Repairing Work: Why Gen Z and AI are Stitching a New Future (Not Tearing Down the Old One)

👀 I Watched This TEDx Talk – and It Really Got Me Thinking

• By coincidence, following on from my blog of a few days ago – during which I questioned why young people would ever considering working with some insolvency firms – I happened to come across a fascinating TEDx talk by Amanda Schneider titled “Work is broken. Gen Z can help fix it.”
• You can watch it yourself here: Watch the TEDx talk
• What she said rang true. In fact, I see it every day in my work – the generational differences in how people approach work are stark, obvious, and growing.
• These aren’t subtle shifts. They are visible, almost like an evolution playing out in real time.
• And that’s what we need now: an evolution of work, not a revolution. No need to burn everything down. Just reimagine, retool and – crucially – restore some sense to the workplace.

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🔍 What’s Broken, Exactly?

• Work as we know it has become unnecessarily complicated and, in many cases, demotivating.
• People are exhausted. Systems are slow. Processes are bloated.
• Too often, employees – especially younger ones – are handed tech that feels 20 years out of date and processes that feel even older.
• Amanda Schneider argues that Gen Z can help fix this mess – and I agree.
• But they can’t do it alone. We need vision, strategy, and tools.

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🤝 An Evolution, Not a Uprising

• This isn’t about ripping everything up and starting from scratch.
• It’s about evolving with purpose and with people in mind.
• Gen Z brings new expectations – flexibility, transparency, purpose, and digital fluency.
• Older generations bring experience, judgement, and deep sector knowledge.
• The goal? A balanced, collaborative workplace that leverages the best of all generations.

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⚙️ Where AI Fits In: The Ultimate Enabler

• AI is the ultimate catalyst in this evolution – not just for tech-savvy Gen Z, but for everyone.
• Tools like VAi (our own generative AI built for the insolvency world) are changing how work gets done – smarter, faster, more creatively.
• AI brings:
  • Speed – admin tasks completed in seconds.
  • Accuracy – less room for error in drafting and decision support.
  • Efficiency – freeing time to focus on strategy, clients and people.
  • Creativity – helping generate ideas, not just numbers.
• But let’s be clear: AI isn’t perfect. It’s powerful, but it needs oversight.
• That’s why there must always be a human in the loop.

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💡 How AI Helps Gen Z Lead the Evolution

• Gen Z understands that technology is a partner, not a threat.
• AI helps them:
  • Get quick answers and insights.
  • Automate the dull bits.
  • Personalise their learning.
  • Collaborate more easily across teams and time zones.
• With tools like VAi, they can co-pilot workflows and focus on what really matters – results, relationships, and values.

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🔄 What About Your Business?

• Here’s the real question: What steps are you taking to integrate AI into your business?
• And more importantly: How does that AI strategy link to your client delivery model, your HR policies, your procedures and your culture?
• A few suggestions to consider:
  • 🤖 Customer Experience – Use AI to triage queries, personalise client onboarding, or generate follow-up reports.
  • 👩‍💼 HR and People – Introduce AI to support recruitment, onboarding, and training. Let it do the paperwork so your people can focus on people.
  • 📋 Policy and Process – Use AI to keep procedures consistent and compliant. Ask it to check tone in emails or draft internal memos.
  • 🔍 Knowledge Sharing – AI can act as a living knowledge base. Use it to help new staff find answers fast, or to surface hidden insights in old files.

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🧠 Vision Required—Not Just Tools

• This isn’t about jumping on a bandwagon. It’s about building a workplace that works.
• That takes vision – someone to set direction and ask: how should we work? What should we stop doing? How do we measure success?
• AI is a great enabler, but it’s the people and the purpose that make it worthwhile.
• You need to train your people. Give them time to learn the tools. Let them play, practice, and provide feedback.
• Evolution doesn’t happen in a day – but it does start with a conversation.

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🎯 Bringing It All Together

• Work is changing. People are changing. Technology is changing.
• The old ways aren’t sustainable – but the new ways can be better for everyone.
• With the right mix of people, process and AI, we can evolve work into something more human, more efficient, and more meaningful.

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📞 Let’s Talk About What Comes Next

• If you’re ready to explore how AI could help your insolvency or accountancy business evolve – without the drama – then let’s talk.
• Whether it’s your first step or your fiftieth, VAi can help.

📧 Email me: paul@vaisolutions.co.uk
📞 Call me: 07813 102014

Or simply start by watching Amanda’s TEDx talk and having a think. You’ll find it here:
👉 https://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_schneider_work_is_broken_gen_z_can_help_fix_it_mar_2025

Let’s evolve the workplace—together.

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