Leadership Next

The question Are you happy at your job? seems to be on the top of more people's minds than ever before. Employees are looking for employers whose values align with their own and who will care for them in moments of personal and global strife. Employees' changing priorities have revved up the War for Talent, where a shortage of workers in many industries has led companies to reassess how they attract and keep talented people. How has this shifting dynamic already changed hiring? How does hiring still need to change? Indeed CEO Chris Hyams explains.In this episode, Hyams joins hosts Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt for an in depth conversation about the changing nature of work and the resulting impact on the labor market. Hyams shares his insights on why talent is more important to companies than ever before and what leaders should focus on to meet the needs of the moment. He gives his thoughts on how to minimize bias and prioritize inclusivity in hiring. He also frankly discusses his own learning journey that has led him to be a more thoughtful, inclusive leader.

Instacart was a pandemic darling. Its nationwide network of drivers, shoppers and grocery partners made it a go-to service for Americans stuck at home during a time when grocery shopping was considered a high-risk activity. But what does Instacart do now that many of us have returned to the norm of in-person shopping? Fidji Simo, who just marked her one-year anniversary as the CEO of Instacart, answers this question, and more.In this episode of Leadership Next, Simo tells host Ellen McGirt why she wanted to be CEO of Instacart, even during such tumultuous times. She explains Instacart's decision to begin accepting SNAP EBT benefits and how that's tied to the company mission of increasing access to healthy food. Also in the conversation: what she learned from a 10-year career at Facebook and why she is optimistic about the company's future even in the face of a 40% cut in its valuation, .

Even if you have never heard of Arm, you've likely used its technology. Arm is a semiconductor and software design company. It designs blueprint technologies for the microprocessors that live inside most of the tech we use every day, including our smartphones, our TVs and our cars. The ubiquity of this technology also makes demand for it very high. So how is this high demand impacted by the struggling international supply chain and Russia's invasion of Ukraine? And what does this mean for the consumer? Arm CEO Rene Haas explains.Also in this episode, Haas and Fortune CEO Alan Murray discuss Arm's impending IPO, Arm's work to make chip processing more climate friendly, and how the rapid access to information has changed the nature of leadership.

Over the past two years, Arianna Huffington, CEO of Thrive Global, and Tony Bates, CEO of Genesys and co-author of the book Empathy in Action. have been spreading the word that empathy-driven leadership isn't an afterthought, it is an essential business practice. They believe this approach not only makes employees happier at work but boosts productivity and other important metrics.What does it mean to be an empathetic leader? How do you do it well? Why is it important, especially right now? Huffington and Bates share the details with Leadership Next hosts Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt.Also in the episode: how Genesys software helps call center workers monitor and manage their stress levels, how the pandemic has fueled a focus on empathy at work, and why both Huffington and Bates have dedicated themselves to companies that center emotional wellness.Thrive Global is a behavior change technology company that Huffington started in 2016 after she collapsed due to sleep deprivation and exhaustion. Bates' company Genesys is a software company with the vision of creating empathetic customer service experiences at scale.

Kate Ryder, the founder and CEO of Maven, was early to telehealth. Ryder founded Maven in 2014 after witnessing and experiencing gaps in the women's and family healthcare model. Today, Maven offers patients access to a digital network of over 2000 providers specializing in women's and family health. It has become the first company valued at over a billion dollars in the category. This suggests investors - alongside employers and insurance companies - are recognizing the business case for comprehensive family planning and reproductive health benefits.Ryder joined Fortune CEO Alan Murray in Aspen, CO at Fortune's Brainstorm Tech Conference. In this powerful conversation, Ryder explains what healthcare shortcomings motivated her to start Maven and how the company has evolved over the past eight years. Ryder also shares how employers have responded to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and how the ruling is impacting her company.

Niren Chaudhary is the CEO of Panera Brands, which includes the popular chain restaurants Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bagels. The brand has nearly 4,000 restaurants across 10 countries, and the company is committed to serving high quality food in every one of them. Panera also wants to make sure its 110,000 employees feel supported on and off the job.In this episode of Leadership Next, Chaudhary tells Alan Murray that Panera Brands only serves food he would be willing to serve to his own family. He also describes Panera's commitment to providing its diverse workforce an array of educational and growth opportunities. Chaudhary elaborates on how including each meal's individual carbon footprint on the menu is key to their sustainability goals and how his late daughter inspires his leadership. Chaudhary is also Leadership Next's first singing CEO! Stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear his ode to Panera's chicken sandwich.

Shipping is an industry that is so invisibly essential to our lives, so much so that we might only think about it when something’s wrong. And the world has been talking a lot about the shipping industry since the start of the pandemic BECAUSE there are so many factors making their jobs very difficult. Supply chain issues, COVID restrictions, climate concerns, the invasion of Ukraine... to name just a few.In this episode, hosts Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt interview Søren Skou, the CEO of Maersk. Maersk is a Danish shipping and global logistics company that moves goods around the world, primarily by sea. Skou talks to Alan and Ellen about the challenges and opportunities presented by the global events of the last two years. Skou discusses how the pandemic, China’s stringent Covid regulations and the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has impacted the supply chain and Maersk’s role in it. He also explains Maersk’s decision to withdraw its business from Russia after they invaded Ukraine, how Maersk plans to meet their goal of going carbon neutral by 2040 and what tech advancements consumers can expect from the shipping industry in the coming years.

Hayden Brown is the CEO of Upwork, a platform that connects freelance workers with companies looking to hire. Founded over twenty years ago, Upwork went public in 2018. But it was the pandemic that has truly proved to be a turning point as both workers and companies have begun to embrace remote work in new ways.In this episode of Leadership Next, Ellen McGirt digs into the size and scope of the freelance economy, and explores how the past two years continue to influence the future of work. Also in the conversation: bringing new diversity into a company via freelance talent, Brown's push to help working moms regain jobs lost during the pandemic and the opportunities that come with crisis.

Over the past two and half years, many companies have transformed at faster rates than ever before, as the sudden shifts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for racial justice, and other events have accelerated the need for new ideas and innovations. Those organizations that rose to the challenge were able to navigate ongoing disruptions—and embrace change to meet the evolving needs of their stakeholders. Now, as business leaders look ahead, they are searching for ways to continue to build on this growth. Here, Fortune Media CEO Alan Murray and Deloitte US CEO Joe Ucuzoglu sit down to discuss how global events have challenged businesses, from digital transformation to the Great Resignation, and how forward-looking leaders can utilize the lessons they’ve learned throughout this challenging and transformative period to come out even stronger.“Deloitte presents: Leadership Transformed” was produced by FORTUNE Brand Studio. FORTUNE editorial staff was not involved in its creation or production. The views and opinions expressed by podcast speakers and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions of FORTUNE. 

For two and a half years, Leadership Next has introduced listeners to a new CEO each week - exploring how these leaders are looking beyond the bottom line and tackling issues that impact employees, customers and other stakeholders.But, to mark our 100th episode, Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt have invited three previous guests back to the show. Why? To learn how much progress these CEOs have made on some important initiatives, and gain perspective on how strongly the business world is embracing the idea of stakeholder capitalism.Today you'll hear from Chip Bergh, CEO of Levi Strauss; Adena Friedman, CEO of Nasdaq; and Martin Whittaker, CEO of JUST Capital.