The BCO Ideas Competition isn’t just an opportunity for our six finalists to stand up on stage and present their idea for the future of the workspace to an audience. It’s an opportunity to impress some of the most influential leaders in the industry. 

This year, we have seven judges from GPE, Derwent London, General Projects, Knight Frank, Broadway Malyan, Hawkins/Brown and NCG Global. They, together with the audience, will select the pitch that will make it into the BCO Incubator to be turned from a big idea into the real thing.

Let’s meet the judges and find out what they will be looking for at the finale on 22 October.

Frank Blande, head of sustainability, GPE

What are you most looking forward to as a judge for the BCO Ideas Competition?

I’m hoping to hear the ideas that make me think, “I wish I’d thought of that”. Especially if they help create more sustainable, future-proofed workplaces.

What makes a good idea a great investment?

For me, high impact, low carbon, commercially viable.

What makes a presentation stand out for you?

Keep it clear, keep it simple and let your enthusiasm for the concept show.

Why is it important to share and pitch ideas that could change the future of the workspace?

Fresh ideas are how we move forward – we won’t solve tomorrow’s problems with yesterday’s thinking.

What advice would you give to our finalists to secure your vote?

Be bold, be clear and show how your idea makes buildings better for people and the planet.

Kathryn Cripps, partner & head of asset management, Knight Frank

What makes a good idea a great investment?

For me, the best ideas solve a real problem in a simple and practical way. I’m always drawn to ideas that make you stop and think, “Why aren’t we already doing that?” The really exciting part is when someone can show how that idea could genuinely make a difference in the real world.

What makes a presentation stand out for you?

Authenticity. I’m far more interested in someone who clearly believes in their idea than someone delivering a perfectly polished presentation. If they can explain a complex idea simply, show why it matters and take the audience with them, that’s what stands out.

What advice would you give to our finalists to secure your vote?

Don’t worry about being perfect. Focus on the problem you’re trying to solve, explain why it matters and be clear about the difference your idea could make. Most importantly, let your passion for it come through.

Jacob Loftus, founder & CEO, General Projects

What are you most looking forward to as a judge for the BCO Ideas Competition?

Ideas without too much industry baggage. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes sees the opportunity everyone else has learnt to overlook.

What makes a good idea a great investment?

When 2 + 2 = 5. The best investments bring together the right people, place and ideas to create something worth more than the sum of its parts.

What makes a presentation stand out for you?

Clarity, less is more, conviction and a bit of personality. 

Why is it important to share and pitch ideas that could change the future of the workspace?

Cities are never finished; they’re constantly evolving and the workplace will continue to evolve with them. We need new voices willing to question what we’ve always done and look to what’s next. 

What advice would you give to our finalists to secure your vote?

A little bit of provocation goes a long way. Challenge something we’ve all quietly accepted as “just the way it is”.

Beth Starling, associate interior designer & workplace strategist, Broadway Malyan/ National NextGen chair, BCO

What are you most looking forward to as a judge?

I’m most looking forward to seeing the innovation, creativity and fresh thinking coming from the next generation of workplace professionals. It will be particularly rewarding to see the finalists bring their ideas to life after all the hard work, preparation and public speaking training they have undertaken.

I’m also excited to hear perspectives that may challenge existing assumptions about what a workplace should be. The competition is a great opportunity to see how the next generation is thinking about the future of work, and how their ideas could help create spaces that are more sustainable, inclusive, adaptable and inspiring.

What makes a good idea a great investment?

For me, a great investment is an idea that is both ambitious and achievable. It should address a genuine challenge or opportunity, while also having a realistic path towards implementation.

I’m looking for ideas that can create meaningful value for the people who use and experience a workspace, whether that is through improving wellbeing, increasing flexibility, supporting sustainability, strengthening inclusion or enabling greater innovation. A great idea should also have the potential to evolve and create a lasting impact, rather than being exciting only in the short term.

Most importantly, it should spark excitement while also making the audience think: Could this really work, and what could it achieve for the future of the workplace?

 What makes a presentation stand out for you?

A presentation stands out when the speaker is confident, clear and genuinely connected to their idea. If you believe in your idea, that belief becomes convincing and it helps the audience believe in it too.

The strongest presentations usually have a clear story: they define the problem, explain why it matters, present the solution and demonstrate the impact it could have. Good preparation is important, but so is allowing your personality and passion to come through. The best presentations leave you with a clear understanding of the idea and a reason to remember it.

Why is it important to share and pitch ideas that could change the future of the workspace?

Sharing and pitching new ideas acts as a catalyst for exploration, research, innovation, and improvement. It gives us the opportunity to question the way things are currently done and consider how our workspaces could better respond to changing needs.

The future of the workplace will not be shaped by one person or one discipline. It will come from a range of perspectives, experiences and ideas being brought together. Creating a platform for people to share ambitious thinking helps us push boundaries, learn from one another and identify ideas that could lead to meaningful change.

It is important to be at the cutting edge of workplace thinking, not simply to follow change but to help shape it. Even ideas that are not immediately implemented can start valuable conversations and inspire further development.

What advice would you give to our finalists to secure your vote?

My advice would be to be clear about the problem you are solving, why it matters and how your idea could make a real difference. Show us the ambition, but also demonstrate that you have thought about implementation, impact and the challenges you may face.

Most importantly, believe in your idea. If you are passionate, prepared and able to communicate your vision clearly, that will come across. Give us a reason to remember your idea and, ultimately, a reason to want to see it become reality.

Benjamin Lesser, head of design & innovation, Derwent London

What are you most looking forward to as a judge for the BCO Ideas Competition?

I’m looking forward to hearing fresh perspectives from the next generation of our industry. The most exciting ideas are often the ones that challenge established thinking and open up new possibilities.

What makes a good idea a great investment?

Great investments create long-term value for people, businesses and places. The best ideas balance ambition with commercial viability and have the potential to scale.

What makes a presentation stand out for you?

A standout memorable presentation tells a compelling story with clarity, confidence and purpose. I’m always looking for presenters who can communicate complex ideas simply, explain why it matters and make me care about the outcome.

Why is it important to share and pitch ideas that could change the future of the workspace?

The workplaces of tomorrow will be shaped by the ideas we discuss and debate today. Sharing and testing new concepts is essential if we want to create more productive, sustainable and inspiring environments for people in the future.

What advice would you give to our finalists to secure your vote?

Show me that your idea is innovative, challenging yet achievable. If you can clearly articulate the issue, why it matters, the challenge, the solution and the impact, you’ll have my attention. 

Nick Gaskell, partner & workplace sector lead, Hawkins\Brown

What are you most looking forward to as a judge for the BCO Ideas Competition?  

We talk about understanding the generation who will be shaping and using our future workspaces but often make sweeping generalisations – I’m looking forward to insight into how the NextGen really think.

What makes a good idea a great investment?
More than ever, our viable ideas need to achieve “wins” across multiple challenges – like aligning financial and environmental interests – otherwise the consensus needed to move forward is very challenging.

What makes a presentation stand out for you?

Answering the “so what?” question with clarity – not only articulating a challenge and what should be done, but why it matters… and to who?

Why is it important to share and pitch ideas that could change the future of the workspace?

The world is changing so rapidly – technologically, environmentally, socially… without free and creative sharing of ideas, our workspaces will fall behind and become redundant.

What advice would you give to our finalists to secure your vote?

I’m looking for originality and helping to move the conversation on; someone who has gone beyond identifying a trend and provided creative insight that we haven’t heard before. Easier said than done.

Thomas Proctor, founder & CEO, NCG Global

What are you most looking forward to as a judge for the BCO Ideas Competition?

I’m looking forward to seeing where the next generation wants to take our industry and being inspired by ideas that challenge my own thinking. At NCG, we’re always considering how technology can make buildings work better for people, so fresh perspectives are particularly valuable. I’m also keen to share lessons from my entrepreneurial journey and help the finalists think about what it takes to put their ideas into practice.

What makes a good idea a great investment?

A clear problem, measurable value and a credible plan to deliver it. I want to understand the outcomes, the potential returns and the risks involved. Evidence that early adopters are willing to commit their time or money is especially compelling. So is knowing the idea has been tested with peers and stakeholders, whose input can make it stronger. That opportunity to challenge and develop ideas is a real strength of this competition.

What makes a presentation stand out for you?

Clarity and focus. Make it easy for me to understand your idea, why it matters and what you want me to remember. A concise story, supported by well-chosen evidence, can be incredibly powerful. I also want to see your enthusiasm come through: when you understand your subject and care about the outcome, it gives people confidence in you.

Why is it important to share and pitch ideas that could change the future of the workspace?

Ideas get stronger when you open them up to different perspectives. Sharing your thinking with people who design, deliver, own and use workplaces helps you test assumptions and spot things you might otherwise miss. That feedback can shape a promising concept into something that works in practice. Pitching also helps you find the people who believe in the idea and can help you take it forward.

What advice would you give to our finalists to secure your vote?

Give me three clear things to remember: the problem you’re solving, the difference your idea will make and how you’ll take the first step towards delivering it. Back those points with evidence and be honest about what still needs testing. Above all, believe in yourself and let that conviction come through. You’ve earned your place in the final; make the most of the opportunity.

Tickets for the BCO’s NextGen Ideas Competition are fast selling out, so make sure you secure your spot at what will be one of the most inspirational, educational and innovative events on the real estate calendar this year.

Book your ticket here.

Huge thanks to the BCO’s Ideas Competition supporters, including platinum partner Knight Frank and gold partners Hawkins\Brown and NCG Global and to NatWest as our venue host.

More than 25 individuals have been shortlisted for this year’s BCO NextGen Awards.

From recognising the impact of outstanding professionals under 35, to celebrating the already-powerful contribution of a graduate, to rewarding the inspirational leadership supporting our next generation of talent, the BCO’s NextGen Awards are a true celebration of the future of the office sector.

This year’s judges were tasked with poring over a record number of entries to come up with the shortlist for the nine awards to be handed out at STEREO in Covent Garden on 12 November.

Those awards include the NextGen Rising Star for London & the South East, Midlands & East Anglia, Northern England, North Wales and Northern Ireland, Scotland and South West England and South Wales, which recognise the impact of professionals under 35 on the office sector.

Fifteen individuals have been shortlisted across the five regions. They are:

• Praneet Bhullar, Hawkins\Brown
• Maisie Cox, Workplace Creations
• Alejandro Mar Morales, Cundall
• Fanis Violentis, Gensler
• Tiv Kaur, Buro Four
• Alice Lacy, AECOM
• Timothy Newcombe, Cundall
• Bea Chivers, Ryder Architecture
• Jerryl Ong, Cundall
• Alan Stuart, Atelier Ten
• Ryan Alexander Reid, AECOM
• Andrew Campbell, Egis
• Karla Duncan, Bennetts Associates
• Laura Hennessy, Gleeds
• Cameron Straughan, Buckley Gray Yeoman

The Employer of the Year category recognises organisations that have created a stimulating and supportive work environment and made a real commitment to the welfare of their employees, resulting in high staff satisfaction levels and a well-motivated, ambitious and integrated workforce.

This year three firms are going head-to-head:

• Cousins & Cousins
• Elliott Wood
• Scotch Partners

The Graduate of the Year award showcases the talent of those just starting out in the industry. Category judge Jack Hawkins of GPE said the quality of submissions this year was high, with a particularly strong top half of the field.

“What stood out about the leading candidates was their wider impact beyond their companies through extra-curricular roles, mentoring, professional networks, community initiatives and social engagement,” said Hawkins.

“We’d expect this from Rising Star submissions but it was even more encouraging at the graduate level, which made for a competitive judging process.”

Four exceptional individuals made it through to the shortlist. They are:

• Molly Gardner, Multiplex
• Aideen McAlary, Specialist Group
• Jude McLoughlin, Cundall
• Esther Memeh, Savills

The BCO NextGen Impact award recognises the outstanding contribution of an individual who has significantly advanced social value through leadership in creating a genuinely inclusive workplace culture.

Judges paid extra attention to entrants’ efforts in designing and operating a workspace that fosters inclusivity, supports charitable initiatives and promotes positive social impact.

Three individuals stood out. They are:

• Huda Elsherif, Scotch Partners
• Jessica Glynn, Atelier Ten
• Adil Sajjad, JLL

The final award of the evening will be handed to the Inspirational Leader of the Year. Nominated by NextGen members, this award celebrates individuals whose influence extends far beyond their own organisations, making a lasting impact across the wider real estate sector. Four individuals have been shortlisted. They are:

• Maria Fernández Cachafeiro, Multiplex
• Lesley Hammond, 8build
• Kristy Lansdown, The Crown Estate
• Karen Trainor, Specialist Group

BCO chief executive Samantha McClary said: “NextGen accounts for almost a third of the BCO’s membership and their contribution to this ever-changing workspace sector is essential if it is to continue to thrive.

“To be able to celebrate that by handing out these very special awards is one of the greatest gifts we have at the BCO. These are the next generation of leaders, these are the people who will design, develop and operate the workplaces that will enable incredible ideas to develop, innovative products to evolve and businesses to grow. And if that isn’t worth recognition, then I don’t know what is.

“Massive congratulations to everyone shortlisted. We can’t wait to celebrate you all.”

The BCO would like to thank the judges for their time and expertise in shortlisting this year’s finalists and to its partners Make, Multiplex, Opera and Unova Consulting.

Image © Mr Tripper

BCO Conference 2026 insights: “I can’t believe we are still talking about the Covid effect all these years on,” said Ashleigh Corbett, head of flex for Scotland at CBRE, as the almost-opening gambit in a session about operational excellence.

She cast minds and memories back to the spring and summer of 2020 when flex enquiries “went up 150% overnight” as corporate occupiers started to realise it would be much easier to thrive in the post-pandemic office market with some sort of flexible workspace offer.

They were right. A prolonged period of near-universal working from home, followed by a somewhat messy navigation of hybrid working, saw demands change and employee preferences shift. A market once dominated by small businesses and start-ups became an integral part of the office landscape at breakneck speed.

Workspaces that work

Nearly seven years on, the question is less about why flex went mainstream and more about what landlords, occupiers and end users now expect from it and what that teaches us about delivering workspaces that work.

“We have to remember that the customer and the consumer aren’t always the same,” said Chris Moriarty, co-founder and director of workplace analytics software company Audiem. “A customer might care deeply about how flexible a workspace is, while the consumer might care more about getting a desk, having access to something decent to eat, clean toilets and whether the building actually works.”

The key to success, then, is making sure everyone gets what they want out of the deal. That means delivering excellence at every stage – in design, in development and in operation.

Flexibility needs to be at the heart of these spaces by default. The amenities and overarching functionality of the building can’t fall by the wayside because while it might be the elastic contract terms that draw in the customer, it is the amenities and design that are more likely to resonate with the people using it day to day.

Design-driven amenities

“These need to be customer-focused, hospitality-led, amenity-rich workplaces,” said CBRE’s Corbett. “It needs to feel more like home. Is it a gimmick to have GHD hair straighteners? Well, we are all heading out later and I’ll be going to freshen up at a serviced office because I know they have the good mirrors, the good showers and, yes, the good straighteners.”

“Design drives good amenity,” countered Ruairi Dempsey, electrical area business class lead at HDR. “As for the overarching success of these spaces, that’s simple: they must serve a purpose and, to be effective, we have to know how they are used.”

“People have to enjoy a space the first time they walk in,” said Stefano Faiella, director at Threesixty Architecture. “That’s how you get them to come back. Challenge number one is creating an emotional connection. That’s doesn’t need to be anything particularly complicated.

 “If someone can visit on a really bad day in the pouring rain and battering wind and still want to come back, that’s usually because there is something magical about the space; anything from the design to the location.”

And it is that, said our experts, that will determine whether a space succeeds. Everything else, from the hair straighteners to the location, feeds into that deciding factor.

Ultimately, they will come if design, development and operation deliver not just what the consumer wants, but what they need – with flexibility.

Words by Emily Wright

BCO Conference 2026 insights: The journey to net zero carbon buildings is paved with acronyms. It can be confusing, overwhelming and off-putting.

In an ideal world, realising ambitions to protect the future of our planet would be as simple as possible. In reality, standardisation and regulation play a critical role in ensuring the long-term decarbonisation of the built environment. The trick is knowing how to cut through the noise.

That’s where NABERS UK comes in. A rating system that is more straightforward than its abbreviation suggests, what does it measure and why does it matter?

The UK version of the National Australian Built Environment Rating System was officially launched in November 2020 and measures a building’s energy use in real time. That’s the USP. Where so many certifications and standards are assessed and evaluated largely based on design or specification, this one gauges the performance of an active, occupied building over a series of months. And you don’t get a much more accurate picture of a property’s energy use and output than that.

“NABERS doesn’t just give a snapshot of a building’s performance at the point of design”, explained Ellen Salazar, head of building services engineering at CIBSE. “It gives ongoing operational verification using 12 months of energy data.”

Recognised partnership

But how do we make NABERS and the new Net Zero Carbon Building Standard good friends?

Well, they already are, said David Partridge, chair of the UK NZCBS governance board.

NABERS results are audited and buildings are given a star rating. If a new building achieves a 5* rating or an existing building hits a 4.5* rating, it is automatically deemed to have satisfied the operational energy requirements of the new UK NZCBS.

One standard defines the ambition; the other indicates when and whether that ambition has been achieved.

The two standards are “joined at the hip”, said Partridge. And because a NABERS rating is independently verified over a 12-18-month period by accredited assessors, it’s a partnership that gives developers and owners a recognised, respected route to demonstrating operational net zero.

“It begins with an initial design review based on ambitions and assumptions,” said Salazar. “Then it goes into modelling, followed by a second assessment, handover and then those 12-18 months of operation monitoring, which ends in the actual performance rating.”

Vote of confidence

The commitment forces every decision, right from the early design stages, to be considered against the pursuit of a promised rating – a compelling vote of confidence for investors and occupiers alike.

And if a building doesn’t achieve its targeted NABERS rating immediately? Not a problem. In fact, this focus on the growth and evolution of a building is part and parcel of the process. Not designed as a pass-or-fail moment at practical completion, performance is expected to improve as occupation goes on and teams start to better understand a property and can more effectively fine-tune its operational performance. Data can be analysed, operational issues identified and improvements made.

“I think the net zero standard is a gift to offices,” said Partridge, referring to the fact that the industry has access to a certification that takes into consideration the complicated, ever-changing nature of an occupied building: properties where landlords control some systems and occupiers control the others; spaces where energy use shifts depending on how they are used; and where technology that promises the earth fails to live up to expectations in reality.

But what about embodied carbon? Not fixable with a BMS tweak or an adjustment of operating hours based on building use data over time, this is a much thornier issue to manage. The answer is not to make the targets easier, said Partridge, but to use them to highlight and tackle the materials and construction processes carrying the biggest carbon burden. A catalyst for innovation. Not a stick to be used to punish the industry, but an “on ramp” to help the sector collectively move in the right direction.

Words by Emily Wright

BCO Conference 2026 insights: Social value is complicated, and that’s OK. Communities are complicated too. What that means is that successful social impact can and should mean different things to different people in different places.

“The question should never be ‘what does social value mean?’,” said Kieran Ronnie, head of social value, Europe, at AECOM. “It should be ‘what does social value mean here? In this place.”

Social value can’t be reduced to a universal checklist. It can’t even be reduced to a single definition. Perhaps it doesn’t need one. Perhaps the time has come to accept the fact that social value, like the communities it serves, can be a bit confusing – even a bit messy – and that the industry should be focusing less on chasing a neat, but ultimately unhelpful and reductive, definition, and more on tangible delivery.

“You have to understand the local needs first and make sure your social value strategy responds to them first and foremost,” said Neil Onions, founding director of Beyond the Box, a social enterprise and civic engagement practice set up to help developers, local authorities and cultural organisations better involve and include communities in how built world projects and places are shaped and delivered.

“Don’t fall into the trap of building places around local communities rather than building places for them,” he said.

That means talking to those communities, of course, but also considering who you are speaking to – and who you have the most access to – before making any firm decisions.

Key considerations

“Sometimes, it’s the loudest voices that get heard,” said Nick Walker, director of built heritage and townscape at Iceni Projects. “But what about the person holding down three jobs who doesn’t have time to come to the consultations? They are probably the people who matter the most.”

It is crucial, he added, that those delivering any kind of social impact, from contractors to consultants and from architects to planners, really understand the community they are serving. And that they refrain from delivering a load of flowers beds: “Local communities don’t want those,” he said.

While it may have been a flippant remark, the comment holds a lot of truth and value as part of wider discussion around delivering meaningful social value.

People don’t want tokens. They want real impact.

“Social value is about leaving a legacy,” said Callum Scott, ESG lead at Multiplex. “As a main contractor, this is so important. We want to change people’s lives.”

That legacy can take many forms, from bringing more jobs to a local area to improving accessibility or designing and delivering places that work for and support different generations and genders.

The earlier the better

While outcomes vary, there was one point on which there was unanimous agreement: successful social value starts early. Last-minute add-ons are far less likely to create long-lasting benefits.

“When we consider social impact, people often jump to things like local activities and career days,” said Onions. “If you want a real impact, you have to think about it at the start of the process, decide what you are committing to and make sure there is accountability from whoever is procuring what you are going to deliver.”

For Simon Bone, principal at Perkins & Will, this means things like accessibility and new community spaces have to be included at the very early stages of a project.

“These are aspirations that need to be actively transformed into a strategy, embedded into a plan and measured to help us understand how successful they have been,” he said. “We should be asking who is using the spaces we have delivered? How have they made them feel? What has the feedback been? That’s all key information.”

Measuring the impact of social value can be as confusing as the concept itself, but in an ocean of metrics there is one thing that tells us more about how well a place or space is serving the people around it than anything else – how the local community responds.

“Successful social impact is viscerally felt by the local community,” said Onions. “And that is the only measurement that matters.”

Words by Emily Wright

BCO Conference 2026 insights: When the first significant wave of Gen Z employees entered full-time employment in the early 2020s, their arrival signalled the emergence of the five-generation workforce.

The youngest cohort – born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s – joined the ranks of the working population at a time when some Silent Generation employees – those born up until the mid-1940s – were extending their careers beyond traditional retirement age. As a result, five generations are now working alongside each other, creating one of the most significant demographic shifts in modern employment.

This raises an important question for our industry: Are today’s offices equipped to support a labour force spanning seven decades?

Not really, said Rebecca Robins, author of Five Generations at Work.

“We are missing out here,” she warned. “While 81% of employers agree that a multigenerational workforce is key to growth and success, less than 10% have the policies and programmes in place to support it.”

And it’s not just office employees spanning so many generations. It’s the entire world of work.

“We have five generations of customers and stakeholders too,” said Robins.

“The future of successful companies rests on understanding this shift. Embracing it, or not, could dictate whether you are still in business 10 or 15 years from now. So how do we unlock all of that potential?”

Intergenerational conflict

In short, we need to move beyond intergenerational conflict at work, which requires a fundamental culture shift towards intentional inclusivity and a complete eradication of age-related stereotypes. To do that we need employees of all ages to understand why there are different approaches to work across the generational divides.

It’s all about context, said Robins. And appreciating this, above all else, is the key to reducing conflict.

“We all need to understand why different motivations at work exist,” she said. “If you are starting your career now, for example, and you know we have an ageing population and that most of us will live longer than previous generations, you may not want to work for a law firm the way people did previously. You might decide that spending 90% of your week at the office is not for you, and for good reason.”

Decisions like this should be accepted as indicators of evolving social norms, not weaponised to fuel stereotypes, Robins added.

In many ways, office design has kept up with the changing nature of age-based employment much more effectively than attitudes. Kier’s director of business development, Tim Mote, pointed out how the cellular offices and the closed-door policies that traditionally kept senior – and often older – directors separate from everyone else have seen a sharp decline.

But there is still a long way to go when it comes to creating physical spaces that better support a multigenerational workforce. And not everyone is aligned on how best that can be achieved.

Jen Watson, design manager for the London estate and Whitehall campus at the Government Property Agency, strongly advocates the power of collaborative space to bring workforces together for cross-generational discussion, conversation and harmony.

“Designing for all generations means creating and protecting those [collaborative] spaces,” she said.

Earle Arney, founder and chief executive of AFK Studios, was less convinced, however, and argued that promoting and protecting collaborative spaces at the cost of different sorts of work environments was a mistake.

“Work requires us to complete a multitude of tasks, some of which are quiet and focused,” he said. “Designing an office for one task for the entire day is absolutely crazy. This is as much a diversity issue as it is a generational issue. The way people think and communicate is vastly different, not just because of their age but because of who they are as people.”

Creating harmony

He added that another potential driver of harmony across the five-generation workforce could come, somewhat ironically, from what he referred to as the sixth generation: AI.

“If we consider AI as part of this discussion, then there are actually six generations in the workforce. Technology and the way we are using AI is really democratising access to knowledge, which will radically transform the traditional structures of the workplace.”

This could be a game changer in terms of levelling the playing field and minimising conflict across workforces, said Arney.

Just don’t use it to ask for an overview of each generation, said Lauren Lemcke, an associate at AECOM and the most recent winner of the BCO NextGen Ideas competition.

From Gen X – “independent cynics who just want to be left alone” – to Millennials – “entitled job-hoppers who expect rapid promotion and constant praise” and Gen Z – “always on their phones, don’t really want to work but expect to be the CEO by 30”, the portrayals were far from flattering.

It was an amusing exercise that revealed a real problem, said Lemcke.

“I didn’t ask for a negative description. But AI has automatically given me one,” she said, adding that this said a lot about how we tend to speak about and perceive generations.

After asking the same question but clarifying the answers should be positive, things looked and sounded very different. Gen X became “independent, pragmatic, adaptable problem-solvers”. Millennials were described as “collaborative and purpose-driven” and Gen Z was upgraded to “digitally fluent, entrepreneurial and challenging the status quo”.

Ultimately, it’s all about perspective and appreciating that a successful multigenerational workplace is not one where everyone works in the same way, but where different experiences and approaches are recognised as strengths.

Not just five generations at work, but five generations that work.

Words by Emily Wright