Forget FOMO. We need to talk about FOBO*
The *Fear of Being Obsolete: first coined way back in 2016 by the Harvard Business Review, is gaining currency right now – as we all feel the heat of AI coming for our jobs. And it's a real fear - a poll last month by Henley Business School found that 61% of full-time professionals feel overwhelmed by the speed at which tech is developing around them.
The International Monetary Fund predicts AI will affect 40% of jobs, while the Institute for Public Policy Research found that secretarial, customer service and admin roles (overwhelmingly held by women) are first in line to disappear.
FOBO even featured in Grazia last month, when Isabel Berwick, host of the FT’s Working It podcast, spoke to the mag about the impact of AI. It’s not all bad news, said Berwick, explaining that it could improve our productivity by 30% as it revolutionises “the work of work” – all those constant emails, meetings and admin that are a massive time-suck.
“The best thing you can do is get a little bit ahead of the curve,” advises Berwick. “Have a play around with AI and get in the habit of using it as part of your life. Keep abreast of what’s coming – and be proactive in trying new functions.”
Automation displacement: a red flag for women
FOBO around AI has also been taken seriously by the UK government alongside its Employment Rights Bill, currently progressing through Parliament, representing one of the most comprehensive overhauls of UK employment legislation in recent years.
Significant “day one” changes around parental leave will arrive from April 2026, as we explained here, and simultaneously, a separate but connected piece of legislation – the Employment Rights (Automation and Retraining) Bill – proposes mandatory employer-funded retraining for workers displaced by automation, with advance notice and income support.
Automation displacement is likely to disproportionately affect women, because twice as many women as men work in occupations with a high risk of automation – such as administrative, clerical, and service roles.
One study reported by HR Review estimates women are 40% more likely to lose their roles to AI than men, largely because tech and cashier roles (female-dominated) are prime automation targets. Meanwhile, McKinsey & Company projects that 22% of employed UK women could see their jobs displaced by automation by 2030.
But for the Bill’s retraining schemes to succeed, they must be gender-responsive - providing accessible, flexible programmes and closing the gender tech skill gap. A Code First Girls study found 80% of women in tech report a lack of career development support, and 40% fear replacement by AI.
A larger share of women will qualify for protections under the Bill – potentially increasing their receipt of retraining, income support, and transition services, including a guaranteed 75% of previous earnings for up to 12 months, funded equally by employers and government.
It’s a red flag for women employed in lower-paid or part-time roles, especially for those balancing childcare costs. Additionally, women earn less on average, meaning 75% of a smaller wage falls miserably short compared to male peers, perpetuating financial disparity.
Martha Lane Fox - President of the British Chambers of Commerce
“You can’t be what you can’t see,” says Martha Lane Fox
Businesswoman, peer, and President of the British Chambers of Commerce, Baroness Martha Lane Fox, who will open our Women in Work Summit Inspiration Stage, is a vocal advocate for closing gender gaps in digital skills and supporting women’s transitions into tech, and has repeatedly urged equipping women with digital skills to fill IT roles and bridge the digital gender gap.
Having shot to prominence in the late 1990s as the co-founder of Lastminute.com, the travel booking website that became one of the symbols of the UK’s 1990s internet boom, Martha Lane Fox has criticised the lack of gender diversity in UK tech, saying it has not progressed in 25 years, while also taking aim at companies backtracking on workplace gender equality.
As a vocal critic of tech bro culture, Lane Fox is challenging the tired stereotype of tech leadership, not by arguing with it but by highlighting something better. As she wrote in her recent Substack article: “while progress can feel glacial, there are brilliant examples of what’s possible.”
Lane Fox holds out examples such as Dr Toyin Ajayi, CEO and co-founder of Cityblock Health in the US, and Poppy Gustafsson, who recently swapped the helm of Darktrace, the global cybersecurity firm she co-founded, for public service as the UK’s Minister for Investment.
“Because tech is no longer a sector tucked away in Shoreditch or Silicon Valley. Tech is everywhere. It’s in our schools, our hospitals, our banks, our courts. Every organisation is now, in some form, a tech organisation. And so the question of who gets to shape that world and with what values, is one that should matter to all of us.
“The careers of Poppy, Toyin [and others], are not just inspiring anecdotes – they are blueprints for a more inclusive future. They remind us that leadership does not have to be loud or linear. It can be quiet, complex, and grounded in empathy.”
“Anyone can learn AI skills”
Amanda Arrowsmith FCIPD, [outgoing] People and Transformation Director at the CIPD, a Women in Work Summit partner, says it’s vital for women to embrace AI skills as a way to remain competitive, adaptable, and relevant in the evolving workplace.
She explains: “there's a real opportunity for women to step into the AI space and use these tools productively – not just to grow, but to remove obstacles and take away daily challenges. We can use AI as a helper that makes our professional lives easier, rather than seeing it as a threat.
“Anyone can learn AI skills - you don't need to be a tech expert. I'm an HR professional who set up simple automations, and if you're comfortable using Instagram, you can certainly explore ChatGPT and other AI tools.
“The more women that get involved in AI, the more we can help these models learn and improve. If we want AI to be more intersectional and remove bias, then we have to be part of those conversations and actively use these tools."
Lifelong learning for the intergenerational workplace
From teenage apprentices to septuagenarian CEOs, five generations are now at work in the UK – and each has a different set of learning and career development needs.
At the early careers end of the scale, young women are reporting a lack of opportunity to progress, as shown by the Young Women’s Trust’s Annual Survey in 2024 which found that:
More than half (52%) are worried about their lack of progression, up from 47% in 2022.
Over a quarter (27%) of HR decision makers that we surveyed agree that it is harder for women to progress in their organisation than men.
Young women are more likely than young men to have been offered a zero hours contract (40% compared to 35% of young men).
56% of young women told us that they have the support they need to progress in their careers, compared to 64% of young men.
Claire Reindorp, CEO of the Young Women’s Trust, will be joining us at the Women in Work Summit as a panelist. She says: “Things are getting worse, not better for young women in the workplace, with far too many in low paid, insecure work and struggling to progress. The good news is that many employers are learning from all the good practice that exists out there to ensure that young women can thrive in their organisation. From salary transparency to flexible working, better job security to creating workplaces where discrimination is not tolerated, change is possible. And it’s good for all employees, for business and the economy as a whole.”
Mary Bekhait - Chief Executive Officer at YMU
Why do women CEOs leave sooner?
Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, a recent Harvard study shows that women CEOs average 5.2 years in the role, compared to 7.9 years for men. That’s not just a tenure gap, it’s a signal of deeper structural issues, as our alumna and returning 2025 speaker Mary Bekhait, CEO of talent agency YMU highlighted via LinkedIn:
Women CEOs are 33% more likely to be dismissed, often regardless of performance.
Their exits get twice the media coverage, yet the language used is strikingly different.
And when they do get the top job, it’s often during times of crisis aka the “glass cliff.”
The implication? We’re still uncomfortable with women in power unless they “save” something, and even then, we’re quick to critique how they do it.
“As a woman CEO in a fast-moving, creative industry, I’ve seen firsthand how differently leadership is perceived depending on gender. There is still more scrutiny, more second-guessing, and more weight placed on tone than on results. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
“Boards can help narrow the gap by redefining what ‘great leadership’ looks like beyond charisma and legacy; providing structured support for bold, new leaders; calling out bias when it creeps into media, markets or internal culture; and staying close to company culture because real change never happens from the outside. Let’s stop asking why women leave earlier and start asking why the system still pushes them out.”
Dr Nicola Hodson, Chair of IMB UK - Inspiration Stage Keynote Speaker
Don't miss our 'Future of Work - Who's Leading the way?' session with Dr Nicola Hodson, Chair of IMB UK - as we explore how equity, AI and leadership come together.
How to prevent FOBO
Social media can be great place to up skill and learn more about tools and resources in the AI and tech space for women. Dr Emma Harvey, co-founder at the Five Hour Club suggests 15 minutes a day of curiosity – with these Instagram pearls of wisdom:
@askcatgpt - non-pretentious AI education.
@Tiffintech - software developer and the future of tech broken into easy-to-understand way.
@Lifeofacpo - leadership and HR.
@sundaskhalidd - data, career and AI tech tips.
@Womenindata - free lunch and learns in tech
For maximum learning and inspo to fight the FOBO – remember to book your ticket for Women in Work Summit 2025...
🗓️ Thursday 9th October
📍Kings Place, London
WiW Summit 2025 is more than an event – it’s a movement. Come and be a part of it.
Here’s why you need to be there:
Hear from world-class speakers driving progress.
Connect with thought leaders and innovators.
Discover strategies to embed equity in your organisation.
Celebrate the companies leading the way in inclusion.
Help us with the movement and make our vision real.
Stay tuned – whether you’re a business leader, policymaker, or advocate, your voice matters. Together, we can create workplaces that work for everyone.
Good for women. Good for business.