In this episode we talk with Steve Butler author and CEO of Punter Southall Aspire, a national retirement savings business which builds innovative technology led solutions to help corporates and individuals manage their employee benefits and retirement savings.

Steve is author of ‘Manage the Gap: Achieving success with intergenerational teams,’ which was shortlisted in the 2020 Business Book Awards in the ‘Exceptional Book at Promotes Diversity’ category.  Manage the Gap provides advice, learning and best practice to help employers manage age diversity.

Steve writes ‘Butler’s Blog,’ which focusses on generational and workplace diversity issues, he speaks at events and writes regular thought-leadership pieces for industry magazines.

Punter Southall Aspire won the Diversity and Inclusion award at the Reward Awards 2019 and more recently Management Today’s NextGen Culture Award

In this episode we explore the changing workplace.  Steve discusses his views on what he sees as an ‘analogue generation and a digital generation’ and describes the differences that he sees and experiences between these intergenerational groups.

Steve shares how he has focused his attention as a leader on getting these two cohorts to work effectively together, as well as some of the strategies that he has deployed.   This includes establishing a sign in process at the start of every meeting where everyone in the room is encouraged to share what is going on for them (and give a score out of ten) in three key areas:

• Business Life
• Personal Life
• Wellbeing

By adopting this approach Steve reports that the dynamic of the working relationship between colleagues has changed as a result of the shared knowledge and believes his team have a greater appreciation for each other.

Steve also talks about changes in management styles when it comes to flexible working and working from home.  He provides some suggestions for managers to help them embrace this way of working.

Steve also shares some of the benefits he has observed within his own Organisation by embracing Diversity and Inclusion which include increased staff satisfaction and reduced staff turnover.