Liberty IT’s Emma Mullan explores how modern organisations can address workplace transformation and growth.
Emma Mullan is a senior director of talent at Liberty IT, leading the human resources and communications function. Her core focus is on shaping culture and fostering an environment that supports innovation.
“Transformation is fundamentally about driving and managing change, and my priority is to create as much certainty as possible so people can focus on opportunity rather than fear,” Mullan told SiliconRepublic.com.
She explained that the organisation approaches large-scale transformation as if it were a collaborative exercise, mapping impact and developing a foundational people-first culture.
She said: “When people feel safe to ask questions, experiment, learn from one another and share insights, capability grows sustainably – which is critical as the pace of change accelerates, especially with AI. To make this culture tangible, we’ve introduced the Culture Playbook and the Culture Stars programme.
“The Culture Playbook defines our purpose and the behaviours that guide how we work together, how we collaborate, share knowledge, support one another and continually raise the bar on quality as skills and technology evolve.”
Can you discuss recent programmes or initiatives introduced at Liberty IT?
A great example is our GenAI Learning Mission, which is a curated collection of events and resources to help everyone at Liberty IT navigate, share and develop in an AI‑augmented workplace. It’s designed to support our transformation in a practical way, by building the capabilities we’ll need for tomorrow, while reinforcing the culture and standards that matter today. It creates clear learning pathways for different roles and starting points and importantly, it’s not just for engineers. With tools like LibertyGPT and Microsoft 365 Copilot, GenAI is critical across the organisation, so our mission starts with foundational capability for everyone to encompass advanced upskilling in emerging technologies for many of our engineers
It also supports a mindset transformation. The biggest shift isn’t learning new tools, it’s about learning and adopting new ways of working. With the rapid advancement of GenAI, skills such as critical thinking, flexibility, curiosity and creativity are more important than ever. That’s why we’re investing in leadership enablement and team conversations, so people feel supported to ask questions, experiment and learn by doing.
How do culture programmes help build current and future-focused skills?
Culture-focused programmes support positive employee experiences and can make skills development real by shaping what happens day to day. Leaders play a pivotal role in creating the culture of learning within their teams so that they encourage time for learning, sharing and innovating. Over the last year, we have focused on giving our leaders the tools to both manage change themselves and lead their teams through change.
We’ve been leaning into the human aspects of moving through transformation and by supporting our employees in this way, we have created a safe environment for continuous learning and development, setting them up to learn skills that they need for today and the future. As a culture, we encourage mobility as part of supporting skill development. We actively support movement between teams, whether that’s stretching opportunities, cross-team projects or transitioning into emerging areas like GenAI, people can build experience and capability in real contexts. Over time, that creates a workforce that’s more resilient, more engaged and better prepared for whatever skills the future demands.
What’s your advice for tech leaders who want to strengthen culture during transformation?
Leaders shape culture through what they prioritise, what they reward, and the behaviours they role-model every day. During transformation, people need clarity and consistency, clear direction on what’s changing, why it matters, and how teams are expected to work together as priorities and tools evolve. A big part of a positive culture today is enabling future skills development.
Leaders need to create space for learning in the flow of work, encourage knowledge sharing, and invest in the mindsets that enable adaptability, curiosity, critical thinking and confidence to try new approaches, particularly as AI becomes increasingly embedded. It’s also important to recognise the human reality of change. Transformation can bring uncertainty, so actively listening and involving teams in shaping solutions builds trust and resilience. When leaders normalise learning-by-doing, celebrate progress and remove barriers to collaboration, culture becomes a practical support system, not just a set of values.
Over the course of the next 12 months what do you predict for the recruitment landscape?
The industry will continue to be heavily influenced by the rapid acceleration of AI. Organisations across multiple sectors are increasingly seeking talent with experience in these emerging technologies, capability that does not yet exist at scale. This will intensify competition and increasingly require organisations to hire for potential, rather than experience. As roles continue to evolve, greater emphasis will be placed on core, transferrable skills such as problem-solving, communication, collaboration and adaptability. Individuals who demonstrate a growth mindset and curiosity about emerging technologies will remain in high demand, even as job titles and technologies continue to evolve.
In the short term, we also see a risk emerging in the market. Reduced demand for entry-level technical roles, driven by market uncertainty, could create a future shortage of experienced talent, as fewer early-career professionals are given the opportunity to enter and grow within the industry. To respond effectively, organisations will need a balanced approach. At Liberty IT, this means combining targeted hiring for critical skills with sustained investment in developing our people and rethinking how we upskill entry-level talent.
Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.
