How do you become a future-ready employer?

These were the key questions tackled at our latest  Roundtable with Morag Lynagh, Director at Blue Moth Consulting and former Global Future of Work Director at Unilever, as the guest provocateur.

Morag focused on the forces reshaping the workplace and what that means for forward-looking employers. Drawing on her pioneering work at Unilever, she offered practical insights into how organisations can shift systems and mindsets to engage and retain a multigenerational workforce more effectively.

What are the key workforce trends?

There are three compelling trends shaping the future of the workforce.

• Demographic shifts mean while people are living longer, birth rates are falling. This will mean there will be fewer people of working age in future generations, placing growing pressure on employers to rethink how they attract and retain talent among older age groups.
• The ‘gig economy’ is expanding. Increasing numbers of workers, particularly from younger generations, are opting for side hustles or portfolio careers. Many are motivated not just by money, but by a desire to find passion and purpose both inside and outside their primary jobs.
• Expectations of work are evolving. One recent study from Randstad, shows that work-life balance now surpasses pay as the top priority for many workers. Personalisation, trust, values and belonging have also become decisive factors in how people choose where and how to work.

What works for employers today, won’t work tomorrow.

It is clear that both society and work are changing rapidly, with established narratives and trusted models for employment challenged. Given this backdrop, Morag highlighted two initiatives developed at Unilever.

• ‘Your Future Working Life.’ This is a month-long modular programme designed to help people in their 40s, 50s and 60s explore how they want to shape the next phase of their careers. What holds back 75% of the over 50s, for example, is not knowing what to do next (Brave Starts, 2025). And with this in mind, the programme aimed to shift the narrative from ‘how do we help you retire?’ to ‘how do we help you stay – but differently?’
• The launch of U-Work. This is a new employment model, offering the flexibility associated with contract work, alongside the security and benefits of permanent employment. Those on U-Work earn a retainer, access core benefits and are deployed on assignments across the business. Over time, it has become clear that this model is valued not only by older workers easing their way into retirement, but also by younger employees seeking diverse experiences and skill-building opportunities. U-Work has helped Unilever retain valuable talent, boost workforce agility and reduce onboarding time and costs.

The 3Cs: What employers need to make change happen

The successful rollout of both initiatives was grounded in three qualities:

• Clarity about the business problem. Every business needs to be laser focused on which specific challenge they are addressing, as there are no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solutions on offer.
• Courage to pilot and challenge traditional models. People are understandably nervous about change, so persuading others through small, courageous actions is essential.
• Consistency in communications and delivery. Interventions can take time to create, develop and implement, so regular and clear steps and explanations are vital.

Our view

We believe becoming a future-ready employer means preparing for complexities, rather than seeking to resist them. Employers must create the conditions for change – not just for individuals but, crucially, within the structures and culture of the HR department.

The work Morag and her former Unilever colleagues undertook stands out as a strategic response to changing expectations around flexibility and purpose, while keeping a clear line of sight to organisational priorities. Too many HR departments, however, are fragmented – for example, do talent and reward functions work closely enough together? At The Career Innovation Company, we encourage HR leaders to harness this spirit of collaboration, and we recommend that you:

• Start with the business problem to be solved
• Collaborate with key business and HR stakeholders
• Clarify the career landscape and types of career available
• Define flexible career deals in practice
• Make growth opportunities and skill requirements visible for all
• Support engaging and productive career conversations
• Offer events and resources that help people take ownership and action

As demographic, social and technological shifts accelerate, it will be those willing to adapt, listen and learn who will thrive as future-ready employers.