1/31/17

The Agility Mindset

© SpringerHow reframing flexible working delivers competitive advantage
Fiona Cannon OBE 
31 January 2017
£24.99 | $39.99 | Hardback | 978-3-319-45518-1

 

The Agility Mindset uniquely presents and defines the business value of workforce agility in the UK for the first time.

Written by Fiona Cannon OBE, one of the UK’s most eminent workplace diversity experts, The Agility Mindset presents an unrivalled wealth of unique research, opinions and practical solutions from leading business leaders, supported by case studies from organisations across all sectors.

Until recently, workforce agility has for the most part been treated as a benefit for employees and a cost for employers. This needs to change.  The external business context has changed significantly since the 1980s, thanks to new technologies, changing customer demands, demographic shifts, and globalisation. These and other trends have created new challenges and opportunities for organisations and set the context for this book.

The book builds on the work of the Agile Future Forum (AFF), an alliance of chief executives and chairmen from companies including BT, Cisco, ITV, John Lewis, KPMG, Willis Towers Watson and McKinsey & Company.  Established by Lloyds Banking Group in 2011, the 22 founder members of this collaborative venture employ over half a million people in the UK and are, as such, a microcosm of the UK economy.

For the first time, The Agility Mindset:

  • Presents unique research that demonstrates that, in the areas reviewed by the AFF,  agile working practices are currently generating value equivalent to 3 – 13% of workforce cost with the opportunity to generate further value equivalent to 3 -7% of workforce costs
  • Brings together case studies of real deployments of agile working practices, contributed by CEOs of various AFF members, including Ford of Britain, KPMG, Lloyds Banking Group, ITV, BT and Yorkshire Building Society
  • Argues that the productivity gains at a company level achieved by AFF members suggest that more widespread use of agile working practices could lead to improvements in the UK’s productivity
  • Presents  tools, developed by and tested on AFF founder members, to assess the value of agile working practices; including an Agile Readiness Index and the Business Value Assessment (BVA) which uniquely starts with the needs of the organisation, and focuses on quantifying organisational benefits
  • Provides practical advice on how to overcome barriers  to the implementation of agile working practices – the majority of which are internal to organisations, and can be resolved or avoided with careful planning
  • Hears from the AFF  CEOs and chairmen about the future of work in a volatile, uncertain and complex world where an agile mindset is a formidable competitive advantage

Sir Winfried Bischoff, founder chairman of AFF, comments: “The evolution from traditional flexible working to robust workforce agility is likely to prove one of the most fruitful sources of competitive advantage in business over the next decades.”

For more information, proof copies and requests for interviews with Fiona Cannon OBE, please contact Four Colman Getty:

Matt.Railton@fourcolmangetty.com / +44 20 3697 4262

Nisha.Emich@fourcolmangetty.com / +44 20 3697 4259


-Ends-


Praise for The Agility Mindset

‘No one reading The Agility Mindset will be in any doubt that workforce agility is a crucial element of a successful 21st century business. The Agile Future Forum’s cutting edge work demonstrates that there are economic benefits to agile working, but that a new approach is required. Fiona Cannon eloquently and practically lays out a disciplined and proven framework that leads to cultural change and creates tangible value through increased productivity.’
Sir Winfried Bischoff, Chairman, Financial Reporting Council and Chairman, JP Morgan Securities plc

‘The world of work is changing dramatically and organisations need to be much more agile in response. But it’s not easy. The Agility Mindset shows how it can be done, with a powerful blend of valuable insights on the workforce of the future and a practical guide to creating a more agile workforce that has been developed by employers themselves. And it works – whatever the sector, size or location of your business. I highly recommend the book to any executive looking to create a competitive, agile and sustainable organisation.’
Dominic Casserley, President, Willis Towers Watson plc

‘The need for an agile workforce to provide competitive advantage is becoming increasingly clear. The challenge is how to respond effectively. This significant book provides an overwhelming case for change and by turning the traditional approach to flexibility on its head, provides senior executives with an innovative and creative solution to a live business issue.’
Adam Crozier, Chief Executive, ITV plc

‘It is rare to find a book that combines new ideas, along with the tools to put them into practice. The Agility Mindset provides a compelling case for a new approach to agile working. But more than that, it outlines a step by step guide which can transform the way organisations work to the benefit of both employers and employees. The approach is particularly attractive, given that it has been developed by and tested on employers. We have found it invaluable as we look to develop our thinking on agile working within Lloyds Banking Group.’
Andrew Bester, Chief Executive, Commercial Banking, Lloyds Banking Group plc

‘The CBI has always believed that agile working brings bottom line business benefits – this important book sets out the case. Moreover, in providing evidence that an increase in agile working practices can help UK productivity, it helps create a burning platform for action. Anyone interested in creating the workforce of the future will benefit from learning about the experience of the Agile Future Forum.’
Carolyn Fairbairn, Director General, CBI, UK


Notes to editors

Fiona Cannon OBE has worked in the financial services for over 27 years and is one of the UK’s most eminent workplace diversity experts. Throughout her career Fiona has argued for more agile and inclusive workplaces; she was chair of the Employers Group on Work Life Balance, established in 2000 to look at how employers could support flexible working for employees, and a member of the Work and Parents taskforce in 1999, which advised the government on the original UK flexible working legislation. In her role as Inclusion and Diversity Director at Lloyds Banking Group, Fiona has been implementing the lessons learned as a director of the Agile Future Forum.

AFF Founding Members:

·         Addleshaw Goddard*

·         B&Q

·         BP

·         Bupa

·         Brunswick

·         BT*

·         Cisco*

·         Citi*

·         EY

·         Eversheds*

·         Ford*

·         HM Treasury*

·         ITV*

·         John Lewis*

·         KPMG*

·         Lloyds Banking Group*

·         McKinsey & Company*

·         Mitie

·         MTM Products Limited*

·         Norman Broadbent*

·         Tesco*

·         Willis

·         DLA Piper

·         IBM*

·         Microsoft

·         PWC

·         Rufus Leonard*

·         YBS*

*Case studies contributed to The Agility Mindset