Workplace Trends

Performance Management in the Age of AI: the new 3‑Dimensional Model For decades, the 9‑box grid shaped how organizations assessed talent—mapping individuals along two familiar axes: ✔ Business performance (“what”) ✔ Behaviors or potential (“how”) Over time, many companies moved away from this model, concluding it oversimplified the complexity of human performance and sometimes reinforced bias more than it reduced it. AI is fundamentally reshaping work, shortening the lifecycle of skills and creating new capability demands at a pace conventional frameworks were never designed to keep up with. As a result, a new paradigm for performance management is emerging. Organizations are starting to consider a three‑dimensional approach to performance—one that integrates not just what people deliver and how they behave, but also how they grow. The new 3D model consists of three axis: 1. Business Results: Measures impact, delivery, and contribution to outcomes. 2. Behaviors / Ways of Working: Captures collaboration, leadership etc. and.. 3. Skills Development: Assesses capability building, learning velocity, and readiness for future roles. The third axis reflects a simple reality: In an AI‑driven workforce, continuous skills development is no longer optional—it’s strategic. IBM has begun to formalize this multidimensional view in its talent and rewards model. Their approach includes: 1. Integrating skills into pay: Base pay and equity linked to skill progression. 2. Balancing objectives: Business and skills goals carry equal weight 3. Future skills visibility: Regular communication on evolving skill requirements see: https://lnkd.in/eTDE-XmE Not every organization can replicate this model at scale, but it illustrates where performance management is heading. The central questions are shifting. Not just: “Did someone deliver results?” But also: “Are they developing the skills the organization will need next?” and “Are they learning at the speed the environment requires?” The move from a 2D grid to a 3D, capability‑driven framework may become one of the most consequential shifts in performance management in the age of AI—signaling a future where growth, adaptability, and skill relevance stand on equal footing with results.

🐝 I just saw a drone the size of a fly and it honestly made me pause. Not because it’s futuristic, but because it’s already here. Scientists are now building AI-powered micro-drones that look and move like real insects. Each one can fly, record, and transmit data — all while being almost invisible to the human eye. What’s truly new is the combination of biomimicry and artificial intelligence. They don’t just fly; they think like insects — adjusting to wind, avoiding obstacles, and navigating spaces too small for any traditional drone. Imagine what this unlocks: → Search and rescue in disaster zones → Environmental monitoring without disturbance → Precision agriculture and crop tracking → Real-time surveillance anywhere on Earth It’s an incredible leap in engineering and a powerful reminder that innovation often starts small. But as our machines learn to see everything, can we still decide what should remain unseen? #AI #Innovation #Drones #Technology #Future #Ethics #Surveillance

NEW ANALYSIS: Electric vehicles are entering the mid-transition space starting to replace ICE vehicles in more and more markets. The transition is already underway. Global EV numbers have grown from 1.2 million in 2015 to nearly 60 million today. History shows that shifts like this can happen faster than expected: in the early 20th-century US, horses and mules virtually vanished from roads in under 30 years. As with the rise of the car, today’s transition is shaped as much by policy and politics as by technology. ICE vehicles didn’t dominate through technical superiority alone—they were supported by massive public investment in roads, urban design, and highways funded by fuel taxes. EVs are well placed to move even faster. They directly replace ICE vehicles while being cleaner, cheaper, and quieter to operate. And past transitions suggest that like-for-like replacements—think black-and-white to colour TV—tend to spread far more quickly than entirely new products. Our new report by the Centre for Net Zero (Octopus Energy Group)'s excellent Andy Hackett, Izzy Woolgar, RMI's Yuki Numata and Laurens Speelman and me at Environmental Change Institute (ECI), University of Oxford describe how EVs are posed to enter a next phase in it's adoption curve. This is the phase of 'system integration', where integration of EVs into the broader energy and transport system (think vehicle to grid, flexible charging, widespread and equitable charging, battery recycling) becomes more and more important, alongside reducing costs, intense competition, increasing quality and efficiency, and increasing supporting technologies. This new phase represents new opportunities and new challenges both for policy makers and business which we unpack in this report. You can read the report here: https://lnkd.in/eRNdpMj6

If someone told me in the 90s that some day people would pay to count their steps and track their sleep, I would have laughed. Back then, fitness in India was very simple. Some basic gyms. Morning walks. A few public playgrounds. No business models. No content. No communities. I started training because I loved it. I did it for my body, my mind and my work. Somewhere along the way, it became who I am. Over the years, I’ve watched fitness slowly turn into an industry. First came the big shiny gyms. Then the boutique studios. Then the apps & watches, the challenges, the programs. Today, fitness is no longer just workouts. It is a full ecosystem. Trainers, physios, nutrition coaches. Sports academies for kids. Senior citizen programs. Group classes, local leagues, communities. Wellness tourism too! There are businesses being built around fitness and wellness now. When you build it right, a fitness business does 2 things. It makes people healthier. And it money earned with a clean conscience. The hard part is doing it right. I’ve seen gyms open with big launches and shut down quietly a year later. Apps that spent on downloads & influencers, only to see users disappear in weeks. The real problem in fitness is not getting people to start. It is making them stay. The businesses I like are the ones that understand this. They invest in good coaches. Their pricing allows them to survive for years, not just months. They’re honest about what’s possible in 3 months, and what will take 2 years. It may not look very exciting in a pitch deck. But that is the only way any fitness business truly wins. I see a huge opportunity in India for those who understand this. Parents who want their children to move more. Professionals who sit long hours and need strength, not just looks. Seniors who want to stay independent for as long as they can. If you can build for these people with patience and realism, you will not run out of work. I also feel the next big wave in fitness will be about community, not weight loss or abs. Local sports leagues. Small group training. Like this group of runners I see regularly, training for a marathon. I love seeing young adults spend their Saturday nights playing football or cricket on the turf with their friends. Ahan tells me these turfs are always booked. At least in the big cities, padel and pickleball are a part of almost every second conversation. That tells me people are looking for movement that is fun, not just serious. People do not only want a six pack. They want to feel like they belong somewhere. I say this as someone who’s been training for years. Workouts matter. But the people around the workout matter just as much. If you are building in fitness or wellness today, do not just ask how many people signed up this month. Ask how many came back. Ask how many feel stronger and safer in their own body because of you. If you can keep that number growing, you’re building something that is built to last.

There has been much handwringing about the increasing credit problems of subprime borrowers and the fallout on the financial system and economy. Subprime borrowers are indeed suffering serious financial stress. The delinquency rate on #subprime loans (loans to borrowers with below a 660 Vantage score) jumped to 8.3% in September. This is the highest delinquency rate in September since 2010 in the immediate wake of the Global Financial Crisis. And the direction of travel is disconcerting. It is just more evidence of how hard-pressed lower and middle-income Americans are. However, worries that losses on subprime loans will be a big blow to banks and other financial institutions are overdone. Subprime loans outstanding as of this September total $2.63 trillion, equal to 15.3% of all household debt outstanding. At their peak in 2007, they totaled $3.38 trillion, equal to 28.2% of outstanding debt. Outstanding subprime first mortgage loans are a shadow of what they were in the lead-up to the GFC, and there is about the same amount of subprime bank cards outstanding. Consistent with the recent bankruptcies in the auto sector, there are more subprime auto loans outstanding than prior to the GFC. Still, even so, they amount to just over $400 billion in outstanding. Not enough to do the financial system or the economy in. At least not yet.

This is the single most important paper to come out in our sector in recent weeks. Erik Brynjolfsson, Bharat Chandar and Ruyu Chen investigate whether generative AI is leading to job losses in roles most exposed to AI – and how these effects differ by age and the way AI is used. Key findings: → Young workers (ages 22-25) in high-AI-exposure jobs like software development and customer service experienced a 6% absolute drop in employment since late 2022, while employment for workers aged 35-49 grew by over 9% → This pattern only appears in jobs where AI automates work - jobs where AI augments human capabilities showed no employment decline for young workers → The changes are visible in hiring patterns rather than wages, suggesting companies are hiring fewer entry-level workers rather than cutting pay AI may be creating a two-tier job market. I will be looking deeper into this in Exponential View in the coming days and weeks.

US$27.6 trillion moved through stablecoins last year - more than Visa and Mastercard combined. Regulators are stepping in - but their approaches are very different. Still, 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀 are emerging: ·      Reserves: stablecoins must be fully backed 1:1 by safe, liquid assets - typically cash or short-term government bonds - to preserve value and ensure redemption. ·      Redemption rights: users must be able to cash out at face value, within timelines set by law - ranging from same-day (UAE, Hong Kong) to five days (Singapore). ·      Independent custody: backing assets must be held separately from the issuer’s own funds, often by regulated custodians or in trust, to protect users in case of failure. These shared principles reflect regulatory alignment on the minimum requirements for trust and stability in issuing and using stablecoins. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘆: ·      Who can issue: some jurisdictions restrict this to banks (Japan, South Korea), while others permit non-bank fintechs (US, EU). ·      Reserve rules: the US allows only cash and Treasuries; others like Japan and the UK permit a broader mix of safe assets. ·      Redemption timelines: these differ significantly - affecting liquidity and user expectations. ·      Cross-border limits: Some regimes block foreign-issued stablecoins unless they meet local regulatory standards (e.g. EU, UAE). 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: ·      The US push is accelerating adoption - but puts pressure on non-US issuers to either comply with US rules or exit the market. ·      Asia’s bank-led models favour control and stability but may limit openness and cross-border scale. ·      UK–EU regulatory alignment will determine whether stablecoins can move freely between key markets - or remain siloed. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁: ·     Stablecoin regulation is unfolding much like the early days of card networks - built jurisdiction by jurisdiction, with each market defining its own rules on issuance, custody, reserves, and redemption. ·     Alignment may come, but not soon. Meanwhile, adoption is accelerating. Trillions are already flowing through stablecoins, and regulators are shifting from drafting rules to enforcing them. ·     For issuers and infrastructure providers, waiting for harmonisation is a risk. Competing in this space means navigating a complex patchwork of rules, or losing access to key markets. Opinions: my own, Graphic source and data points: EY 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫: https://lnkd.in/dkqhnxdg

3 consumer trends I saw this week that show Gen Z and alpha consume very differently from us. I’ve seen four generations of consumers in my own house - My dadi, my parents, Trisha and I, and now my daughter. There were minor evolutions in consumption as we went down the generations. But, now the playbook seems to have shifted completely. Here are 3 examples from founder conversations this week: 1. Dinner sets are dead. It’s about sets of 2/3 My grandfather had a 24-piece porcelain set. White, gold rimmed, never used. Only brought out when “important guests” came over. That was what buying for an occasion looked like. Seeing a young couple spending ₹10,000 on two mugs from Good Earth for their morning coffee ritual isn’t uncommon today. A founder in the dinnerware space told me it’s experiential now. Customers want a different bowl for ramen, a different plate for sushi, a proper thali for Indian food, and an entire shelf just for mugs. Even if it’s just for personal consumption and in sets of 2. India’s homeware market is set to double by 2032. And over 60% of young buyers start their journey on Instagram and Pinterest. So, the playbook has turned. 2. Perfume ≠ One Bottle Anymore In college, I had one perfume that lasted two semesters. A "signature scent" was for my personality. Now? Gen Z rotates 4 to 6 fragrances. One for work. One for the gym. One for date night. One just for the vibe. And, they ‘layer’. Fragrance has gone from utility to emotion. It's your mood. It’s self care. (Yes, I’ve written about this before. Link in comments.) 3. Fitness is the New Friday Night For me as a young adult, weekends meant parties and fancy meals. Now I get texts like: “Bro, paddling tomorrow?” “Saturday run at 7am?” I see more Padel tournaments, 10Ks, and gym stories than party reels. And honestly? I love it. Everyone is talking about their trainer, diet or fitness regime. The new social flex is now your marathon personal best or knowing what ‘Hyrox’ means 🤣 . The new generations aren’t just spending more. They’re spending with emotion, ritual, and aesthetics. And, they’re spending differently. If you're still selling the way you did 5 years ago, you're selling to a past that’s not coming back. Do you agree? Have you seen the same story? #India #consumer #genZ #d2c

Equal Pay Day moved BACKWARD in 2025 to March 25th, revealing a harsh truth: transparency without enforcement doesn't create equality. 60% of job postings now include salary information—up from just 18% in 2020—yet women still earn just 85 cents to a man's dollar. Even more disturbing? The gap is widening. Of 98 countries with equal pay laws, only 35 have implemented any accountability mechanisms. We're seeing the illusion of progress without the substance. True salary transparency requires action at every level: For individuals: - Share your salary information with "trusted" colleagues - Explicitly ask for pay ranges before interviews - Document salary discussions and decisions - Normalize compensation conversations in your workplace - Research industry standards using sites like Glassdoor and Payscale For managers: - Conduct regular pay equity audits in your teams - Establish clear compensation criteria based on skills and responsibilities - Remove salary history questions from your hiring process - Advocate for transparent promotion pathways For organizations: - Implement formal pay bands with clear progression criteria - Regularly publish company-wide gender and racial pay gap data - Create accountability mechanisms for addressing inequities - Train managers on recognizing and addressing unconscious bias in compensation decisions The data is clear: companies with meaningful transparency see pay gaps narrow significantly in the first year alone. But posting a salary range isn't enough if there's no accountability behind it. Let's move beyond performative transparency toward meaningful equity. Please share this post if you think salary transparency should come with real action. Joshua Miller #SalaryTransparency #PayEquity #Workplace