HBS Managing the Future of Work
Harvard Business School
Artificial intelligence. Robotics. The Gig Economy. Globalization. The world is changing at a dizzying pace in ways that will have a profound effect on the economy, jobs and the flow of talent. How will firms cope with the changes ahead and what steps do they need to take today? Each episode features faculty from the world’s leading business school interviewing CEOs, technologists and experts on the bleeding edge discussing how to survive and thrive by managing the future of work.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 22, 2023 • 34min
Mark Peters: How altruistic employee assistance pays off
Beyond a paycheck, how much do employers owe their workers? A business alliance focused on employee assistance has had success in helping employees manage their lives and improve their prospects. Mark Peters, CEO of his family business, Butterball Farms, and co-founder of employee assistance nonprofit The Source, talks about the bottom line benefits of an expansive social contract.
Feb 15, 2023 • 29min
Gregory Washington on the relevance of George Mason
The crisis in higher education argues for a more expansive approach to academics, workforce, and business development, according to the head of Virginia’s largest public university. The school’s first African American president talks about leading through Covid, promoting opportunity, and wrestling with the legacy of the institution’s namesake.
Feb 8, 2023 • 35min
Skills engine: An update on Google’s role as training provider
What’s the strategy behind the tech giant’s expanding portfolio of certificate programs and partnerships? Lisa Gevelber, founder of Grow with Google, on boosting prospects for workers with and without college degrees, coordinating with employers to address the skills gap, and enhancing post-secondary institutions’ career-launching capabilities.
Feb 1, 2023 • 31min
Good jobs as good cause: The philanthropy of upward mobility
Rachel Korberg, Executive Director of the Families and Workers Fund, on the collaborative philanthropy model, public-private partnerships, defining good jobs, and the business case for creating more of them
Jan 25, 2023 • 38min
Extra credit: Reach University’s apprenticeship-to-degree model
In combining upskilling through on-the-job training with tailored online courses, Reach helps school districts develop faculty internally. Founder and chancellor Mallory Dwinal-Palisch breaks down the approach, which offers flexible degree programs to existing employees. Could this be a template for other in-demand professions?
Jan 18, 2023 • 36min
AI: The good, the bad, and the transformative
Is it too late to secure the guardrails? More and more businesses are turning to AI for its efficiencies and revolutionary potential, but its proliferation has sparked widespread skepticism and questions about equity, privacy, liability, transparency, and security. AI expert and entrepreneur Manoj Saxena parses the business, policy, ethics, and workforce implications.
Jan 11, 2023 • 35min
How federal stimulus can break new ground on economic development and good jobs
American Rescue Plan program director Todd Fisher on the complex business of steering billions in investments to build up talent pipelines along with local and regional economies.
Dec 21, 2022 • 35min
Amplifying frontline worker voice to boost productivity
When workers can vote with their feet polling their views can reduce turnover and increase engagement. WorkStep co-founder and CEO, Dan Johnston on making frontline work a better proposition for both employees and businesses.
Dec 14, 2022 • 36min
Abby Falik on Global Citizen Year and finding purpose
HBS grad Abby Falik founded Global Citizen Year to cultivate young leaders through a gap year of cultural immersion and community projects in developing countries. She's looking to promote HR practices and credentials that recognize the value of such experiences and the skills and competencies they produce.
Dec 7, 2022 • 36min
The digital "help wanted" sign. Can AI improve hourly staffing?
Instawork Co-Founder and CEO Sumir Meghani on the company's shift work platform. The intermediary touts better, data-driven matches and a more efficient market. How do the algorithmic decisions boost outcomes for workers and businesses?
