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Episode 5

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Published on:

22nd Sep 2024

Austin Okolo: Empowering Gen Z for Tomorrow

Austin Okolo, CEO and co-founder of the Gen Z Club, discusses the gap between Gen Z and corporate companies and how his organization aims to bridge that gap. He highlights the unique qualities that Gen Z professionals bring to the workplace, such as their tech-savviness and access to information. Austin emphasizes the importance of understanding and accepting Gen Z's perspective and harnessing their skills and talents effectively. He also discusses the changing workplace and the need for companies to align with Gen Z values, such as sustainability and social impact.

Gen Z professionals thrive in workplaces that allow them to express their entrepreneurial flair. Companies that embrace this mindset have happier Gen Z employees who are more engaged and motivated. However, some hiring managers may be hesitant to hire individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset due to concerns about their commitment to the company.

He explains that it is important for organizations to understand and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit of Gen Z employees, as they can bring valuable skills and perspectives to the workplace. Gen Z professionals value passion, proactiveness, and the opportunity to make an impact. Integrating entrepreneurship into the corporate world and creating a supportive environment for side hustles can help attract and retain Gen Z talent.

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About the Podcast

Diversity Matters
The show where every voice is welcome, and every story is celebrated.
In this podcast series, Mike moves away from the traditional DE&I rhetoric, to get a better understanding of what diversity, equity and inclusion actually means for us as individuals. Are we seeing real change? Do you feel a greater sense of belonging in your workplace and community? Each week Mike and his guest open an honest dialogue on a specific DE&I topic, some discussions will be inspirational, others might be a little uncomfortable but hopefully all will be interesting and thought provoking.

About your host

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Mike Sealy

Mike is currently the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director with a world leading exhibition and event organiser, he leads, coordinates, and champions the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging efforts across the business to ensure the long-term sustainability of the D&I strategy in relation to the company’s colleagues, customers, content and communities.
Through his own lived experiences, he is deeply passionate about fairness, equity, and inclusion for all. He is a dedicated coach, mentor, motivator, and podcaster who regularly speaks at events and on discussion panels both to corporate colleagues and students in education. He speaks candidly on his work and social experiences to create awareness of the issues and opportunities within diversity and inclusion as well as to help build confidence, freedom, and motivation in others.
Mike is British with Afro-Caribbean heritage. He is thought leader with a strong client centric and customer experience mindset and has demonstrable experience of leading teams across complex international matrixed organizations possessing a strong track record of delivering results. He has held senior leadership positions at Hewlett Packard, Microsoft and the BBC, leading and setting up businesses and organizations and has won awards for management and execution excellence in the process.