Exploring Generation Numb, leadership, and the human cost of constant change.
Bristol, UK – 16th January 2026 – In a recent conversation with Forbes, Sponge’s Chief Creative and Learning Officer, Josh Cardoz, and Chief Marketing Officer, Olivia Haywood, explored a growing shift in how people are experiencing work and how leadership can adapt in response.
The discussion centred on Sponge’s Generation Numb whitepaper which describes a workforce shaped not by age, but by the shared experience of prolonged uncertainty, economic instability, digital saturation, and the after-effects of the pandemic. Over a sustained period, these factors have compounded to create a sense of fatigue and emotional overload which spans generations and seniority levels.
For Cardoz, this represents a fundamental leadership challenge.
“Generation Numb describes a real, lived experience,” he explains. “It reflects what leaders and employees are telling us every day. People are navigating constant change, but without the time or space to process it. That cumulative effect is starting to surface in ways organisations can’t ignore.”
In the Forbes conversation, this experience was explored against a backdrop of rising executive optimism. Findings from the International Workplace Group’s 2026 State of the U.S. C-Suite Report suggest many CEOs are confident about the future, even as organisations continue to tighten budgets, adopt AI at pace, and rethink flexible work strategies. This contrast points to a growing tension between strategic ambition at the top and lived experience across the workforce.
Haywood sees this as a defining feature of the current moment.
“There are signals everywhere that people’s experience of work is fundamentally changing,” she notes. “These signals indicate a workforce in ‘survival mode,’ with employees numb to the constant stream of change and demands coming at them. Of course, one of the biggest challenges is that leaders are feeling this just as much as everyone else – charged with galvanising the workforce whilst feeling worn out and numb themselves.”
Throughout the conversation, Cardoz and Haywood emphasised that traditional, process-driven leadership models are no longer sufficient. In environments where plans evolve quickly and certainty is limited, the ability to lead humans, not just manage systems, is becoming an essential capability.
“In today’s world, any plan you’re investing in is likely to be outdated before you even hit the green button.” Haywood adds. “By contrast, investment in equipping your people to handle change – even thrive in it – will yield dividends for years to come.”
The discussion also touched on the growing importance of authenticity, imagination, and connection at work. Leaders are being challenged to acknowledge what is real, create space for creativity, and build environments where people feel seen and supported.
As organisations continue to navigate an increasingly complex workplace frontier, the conversation with Forbes reinforces a simple but powerful idea: sustainable performance starts with understanding human experience and designing leadership and learning around it.
Read the full Forbes article here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/hvmacarthur/2025/12/19/the-new-workplace-frontier-rekindling-purpose-for-generation-numb/
Download the Generation Numb whitepaper here: https://www.spongelearning.com...