Culture Change

On a building site, ‘backfilling’ means to refill an excavated hole with the material dug out of it. I think it makes a good analogy for what happens in an organisation when promotions aren’t well planned. We create the need to “backfill” when we promote someone without preparing their successor. What happens next? The newly promoted manager is stretched like a rubber band and snapped back into their old job to fix problems.

To retain people in 2025, we must stop confusing presence with participation. Leaders and their HR departments need to stop relying on reactive retention strategies like knee-jerk counter-offers, perks, or vague new job titles - and start building cultures where people want to stay. That begins with treating engagement not as an HR initiative, but as everyone’s responsibility. Attracting new members, requires little effort.

Today’s most forward-thinking organisations are dismantling the ladder in favour of something more flexible. The most progressive companies are building tools to map skills, identify growth areas, and match people with opportunities. They invest in upskilling and mentoring to make internal transitions realistic, not aspirational In 2025, the broken career ladder is a symbol of a bygone era.

Transparency is trust’s closest ally. It’s the habit of telling the truth, sharing not just the wins, but the worries. It doesn’t mean full disclosure of every fact, but it does mean explaining the thinking behind decisions. When people understand the “why,” they feel part of the journey. When they don’t, they fill the silence with suspicion. The two feed each other. The more transparent a leader becomes, the more trust they earn.

In the intricate tapestry of organisational life, two figures often stand out: the manager and the leader. While frequently used interchangeably, the distinction between them is not merely semantic; it’s fundamental to an organisation's very pulse and future direction. Attempts to impose leadership on individuals who are solely skilled in management can be counterproductive.

Many leaders speak in hushed tones about a generation that seems disengaged, avoids hierarchy, and brings an unsettling level of emotional candour to the workplace: The “Gen Z problem.” The issue isn’t Gen Z; it’s that we’re trying to fit them into a corporate culture they have no interest in preserving. Instead of briefing them on the culture change programme you designed in isolation, invite them to co-design it with you.