Why Skills Gaps Keep Growing and What Leaders Miss - Charlotte Harris, Nicholsons

April 16, 2026

Why Skills Gaps Keep Growing and What Leaders Miss – Charlotte Harris, Nicholsons

Skills gaps are being talked about in boardrooms everywhere right now, but I think we need to look far deeper than recruitment statistics or the latest government target. It’s not just about how quickly you can hire or how many apprenticeship schemes you’ve got going – it’s about what your workplace stands for, and the environment you’re creating for people to grow and truly engage.

A thriving organisation isn’t filled by accident. What’s really shaping the capability pipeline? If we want high-performing teams, we have to consider how leadership, education, industry, and even the earliest childhood experiences all connect. Charlotte Harris from Nicholsons joined me for a conversation that stretched from government forestry targets and primary school curriculums, to the reality of recruiting and retaining people in the green sector.

There’s huge value in nurturing potential from within. That means valuing a diversity of backgrounds, creating workplaces where everyone from Gen Z to seasoned experts can learn from each other, and making sure there’s proper support for people moving into management. Too often, people become ‘accidental managers’ without the tools or mindset to succeed – and we miss the chance to build leadership capability for the future.

Charlotte has a keen eye for what actually helps people thrive at work – clear expectations, self-awareness, and a workplace culture where feedback is welcomed up and down the ladder. There are some brilliant prompts here for anyone who wants to step back from firefighting and really understand the bigger picture.

Getting leadership and culture right isn’t glamorous, but it makes all the difference to wellbeing, engagement and performance. If you want people to flourish, you need more than recruitment drives and bolt-on initiatives – you need a company that listens, learns, and adapts together.

More about Charlotte

Charlotte Harris is an Associate Director of People at Nicholsons, an environmental consultancy and contracting practice with offices in Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire. She is passionate about people-first culture and balancing kindness and inclusion with productivity and accountability to drive commercial success.

Charlotte works within a wonderful People Team who help to deliver the key concepts discussed in this podcast.

Get in touch with Charlotte: https://www.nicholsonsgb.com/contact-us/