The Future Report

Like many other aspects of society, marketing has changed over time.

Cutting-edge technologies are changing how organisations connect with consumers.  

But it's not just about technology - there is also the human side of marketing, and how consumers have changed over time.

All of this is reshaping the landscape as we know it.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle's Marketing Executive, Luke Davies, to discuss the future of marketing.

Economic uncertainty, the rising cost of living, and rising interest rates are having impacts on Australians, as well as the "recessionette" environment that we find ourselves in.

Despite these tough times, people still have financial dreams, goals and aspirations.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with social researcher and futurist, Mark McCrindle, to discuss some key findings from the recent research we have conducted for our client, Insignia Financial.

Never in the history of the world has education been more accessible, more flexible, and more vulnerable to disruption.

That’s why, in the latest instalment of our future of education study, we chose to not only identify these disrupters to the future of education, but also the unique opportunities that flow from them, so that we can all play a part in equipping students to thrive in this changing world.

By hearing from 500 teachers on the frontlines and delving deeper with key educational thought leaders, this research offers some clarity in this ambiguity of changes and trends.

It is our hope that this research will help this noble profession continue to be a resilient, responsive, and relational one.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle’s Managing Director and key author of this report, Sophie Renton, for part two of exploring disruptors to the future of education.

The waves of change impacting the education sector are perhaps unparalleled.

There are the demographic trends of new generations entering the classroom, combined with the challenges of attracting and retaining younger staff, technological transformations, social changes, funding challenges, global influences, empowered parents (and students) and the growing expectation of holistic student development as well as an ongoing transition to the new world of work.

This is why, each year, McCrindle conducts a sector-wide study about the trends impacting the education sector so we can better understand them.

Seeing as we just released this research, we thought we would discuss some of these fascinating insights across two episodes of the podcast.

For part one, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle's Managing Director and key author of this report, Sophie Renton, to discuss some significant disruptors impacting the future of education.

Although it seems like Artificial Intelligence has only been on our radar for the last couple of years, it has in fact been something talked about and considered for decades.

In recent years, AI has been utilised in the background, but now with it becoming more accessible and its use widespread, what does it mean for the way humans work and the type of work they will do in the future?

It’s an important question not just for those beginning their careers, but all of us in the workforce.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle's Data Scientist, Mike Abecina, to chat about how AI will impact jobs of the future.

Every generation has different characteristics.

They have different motivators, preferences, and ways of engaging with companies.

Learning about these is vital for organisations to remain relevant for the future.

This is especially the case for not-for-profits and charities, who rely on donors and supporters to continue to do great work in our communities.

Our latest report about the not-for-profit sector is all about this and understanding donors. It looks to the future by analysing each generation and revealing insights about what motivates them to engage.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle's Managing Director, Sophie Renton, to discuss the insights from this report and its implications for leaders and decision-makers in the philanthropic space.

Australia has long been blessed with stable governments, high-functioning democracy, and the rule of law.

However, what actively enables the flourishing of our society is not just government and its agencies, or even our local communities, but the for-purpose sector.

While the retail sector facilitates vitally needed communities of interaction, and our diverse local suburbs for many are communities of belonging, it is the charities and non-profits that build communities of purpose.

These for-purpose organisations are defined by three factors which distinguish them from business, retail, or local communities: they are problem focused, outward orientated, and action driven.

This is why Australians, even in this era of declining trust in institutions, continue to hold charities in high regard.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with social researcher and futurist, Mark McCrindle, to discuss the insights from our latest report about the future of the not-for-profit sector.

According to a recent study, the average amount of time that an employee stays in one job is now down to two years and nine months.

This means that for a school leaver today, who will live longer and work later into their life, we predict that they will have 18 jobs, across 6 careers, in their lifetime.

Now when we share this forecast, sometimes people audibly gasp in shock. And that’s understandable, because it is a big figure and it has some big implications - for both the employee and the employer.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with social researcher and futurist, Mark McCrindle, to discuss this trend and the future of careers.

Generation Z describes those born between the years of 1995 and 2009. That places them in their late teens and twenties, today.

People in this life stage are often viewed as a bit of an enigma by other generations – particularly those older than them.

They wear different fashions, they listen to different music and at times it can feel like they speak a different language.

While their age does play a role in some of these generational traits, we believe it is a mistake to view generational characteristics as merely a life stage, or fad that people will outgrow as they age.

Because generations do not change over time to look identical to how their parents looked at the same age.

Rather, a generation is a product of their current age, their times, and importantly the formative technologies and social markers that uniquely shaped them.

In many ways, people resemble their times more than they resemble their parents.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down to discuss some characteristics of this cohort with two of her Gen Z colleagues, Holly Schaaf and Luke Davies.

It is undisputed that the world of work is undergoing a massive transformation.

From artificial intelligence to robotics and automation, what humans currently do and what we will be doing for work in the future is changing.

Yet, it is not only technological shifts that are having big impacts on the workforce. Although they redefine our world, social and demographic changes also have profound implications for our future.

One of the key definers of our 21st-century workplaces is diversity. There are more women in the workforce now than there has ever been due to redefined life stages, the cost of living, and advances in gender roles.

Additionally, workplaces are now increasingly generationally and culturally diverse.

Workers expect their organisations to reflect the broader society they operate in, which is particularly true for the emerging Generation Z’s, who have been shaped in an era of great cultural and gender diversity.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle's Managing Director, Sophie Renton, to chat about effectively leading teams in these changing times.

As futurists, we study trends and factors that impact the future.

However, futurists are not crystal ball gazers.

We don’t just make wild predictions of what the future might be. Rather, we gather evidence and extrapolate the trends that are set to shape the years ahead.

Businesses and consumers have encountered huge amounts of change in the last few years and this doesn’t appear to be slowing down in 2023.

We believe that by observing the demographic shifts, social trends and technological advancements that have shaped the past, we can make informed predictions about the trends set to shape the year ahead.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with social researcher and Director of Solutions at McCrindle, Geoff Brailey, to chat through what we predict are the top 8 trends shaping 2023.

It is true that over the last decade, Artificial Intelligence has been increasingly applied to our everyday lives.

Artificial Intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.

One of our trend predictions for 2023 has been Humanit-AI, where we predict that humans and machines will increasingly work closely with one another, and continue to be integrated.

A big indicator of this trend has been the widespread use of ChatGPT, and in particular, the discussion of how it will change aspects of the education sector.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle's Data Scientist, Mike Abecina, to chat about ChatGPT and the impact of AI on the future of education.

Happy 2023 and welcome to another season of The Future Report podcast!

We are delighted that you have joined us again for more insightful discussions around trends and the future.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with social researcher and futurist, Mark McCrindle, to explore how we can go about understanding, interpreting, and even strategically leveraging the trends that are happening all around us today.

If you can believe it, Christmas is upon us and we are about to say goodbye to another year.

As we look ahead to the future, it’s also a worthwhile endeavour to look back at the year that was.

From demographic changes to political events. From social trends to consumer shifts and technology trends. We’re discussing some of the most memorable societal events from 2022 in this episode, with McCrindle’s managing director, Sophie Renton.

Generations.

Always such a fun topic for us to discuss.

Why?

Because everyone belongs to one.

There are various generations intermingling in our workplaces and communities, so understanding the unique perspectives of each one is vital.

It was George Orwell who said, ‘Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.’

In today’s episode, our Gen Y host, Ashley fell, sits down with a Gen Z, Steph Razey, and a Gen X, Mike Abecina, to discuss their generational differences.

They’re the first generation to be fully born in the 21st Century.

The oldest of them began being born in 2010, the same year Instagram and the iPad launched.

Yes, we’re talking about Generation Alpha – the cohort born between 2010 and 2024.

While the youngest of them are yet to be born, the oldest of them are about to become teenagers.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with the demographer and futurist who gave this generation their name, Mark McCrindle, to discuss some significant implications of Generation Alpha's entrance into their teen years.

Recently, the world’s population ticked over 8 billion people.

That’s right. 8. Billion.

We’ve reached this latest billion in record time, and the majority of population growth we've seen has occurred in the last 100 years.

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with demographer and futurist, Mark McCrindle, to discuss if this historic milestone is an exciting one, or something to be concerned about.

Starting out in your career is a memorable experience.

Often our first foray into paid work can be daunting, exciting, overwhelming and memorable - all at the same time.

The world of work is changing, especially for today’s school leavers, Generation Z.

They are entrepreneurial, career mobile, and could have 18 jobs across 6 careers in their lifetime!

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle's Managing Director, Sophie Renton, to explore some advice and tips on how this new generation entering the workforce can stand out in the future of work.

There are many factors that contribute to our overall health and wellbeing. This can include physical exercise, sleep, sense of satisfaction, sense of meaning and purpose, and how one feels their life is going. Holistically it is often a blend of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects.

In a a study of employed Australians that McCrindle conducted with Reventure, we found that the majority of employed persons (42%) defined wellbeing as, ‘When I have found balance across my physical, mental, social and spiritual life’.

It’s also pretty evident to us that people’s personal wellbeing has taken a bit of a hit in recent years.

More than one in six Australians say they have never felt part of a flourishing community, and around the same number report feeling lonely “often”.

More than half of Australian teen and twentysomethings say they are living with a long-term mental health condition such as anxiety or depression, and less than half of this age group report strong satisfaction in their life in measures such as a sense of purpose, contentment, personal growth and spiritual wellbeing.

These are some staggering statistics.

In today’s episode, our host, Ashley Fell sits down with social researcher, Geoff Brailey, to discuss some new research insights about the future of faith.

Have you ever kept a diary of how you spend your time?

Well, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has.

They have released their time use study which measured the daily activities of 2,000 diverse households, and of those aged 15 years and over in those households, had them keep a diary over two days and account for all their time.

It’s a pretty fascinating study and reveals a lot about how much time people are spending on work, domestic duties, recreation, and even sleep. It also explores how rushed or pressed for time people feel.

So, in this episode, Ashley Fell sits down with social researcher and futurist, Mark McCrindle to unpack what this study reveals about how we spend one of the most precious things we have – which is our time.

Gen Z and Millennials describe those in their teens, twenties, and thirties today. This life stage is often characterised by the need to keep up with their peers and the culture around them.

As society continues to adapt to changing lifestyles and economic conditions, our team at McCrindle was commissioned by Afterpay to conduct a study about Gen Z and Millennials.

The study sought to determine how and if these generations are re-balancing their spending priorities, lifestyles, and mindsets to keep up with the ever-shifting role that culture - which this report defines as a pursuit of new trends, innovation, experiences, and wellbeing - has on their lives and back pockets.

As you can imagine, it reveals some fascinating insights about what Millennial and Gen Z Aussies are thinking, buying, investing in, and planning for.

So, joining Ashley Fell on the podcast to discuss this report are two McCrindle researchers who worked on this report, Anna Colthorpe and Hannah Butcher.

Avatars. NFTs. Blockchain. Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency. Virtual and augmented reality.

What do all these words have in common? 

They relate to The Metaverse.

While it may have begun as a vague concept, over the last year it has gained immense traction, and many are now calling it the future of the internet. Particularly as it relates to Generation Alpha.

Gone are the days when kids plugged a console in front of a TV and played Mario Kart with their friends in the living room.

Now, they are socialising in the virtual worlds of Roblox and Minecraft, early adaptations of The Metaverse, or Web 3.0 as many are calling it.

In this episode, we are going to unpack what the Metaverse is, how Generation Alpha are already setting the agenda and why it is essential for organisations to understand and engage with the Metaverse if they want to not only exist but thrive in the future.

Joining Ashley Fell to do just that is social researcher and futurist, Mark McCrindle.

Over the last few years, remote work or work-from-home became widespread. This is because it wasn’t something that was just promoted or strongly encouraged. It was mandated.

And it went on for some time. Because of various lockdowns and restrictions, some companies work-ed-from-home, full-time, for years. And possibly still are.

Now, as we (with fingers crossed) say goodbye to lockdowns and work-from-home mandates, workplace leaders have both the challenge and opportunity before them of working out what their new normal will be.

What was mandated and followed through on, has now become a choice.

Will they encourage or even force people back to the workplace? Will they stay fully remote? Or will it be a hybrid? And furthermore, what definition of hybrid will they adopt?

It’s not easy, and it’s not straightforward. But it is important, and that’s why we’ve just released a new report about this topic and why we have the author of that report and Managing Director at McCrindle, Sophie Renton joining us.

Breaking into the housing market is a hot topic amongst today’s younger generations with skyrocketing house prices, the rising cost of living, and low wage growth making it pretty difficult to get a foothold.

So, if younger generations can’t break into the housing market, what sort of impact will this have on their financial aspirations and wealth accumulation?

Joining Ashley Fell to shed some light on this topic is Social Researcher and Demographer, Mark McCrindle.

While the Baby Boomers are currently more active in the workforce for their age than the generation before them, over the next decade we will see a significant changing of the guard as the youngest of the Baby Boomers move past 65 and ease out of the workforce.

When they do, they will leave a very significant knowledge, labour, and leadership gap for the following generations to take up.

But that doesn’t mean a quiet retirement because the Baby Boomers are redefining this life stage and what ageing looks like. Our host, Ashley Fell sits down with social researcher, Mark McCrindle to find out why.

Generation Z describes those born between 1995 and 2009, placing them today aged between 13 and 27. While many of them are students, in just a few years they will comprise a third of the workforce.

In our work we find so many people wanting to understand the mindset and perspective of Gen Z; who they are, what is important to them, and how to remain relevant for this emerging generation.

Joining Ashley Fell to discuss this, is our Research Lead at McCrindle, Steph Razey. 

Today we want to talk about a word or phrase that made its way to the Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Year in 2020 which is: Cancel Culture.

As social researchers, each week are deploying surveys and analysing demographic and community data. We gather content from focus groups and in-depth interviews and draw out the trends. That is social research. While analysing these data sets gives us specific insights into certain groups or areas, it also gives us a very broad read on our society.

One outcome of this type of work is that we are often asked to share insights and perspectives not just from a particular study, but a general perspective on our society and where we see it going. This is often labelled as social commentary.

So, in this episode we going to take our social research hat off and put the social commentator hat on, to see what is going on in our broader society and where things are going.

Joining our host, Ashley Fell, to do just that is Social Researcher and Principal of McCrindle, Mark McCrindle.

A few weeks ago, the latest Census results were released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. While there were a lot of interesting findings, one big generational shift has occurred in the last five years: the Millennials have overtaken the Baby Boomers to become the largest generation. 

So, in today’s episode, Ashley Fell sits down with Social Researcher, Geoff Brailey to talk about this shift, the differences between life 40 years ago compared to today and reframing some of the social stereotypes of the Millennial generation. 

Welcome back to another season of The Future Report! Over the last few weeks, Mark McCrindle and Ashley Fell have been out travelling and sharing insights at conferences in Europe and the United States, which after two years of closed borders has been a bit of a treat! In today’s episode, our host, Ashley Fell sits down with social researcher, Mark McCrindle to discuss international conferences and travelling in a post-covid world.

Once every five years in Australia, we have the night that stops the nation, the census night. The Australian Bureau of Statistics then works busily away and analyses and compiles the data for almost a year and then releases it to the nation. For us, self-professed data nerds at McCrindle, the release day feels like our Christmas’ have all come at once, with a brand new data snapshot of the nation. This data tells the stories of our friends, families, communities, and our nation. 

In this episode, we will be unpacking the census insights that you need to know about. Our host, Sophie Renton sits down with social researchers, Mark McCrindle and Geoff Brailey. 

The education sector is at the centre of many different trends. From changing generations of students and teachers to adapting the curriculum to suit the future of work to respond to changes brought about by the pandemic, to focusing on teacher and student wellbeing and collecting data and knowing what to do with it.

Clearly, there is a lot on the plate for those working in the sector!

Therefore, it’s no wonder that when we speak to educators, they are feeling fatigued and a bit overwhelmed.

Yet, there is hope! If leaders in the sector understand the trends at play and how to utilise the data at their disposal, they can make informed and strategic decisions going forward.

Joining Ashley Fell on the podcast to discuss the role of data science in the future of education is McCrindle's Data Scientist, Mike Abecina.

Have you ever thought about whether you are an ‘anywhere’ or ‘somewhere’ type of person?

If you are an ‘anywhere’ type of person, it is likely that you can find home, community, or work, anywhere.

On the other hand, if you are a ‘somewhere’ person, it is likely that you have strong connections to a particular place.

As people continue to move and relocate, the idea of how we define our identity, and the concept of home is an interesting topic to explore.

Joining Ashley Fell on the podcast is social researcher, Grant Dusting.

At McCrindle, we love to talk about the generations. Today’s high school students and those in their early twenties belong to Generation Z, who were born between the years 1995 and 2009.

If you parent, lead or engage with this generation in any context, you will know that they are quite different from those who have gone before.

The questions on many people’s mind is, how do we best care for this generation who have grown up on screen-based devices and in a more technologically supplied world than we have ever experienced?

We're delighted to have psychologist and author, Collett Smart, joining the podcast to share her wisdom and insight with us about teenagers. 

If you are old enough to remember dial-up, when you had to wait for the internet to connect and when the world wasn’t in our pockets, it’s a pretty stark contrast to the world shaping children today.

In the last two decades, technology has advanced at lightning speed, and it can be challenging to keep up for all of us – no matter what generation we are a part of. Especially since something we were once a little unsure of, perhaps skeptical of, is now an everyday experience at home, at work, at school and throughout society.

When we speak to parents and educators on the issue of generational differences, technology almost always comes up as the consistent answer as to how Generation Alpha are different from generations past.

Screens also come up as a source of tension. On the one hand, parents and educators want to ensure children are equipped with the necessary digital skills to thrive in an increasingly technological world. On the other hand, they also want them to develop resilience, interpersonal and life skills that come from activities and interactions away from screens.

In a recent survey we conducted, more than four in five Australians (83%) agree that for children aged eleven and under, the use of screens causes more harm than good.

So, what do we need to be aware of and how can we help raise Generation Alpha in the great screen age?

Joining Ashley Fell is the person who gave the name Generation Alpha to those born 2010-2024, Mark McCrindle.

Analysing baby names paints a fascinating picture of the era that we live in. The Builders generation (born before 1945) chose traditional names such as Peter, Paul, John, Karen, Jennifer, or Sharon for their children. In the 1980s, the Baby Boomers began drawing on baby name books for inspiration and trends. Meanwhile, today’s parents, Generation Y (also known as the Millennials), are not only choosing new and different names, but they are also parenting a new and unique generation – Generation Alpha.

At McCrindle, we have the privilege of gathering the top baby names and compiling the top 100 list. We have just released our 2022 baby names report, and there are some interesting naming trends that Gen Y parents are drawing on for their Generation Alpha children.

And in big news, we also have a new top baby girls name for the first time in a few years.

Thankyou™ is an organisation founded in Australia that seeks to serve people living in extreme poverty by redistributing wealth, from consumer spending. Thankyou provides consumers with alternate product choices for body care and baby care.

When people purchase these products, it allows shoppers to purchase products that have a positive impact for those living in poverty. If you live in Australia, then it's very likely that you've seen Thankyou's products on the shelves of your Coles and Woolies for a number of years now.

We are delighted to have Co-Founder and Managing Director at Thankyou, Daniel Flynn to share insights into this incredible social enterprise, their workplace culture, phenomenal growth, and dedication to their mission. 

While most people have an interest in the future, educators have a direct role in shaping it, as they educate and equip the emerging generations. Importantly, this impact is recognised and appreciated by students. Our research shows that 70% of students can think of at least one teacher who has made a massive, positive difference in their life.

Yet, amidst this positive student feedback, the waves of change impacting the sector are perhaps unequaled. Educational communities bridge the widest generational gaps in our society, connecting grandparents to those aged four and five who are on the innovative edge of coding, robotics, IT, and all things cyber. They also have the pretty big task of preparing the next generation for the future and their working life.

From demographic trends to technological transformations catalysed by the pandemic, the education sector continues to have a lot to respond to, and so this is where future analysis is most needed.

That is why we have conducted research to provide insights into the current context of Australian education with a forecast of what to expect as today’s students emerge into the workforce over the decade ahead.

So, joining our host, Ashley Fell, is McCrindle’s Managing Director and author of our latest Education Future Report, Sophie Renton.

If you know anyone born between the years of 1995 and 2009, then you know a Gen Z. Gen Zs are digital integrators who have been shaped in an era of social media and digital technology.

While this generation are our high school students of today, the oldest of them are approaching their late twenties. Many of them may be in leadership roles in their workplaces and some even parents!

In this episode, not only are we going to discuss some of our research about Gen Z, but our host, Ashley Fell sits down with a wonderful Gen Z member of our team who can speak about the research, and also her own experience and interpretation of it. 

Workplace culture is so important, yet it can be hard to define and measure. It can be an intangible thing, but something that impacts almost all aspects of an organisation, from productivity to employee satisfaction and retention. It is intrinsically linked to an organisation’s ability to succeed.

In this episode, our host, Ashley Fell will be speaking to another thought leader in this space about his new book on culture, Shane Hatton.

Shane is an author, trainer, coach, and speaker on the topics of leadership and culture.

For the last two years, our lives have been significantly interrupted. We didn’t go out. We didn’t socialise much. We mostly interacted through a screen. Similar to the atrophy of muscles when underused, recent lockdowns and restrictions have impacted our social stamina and social fitness.

Understandably, as the world opens up, we’re now having to use social skills that we haven’t had to use in a while. 

Our host, Ashley Fell sits down with social researcher, Mark McCrindle to discuss this trend of HOGO (hassle of going out) and relational fitness, or a lack thereof. 

A fundamental human need that we all have is a place to call home. While the Great Australian Dream of home ownership is still alive and well among the emerging generations, it seems incredibly unattainable due to a combination of demographic and social trends. In this episode, host Ashley Fell sits down with Geoff Brailey to discuss the fading dream of home ownership.

Workplace culture can be complex to define and measure. There are many terms that stem from the word 'culture', anthropologists use the term to describe how people live.

As social researchers, we define culture simply: ‘It’s how we do things around here.’ It’s the character and personality, the procedures and values, the purpose and ambition, the structures and traditions, and the pattern of behaviour of the people in an organisation.

In a workplace, culture is the environment that, whether intentionally or unintentionally, is created for workers. Simon Sinek said: ‘Culture = values × behaviour. A culture is strong when people work with each other, for each other. A culture is weak when people work against each other for themselves.’

Joining our host, Ashley Fell, to discuss the importance of a workplace culture is Sophie Renton, McCrindle's Managing Director.

We are living in an age of digital disruption, in what we call ‘The Great Screenage’, where we now spend more time on our devices, than we ever have before.

In these technologically integrated times, our attention spans are short. In times of message saturation and information overload, if you have important data to communicate, it can be harder than ever to cut through the noise.

We know the importance of good communication: instead of excel spreadsheets, we use infographics. Instead of words, we use icons.

Joining us on this episode is Ben Duffin, our Team Leader of Design (and also the brains behind all our visual outputs and the production of this podcast).

When you think of great leaders, who do you envision? Martin Luther King? Mother Theresa? Greta Thunberg?

Author John Maxwell gave a helpful definition of leadership when he said, ‘Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.’ Because everyone has a level of influence, it can be argued that everyone is a leader in one context or another. The challenge is in both how we wield our influence and how we develop our leadership capabilities.

Just as we are all leaders, so we are all followers. You may lead your family at home for example, but have a boss that you follow at work. You may captain a netball team, but you are subject to the rules of the game.

Leaders today need to be responsive to the changing cultures, generations, backgrounds, and expectations that comprise workplaces, teams, communities, and families.

In today’s episode, we’re going to look at how leadership has changed over time and what will be important for great leaders in the future. To discuss this great topic, our host, Ashley Fell is delighted to welcome back Mark McCrindle to The Future Report podcast.

This week, people all over the world are celebrating International Women’s Day, a global holiday celebrating the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.

In celebration, our host, Ashley Fell is sitting down with a woman who many of our McCrindle team respect and look up to, Richenda Vermeulen. Richenda is the founder and CEO of digital agency ntegrity. She is also a mum and an incredible leader. 

In this episode, we discuss how women rise at work, the future of women in the workplace, and how workplaces can benefit from helping women reach their potential. 

As the times continue to change, expectations among consumers are shifting. Our research shows that people want to know what positive differences organisations are making. Enter social impact.

Social impact is more than describing the activities an organisation does. It is the outcome of that work, and the changes that have occurred because of it.

While 'social impact' isn’t a new term, we have noticed an increase in organisations and particularly not-for-profits responding to it.

In today’s episode, our host, Ashley Fell sits down with fellow McCrindle colleagues, Shannon Wherrett and Sophie Renton to delve into what social impact is, why it is important and how organisations can utilise it, to engage with their stakeholders.

When you think about executive boards and governance, what do you think? 

As our world becomes more complex, organisations are navigating changing social attitudes, demographic shifts, and technological disruptions. Boards play an important role in guiding the future of an organisation, and there's a shift happening with Millennials coming through in senior leadership roles.

To discuss this important topic, our host, Ashley Fell sits down with McCrindle’s Director of Strategy, Grant Dusting. 

For a long time, the term “Millennials” was synonymous with young people. However, today these ‘young people’ are well into their 30s, having children of their own and emerging as leaders as they gain experience in their careers. In this episode, we delve into Millennials (also known as Gen Y) and their career expectations, how they differ from older generations, the challenges they face in the workplace, and advice about creating engaging workplaces.
Joining our host, Ashley Fell is HR Expert, Shelley Johnson. Shelly is a sought-after HR consultant, and she is also the co-host of the My Millennial Career podcast. 

There is no doubt that the experience of the last two years has been transformative. Looking to the year ahead, we foresee important demographic, economic, social, technological, environmental, and political shifts to take place. As futurists, we believe that it is essential that leaders are equipped with an understanding of how to spot the trends, and what those trends are.

So, what can we expect to see and change in the year ahead?

Our host, Ashley Fell sits down with social researcher, Geoff Brailey to share our predictions for the top trends of the year ahead.

How does anyone predict the future? Well, we have some tips up our sleeve. In this episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with futurist, Mark McCrindle to share the tricks of the trade with you and what 2022 might look like. 

In the first episode of season 2, we're talking all things Generation Z and what the future of work will look like for today's school-leavers. Joining the conversation about this emerging generation is the generational expert, Mark McCrindle. 

Gen Z describes those born between 1995 and 2009, so today they are in their mid-late teens and mid-late twenties. 

For the final episode of Season 1, we are talking all things Christmas! Our host, Ashley Fell is joined by McCrindle's Managing Director, Sophie Renton to discuss our research on the best and the worst Christmas gift-givers, how younger generations plan on celebrating this Christmas with some unconventional celebrations and consumerism during the festive season. 

As the clock ticked over to 2021, many people looked forward to putting a pretty chaotic year of 2020 behind us. While it is good to have hope and optimism for the future, 2021 probably didn’t pan out as many hoped. With the Delta strain of the Coronavirus sending countries around the world into lockdown, and Australia navigating quite a different experience than that of the year before, 2021 posed its challenges. But while a lot of the year was impacted by COVID-19, other things happened too. From demographic change to political events. From social trends to consumer shifts and technology trends. We are discussing all of this in our episode today as we review the year that was and how we can prepare for what’s next.

Can you remember a time in your life when someone showed you an act of kindness? How about the last time you showed kindness to someone? It is universally acknowledged that it is cool to be kind, and there are lots of encouraging quotes about it. 

From the ancient Greek philosopher, Aesop, who said "No act of kindness is ever wasted" to Mother Teresa who said, "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless", have you ever thought about why kindness is so important and how you can be more kind?

In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell sits down with McCrindle's Research Lead, Steph Razey to discuss what the research says about how kind we actually are, why kindness is so important, and what acts of kindness we want to see more of in our lives.

A major event like a pandemic can cause a reassessment of life. From the 'Great Resignation' that we discussed in our last episode, to our relationships to our job, where we choose to live, and of course what we consider to be important, many aspects of our lives are being reassessed. In today's episode, our host Ashley Fell sits down with Social Researcher, Mark McCrindle to discuss what people are reevaluating in light of the pandemic, why a major event causes us to reevaluate things in our life, and how a greater sense of meaning can impact wellbeing and mental health and the future generations.

When was the last time you used cash to pay for something? Were you able to save money during the pandemic? And if so, what do you plan on doing with it? Did you perhaps buy a few too many packages online during lockdown? Will you be partaking in this year's Black Friday sales? These are some of the questions Ashley Fell will be discussing in this episode and sharing the latest research, with McCrindle's Managing Director, Sophie Renton. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, for many, working from home has become the 'new normal'. And while it can have its challenges, the benefits seem to outweigh them. So, if people love working from home and want to continue working this way into the future, where does that leave the future of the office? In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, asks Mark McCrindle if the office is dead, what role it plays in the future of work, and what this means for CBDs. Mark and Ashley also discuss the 'Great Resignation' and what leaders can do about it.

Ever heard of a 'Sea Change' or 'Tree Change'? It refers to people moving out of the big cities and into coastal or rural areas. While we were seeing this trend prior to the pandemic, COVID-19 has accelerated this in the last two years, as people increasingly work-from-home and reprioritise what is important. In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle's Director of Solutions, Geoff Brailey, to discuss what is driving the rise of the regions, where people are moving, what this means for our cities, and whether it is here to stay. 

Have you ever heard the phrase "culture eats strategy for breakfast"? It's a quote made famous by management guru, Peter Drucker, who was communicating the importance of workplace culture. While he wasn't saying that strategy is unimportant, he was saying that an empowering and engaging workplace culture is a surer root of organisational success. While we believe in the sentiment of this famous phrase, we have our own, slightly nerdier version, which is, "research eats strategy for breakfast". In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell sits down with McCrindle's founder and principal, Mark McCrindle to talk about our adaptation of that famous phrase, why research is so powerful, how data can help us make decisions, and how to lead with data-driven insights. 

Ok Boomer, Geriatric Millennials, Smashed Avo, Generation Alpha... What do all these phrases have in common? Well, they are all about the generations. In this episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with social researcher, Mark McCrindle, to define the different generations in our society, who they are and why generational analysis is so important.