Ann Francke: The Management Skill of Navigating Longer Careers

In this episode of 4-Quarter Lives Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with Ann Francke, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, about the pivotal role of management skills in supporting and enhancing longer career spans. They uncover startling statistics, including that 82% of managers receiving no training upon promotion, resulting in what's known as "accidental managers", and the sobering reality that only 42% of managers are open to hiring workers over 50. Their conversation touches on the unique challenges women face as they enter the third quarter (Q3) of their careers and the huge importance of managers in shaping workplace culture and team member wellbeing. Ann describes CMI's extensive research on ageism in the workplace, strategies to support older workers, and the significance of leveraging the talents of a multi-generational workforce. Together Ann and Avivah explore how individual behaviours can influence organizational culture and how managers can become catalysts for an equitable and inclusive work environment.

Ann Francke is Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, the UK's leading professional body for management and leadership with an international member community of over 200,000. She started her career at Procter & Gamble and has held senior executive positions at Mars, Boots, Yell and BSI. She is an expert in Management and Leadership in the workplace, speaks frequently in the media and at conferences and is a regular columnist for The London Times. She’s the author of ‘Create a Gender-balanced Workplace,’ published by Penguin, and the ‘Financial Times Guide to Management.’ She holds several Board positions and Honorary Doctorates for her work in management and leadership and is an ambassador for the 30% Club.

Some Useful Links:

• The Everyone Economy. A project, as part of CMI’s 75^th anniversary, to understand the current state of inclusion in the workplace. Age was one of six characteristics looked at.

• Age in the Workplace. As part of the Everyone Economy, CMI published a discussion paper examining the evidence base around age inclusion.

• The Workplace in Review: Age. Part of CMI’s documentary series on barriers to fairness and inclusion in the workplace. This 20 minute episode focuses on age in the workplace.

• Over-50s at work: 'You feel your usefulness has passed'.  A BBC article from January 2023 citing CMI research into managers' openness to hiring older workers.