t should not be allowed to manage anyone.

Resources:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-sir-cary-cooper-4213909/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/podcasthost/
https://ovenreadyhr.com
https://buddyboost.co.uk