Insights: Recent Episodes
The Conference Board
Insights brings together... helps senior human capital executives address challenges and stay informed about current issues across the entire spectrum of human capital. Each webcast offers concise, insightful research and insights as well as practitioner responses to human capital challenges in strategic workforce planning, workforce readiness, diversity & inclusion, talent management, strategic human resources, employee engagement, leadership development or human capital analytics.
Thank you for listening to Let's Talk Global Business.
We're excited to share that this podcast is joining forces with another TCB series, C-Suite Perspectives. http://csuiteperspectives.libsyn.com/website
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The conversation continues on C-Suite Perspectives.
In this episode, we explore the evolving expectations placed on CEOs regarding their stance on social issues. Join host Sarah Murray as she discusses the delicate balance of corporate communication with global marketing strategist Su Simha and communications expert Jan Botts.
Youth in leadership is often questioned, but what if it's actually a competitive advantage?
In this episode, we explore how young CEOs are reshaping the future of business with co-CEO of Skysun, Leopold Coppieters. From fresh perspectives to bold decision-making, we unpack what modern leadership really looks like today.
In our latest episode, we tackle the pressing question: Is this the end of growth? Join us for an engaging discussion with Tony Verb, Executive Director at Carbonless Asia and Alejandro Fiorito, economist at The Conference Board, as they share insights on economic trends, investment strategies, and the role of AI in shaping the future of business.
In this episode of Let's Talk Global Business, Sara Murray engages in a profound discussion on the evolving dynamics of Europe's relationship with China amidst a backdrop of geopolitical tension and economic transformation. Joined by experts Joerg Wutke and Max Zenglein, the conversation navigates the complexities of trade, investment, and political trust as both regions grapple with the realities of de-risking versus decoupling.
In this episode of Let's Talk Global Business, we delve into the intricate relationship between semiconductors and global defense strategies with experts Daniel Gerstein and Dan Wong. As the competition for semiconductor supremacy intensifies, we explore the dual systems emerging from the U.S. and China, each with unique approaches to innovation and military capabilities.
In this episode of Let's Talk Global Business, Sara Murray dives deep into the semiconductor race, a critical battleground influencing everything from AI to national security. Joined by experts Daniel Gerstein and Dan Wong, the discussion explores the implications of chip technology on global power dynamics, the intricacies of supply chains, and the potential for military applications. Discover how the competition for semiconductor supremacy is reshaping industrial strategies and what it means for the future of global business.
Are you ready for the upcoming changes in pay transparency? Join us as we unpack the EU's new directive and its impact on organizations. Our expert guests, John Beadle, Saul Husiman, and Marion Devine share valuable insights on compliance and cultural transformation.
In this episode of Let’s Talk Global Business, trailblazers Vinita Bali and Dr. Sandhya Karp explore breaking systemic barriers, redefining success, and creating inclusive cultures that elevate talent—regardless of gender. Listen now and be inspired by women who lead authentically.
What does a four-day work week really look like—and can it actually improve productivity? In this episode of Let’s Talk Global Business, Sara Murray is joined by Joe O’Connor (Worktime Revolution) and Will Hedges (Meridia) to explore how organizations are rethinking work, performance, and well-being.
In this episode of Let's Talk Global Business, we explore the intricate world of digital currencies and their implications for global power dynamics. Join host Sara Murray as she engages with experts Josh Lipsky and Maria Demertzis to unpack the complexities of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), cryptocurrencies, and the evolving landscape of international finance.
In this episode, we explore the transformative impact of AI agents on marketing with industry veterans Matthew Godfrey and Florian Klaass. Join Sara Murray as she delves into the changing landscape of persuasion, connection, and trust in marketing.
Join senior executives Amy Belcourt, Edvard Bergström, and Mats Lundberg as they share real-world insights into how to communicate sustainability authentically and effectively. From aligning internal values with external messaging to building trust through transparency, this episode is packed with practical advice for any organization navigating the complex landscape of environmental responsibility. Listen now and discover how to turn your eco narrative into an asset — not a liability.
Dive into the world of AI with experts Brian Evergreen and Christian Kromme! Are we nearing an AI bubble? What does the future hold? Find out in our latest episode!
In this episode, we explore the rapid advancements and complexities of artificial intelligence (AI) with experts Brian Evergreen and Christian Kromme. From the sustainability of the AI bubble to the ethical implications of AI in the workforce, our guests provide deep insights into the current landscape. Join us as we unravel the future of AI and its potential impact on businesses and society.
In the opening episode of season 2 of Let’s Talk Global Business, host Sara Murray explores the evolving investment landscape in China with Alicia Garcia Herrero, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis, and Alfredo Montufar-Helu, Head of The Conference Board’s China Center. From changing consumption patterns and economic uncertainty to the rising challenges faced by Western multinationals, the conversation dives deep into the real dynamics shaping business in China today
In Season 1 of Let’s Talk Global Business, host Sara Murray took us on a tour of today’s hot topics in business —exploring topics from the rise of AI and pay transparency to evolving workforce skills, the global energy landscape, and CEO confidence in Europe and China. We'd like to thank our guests who contributed their time and expertise: Thomas Krogh Jensen, Frederic Cho, Tojin Eapen, Claudio Truzzi, Isabelle Mateos y Lago, Ivan Pollard, Claudio Murri, Aaron Brown, Alan Riley, Alex Heil, Denis Pennel, Joshua Morley, Konstaninos Panitsas and Alfredo Montufar-Helu.
We've got a brand new season coming soon with an exciting lineup of new guest speakers and topics subscribe and follow-us so you never miss an episode.
In this episode of Let's Talk Global Business, host Sara Murray delves into the latest CEO Confidence surveys for China and Europe. With confidence dipping into negative territory in both regions, Sara is joined by Alfredo Montufar-Helu, who lead the Conference Board's China Center, and Konstantinos Panitsas, economist at the Economy, Strategy and Finance Center in Europe. They explore the reasons behind the declines in confidence, the impact of geopolitical tensions, and the economic outlook for both regions.
Group Chief Economist at BNP Paribas, Isabelle Mateos y Lago joins Sara Murray and Maria Demertzis, The Conference Board's new ESF Center Leader, for a special end-of-year edition of "Let's Talk Global Business". They take a look back at 2024, and the elections that have shaped Europe's economic outlook. Is Europe in a better position after this festival of democracy? Despite the doom mongers, they end on an upbeat note. Listen in to find out more.
In this special crossover episode of Let's Talk Sustainable Business and Let's Talk Global Business, hosts Sara Murray and Barbara-Mendez Jorge delve into the complexities of ESG reporting with The Conference Board's Anuj Saush and Andrew Jones. The conversation highlights the challenges of managing complex ESG data, the role of ESG controllers, and the cultural differences in ESG adoption between the US and Europe.
In this episode of Let's Talk Global Business, host Sara Murray is joined by Denis Pennel, Managing Director for the World Employment Confederation Europe, and Joshua Morley, Global Head of Artificial Intelligence Data and Analytics at Akkodis.
Together, they explore the evolving landscape of skills in business, especially in the context of AI and new technologies. They also discuss the regional differences in skill development between APAC and Europe, and the collaborative efforts needed between academia, government, and enterprises to bridge the skills gap.
In this episode of Let's Talk Global Business we explore the future of energy on both sides of the Atlantic. Sara Murray is joined by Alan Riley, Visiting Professor at the College of Europe, and Alexander Heil, Senior Economist at the Conference Board, to discuss the transition to renewable energy, the role of small modular reactors, and the challenges of energy security. Delve into the complexities of decarbonization, emerging technologies, and the geopolitical implications of energy policies. Don't miss this insightful discussion on shaping a sustainable energy future!
You can find Alex Heil's full article at https://www.conference-board.org/publications/nuclear-renaissance-small-modular-reactors-could-meet-US-baseload-energy-demand
In our latest podcast episode, we explore the intricate world of pay transparency and its implications for businesses across the globe. As companies face increasing pressure from legislation to disclose pay information, the conversation around transparency is more relevant than ever. We speak with Aaron Brown, SVP of Total Rewards at Synchrony Financial, and Marion Devine, Principal Researcher at the Conference Board Europe who provide valuable insights from their respective regions.
In today’s episode of "Let's Talk Global Business," we delve into the social aspect of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) with experts Paula Byrne and Andrew Jones. Join us as we explore the significance of the "S" in ESG, its impact on business practices, and how companies can effectively integrate social responsibility into their core strategies.
In this episode of Let's Talk Global Business, Sara Murray, Managing Director at The Conference Board International, delves into the recent CEO Confidence Survey results from Europe and China. Joining her are Konstantinos Panitsas, Economist at the European Economy Strategy and Finance Center, and Alfredo Montufar-Helu, Leader of the Conference Board's China Centre for Economics and Business. Together, they explore the cautious optimism among CEOs regarding the short-term global economic outlook and the underlying concerns that persist.
As the world braces for a pivotal year of elections, businesses are facing the challenge of navigating political landscapes that could dramatically shift economic and trade policies. In this episode of Let's Talk Global Business, Sara Murray, Managing Director International at the Conference Board, sits down with Claudio Murri, Senior Advisor at Rud Pederson Public Affairs, and Ivan Pollard, leader of the Conference Board's Marketing and Communications Centre, to dissect the potential impacts of two major political events looming on the horizon: the US presidential election and the European Parliament elections.
In this episode, we are joined by Claudio Truzzi, director of research and innovation activities at ULB, and Tojin Eapen, head of the global innovation centre at Inno Mantra to discuss the AI journey to date and the complexities we are facing in two distinct regions – Asia and Europe.
We also dive into how AI might hinder developing economies, the EU AI Act, and the damage AI might inflict on creativity and innovation.
Marion Devine, Principal Researcher Human Capital, Europe sits down with Sara Murray to explores the findings of a recent survey on well-being, run in both Europe and the US. One of the significant takeaways from the survey was that employees expect their employers to invest in their well-being - but it’s not translating into happier employees. The conversation also highlights the crucial role of the CHRO in building the business case for well-being, and the need for collaboration across the organization to embed it into strategy and culture.
Falling property prices, increased debt, and western hostility have led some observers to claim that the era of China’s economic miracle is over, and a new age - characterized by low growth, an aggressive foreign policy and domestic repression – has begun. If this is the case, what are the ramifications for businesses in Europe and China?
We are joined by Frederic Cho, founder and CEO of Frederic Cho Advisory, and Alfredo Montufar-Helu, Leader of the China Center for Business and Economics at The Conference Board, to delve into supply chains, building resiliency, and scenario planning for the future.
Listen in to an insightful conversation with Jean-Marc Verbist, Center Leader for Human Capital in Europe, and Sandhya Karpe, Center Leader for Human Capital in Asia. In this episode, they'll share their expertise on how CHROs can drive growth and increase the competitiveness of their workforce in 2024. With the ever-changing AI landscape and challenges in communication, coordination, and cultural immersion, it's crucial for CHROs to stay ahead of the game. Don't miss out on this informative and enlightening discussion on the future of HR and the workplace.
This first episode of Let’s Talk Global Business contrasts the evolution of financial technology currently underway in two very different regions: the GCC and the Nordics. Despite their differences, both regions have developed very vibrant ecosystems for financial innovation. What lessons can each region provide the other? And as banking moves into an era dominated by technology, including AI, what are the implications for how both regions innovate, capitalize and regulate their financial industries?
Anke Schrader and Konstantinos Panitsas join Sara Murray in this pilot episode to discuss the findings of our 2024 C-Suite Outlook survey, highlighting the top concerns of CEOs in Europe and China. For 25 years the C-suite Outlook survey has served as a pulse check to understand what challenges and opportunities the world’s top business leaders are facing – and their strategies for addressing them.
Our host Sara Murray, Managing Director International at The Conference Board tells us what to look forward to on our new channel, Let's Talk Global Business. Each month we look at the economic and business trends connecting two different regions. We'll talk to researchers, senior executives across various industries and regions and to policy makers about how to lead in a complex world.
After 5 series of the Insights Podcast channel, we have decided to launch a brand-new Podcast series titled: Let’s Talk Global Business. The Insights Podcast will still be available to listen to on all platforms and on our website. Thank you for your continued support.
Inspiring People, Inspiring Journeys, is a podcast series, launched in 2023 and moderated by Sanja Haas, Chairwoman of the Advisory Board for the European Human Capital Center at The Conference Board. Each episode so far featured an informal conversation with a CHRO about their individual journeys and reflections on their role. In this last episode for the season, Sanja sits down with Steve Odland, CEO of The Conference Board, to talk about his journey and in particular his thinking on the CEO-CHRO Partnership today and in the future.
Steve talks about his own journey and explains how the CEOs role has changed in the past couple of decades. Unlike 10-15 years ago, today a successful CEO needs to manage and take care of multiple stakeholders (vs previously only shareholders). Steve explains that also the role of HR has pivoted from being transactional to that of a Human Resource function which is the “caretaker of human assets” crucial for the success of an organization. Steve shares with us that he has always relied on his CHROs as close and trusted business advisors, the one person a CEO can turn to and ask, “what do you think?”. When asked whether a CHRO can become a CEO, Steve says this is possible, however a crucial prerequisite is for the CHRO to also experience a line role before becoming CEO. Finally, he shares a very inspiring thought and suggestion to our audience: to think about our aspirations and about the concept that if they are big enough, we can never outperform them.
Inspiring People, Inspiring Journeys, is a new podcast series in 2023, moderated by Sanja Haas, Chairwoman of the Advisory Board for the European Human Capital Center at The Conference Board. Each episode features an informal conversation with a CHRO about their role & responsibilities, professional journey and perspectives about HR careers and the future of the function.
In this eighth episode, Sanja sits down with Mieke van de Capelle, CHRO at dsm-firmenich. Mieke shares with us what it’s like being a CHRO in a newly merged conglomerate (the B2B company touches 4 billion people on a daily basis indirectly) and how this is a daunting experience - both incredibly rewarding and challenging at the same time. Rewarding because of the opportunity to be building a company fit for purpose; challenging because everything is up for reevaluation. She tells us about her different professional experiences and journey which prepared her for the current role, including being part of a very long post-merger integration as her first role as CHRO in 2012.
Mieke explains that she does not have a “recipe book” and that every situation is different with no “one size fits all”. Having experience is one thing, but not enough. Mieke shares that in order to make a difference as an HR Professional, experience needs to be coupled with a mindset of being open to listen, learn and understand what is needed for the business.
Inspiring People, Inspiring Journeys, is a new podcast series in 2023, moderated by Sanja Haas, Chairwoman of the Advisory Board for the European Human Capital Center at The Conference Board. Each episode features an informal conversation with a CHRO about their role & responsibilities, professional journey and perspectives about HR careers and the future of the function.
In this seventh episode, Sanja sits down with Khadija Ben Hammada, CHRO at Merck. In a very inspirational conversation, Khadija shares with us how her role is both a privilege and responsibility. She talks about her dual responsibility of driving and supporting Merck’s business (focused on positively impacting peoples’ lives) and of being the “People’s People” in taking care of 66K employees, ensuring values such as fairness, inclusion and integrity are lived up to, and that the workforce has a sense of belonging. The privilege Khadija talks about is linked to this dual responsibility and to the pride in being part of a company with 353 years of legacy and passing this on to the next generations.
Among other key insights, Khadija also shares that for a fulfilling career, it is important to “say yes” as much as possible, focus on the impact one generates (vs titles or promotions), learn as much as possible from these experiences and to “pick a boss” one is inspired to work for.
Inspiring People, Inspiring Journeys, is a new podcast series in 2023, moderated by Sanja Haas, Leader of the Human Capital Center, Europe. Each episode features an informal conversation with a CHRO about their role & responsibilities, professional journey and perspectives about HR careers and the future of the function.
In this sixth episode, Sanja sits down with Jean-Luc Fleurial, CHRO at UCB. Jean-Luc shares with us how UCB is driven by the difference it can make for its patients and how this strong ‘Purpose’ permeates all elements of his work and drives the differentiation of UCB’s organizational culture. He discusses how his role is a true corporate (enterprise) role focused on building the right context and environment for people to thrive in.
Among other key insights, Jean-Luc also shares that when he was promoted to CHRO he went from being focused on functional leadership to becoming a corporate (enterprise) leader. Today his role consists of 1/3 Governance (including interaction with the Board, building trust), 1/3 Corporate leadership, and 1/3 Functional leadership.
Inspiring People, Inspiring Journeys, is a new podcast series in 2023, moderated by Sanja Haas, Leader of the Human Capital Center, Europe. Each episode features an informal conversation with a CHRO about their role & responsibilities, professional journey and perspectives about HR careers and the future of the function.
In this fifth episode, Sanja sits down with Radoslava Anguelova, CHRO at Swarovski. Radoslava explains that because the most valuable assets at Swarovski are its Brand and people, the role of the HR function is intricately linked with the success of the business. She shares with us what it was like to be promoted to CHRO, her “baptism by fire” as she helped the business undergo a large transformation as of ‘day one’ in her new role.
Although challenging, she was able to quickly pivot and explains that “anything is possible” when working together with a strong and capable team. She advises our listeners to be curious, gain broad and deep experiences, and to reach outside of their comfort zone to continue to build themselves professionally.
Ensuring Europe has the labor force it needs to drive economic growth requires strategic cooperation between key stakeholders—but businesses can take practical steps to improve the supply and productivity of their workers.
This podcast explores the themes of our recently released European Labor Market Outlook report. Listen in as our panel of experts explores insights, and focus points for what companies can do to increase labor force productivity.
Inspiring People, Inspiring Journeys, is a new podcast series in 2023, moderated by Sanja Haas, Leader of the Human Capital Center, Europe. Each episode features an informal conversation with a CHRO about their role & responsibilities, professional journey and perspectives about HR careers and the future of the function.
In this fourth episode, Sanja sits down with Adriano Bruno, former Head of People & Culture at The Erste Group. Adriano shares his thoughts on the importance of staying close to the business, customers and consumers, but how it is equally important, to stay close to the employees to better understand and advocate for a great Employee Experience. He advises our listeners to follow their passions, to think about how they want to change and shape their worlds and to choose wisely who they want to work for – ensuring they end up in an environment (corporate culture) which brings out the best version of themselves.
Inspiring People, Inspiring Journeys, is a new podcast series in 2023, moderated by Sanja Haas, Leader of the Human Capital Center, Europe. Each episode features an informal conversation with a CHRO about their role & responsibilities, professional journey and perspectives about HR careers and the future of the function.
In this third episode, Sanja sits down with Anne Stevens, Council Director Global CHRO Council and HR Executives, and ex- Global VP People & Organization Rio Tinto. Among other topics, Anne shares her thoughts on how positively the CHRO role has evolved in the past 10 years, becoming much more strategic and why COVID-19 catapulted HR to the forefront, solidifying a seat at the table. From her own professional journey, she shares useful insights on what it takes to transition (from industries, companies and roles). Understanding the business and ensuring trust and business relationships are built from day 1 is key. Anne also explains that “timing is everything” and how important it is to stay flexible, adaptable and open to step out of one’s comfort zone and embrace the unexpected.
In this second episode, Sanja Haas, Center Leader, Human Capital, Europe, sits down with Feliciano Gonzalez , CHRO of Holcim. Among other topics, Feliciano shares his discovery & learning path as CHRO, the importance of continuous learning, of listening and understanding the needs and expectations of key internal and external stakeholders, and why “arrogance is a killer” for those aspiring to this role. Feliciano shares insights on what it’s like to be a leader in the function today, some things to watch out for, what success is all about and why some of his most challenging experiences were also the most formative ones.
In this podcast John Metselaar hosts Alexander van ‘t Riet, until last month the CEO of Mai Dubai Water who took the brand from 5% to 20% market share and into a regional icon now served at Emirates Airlines over his tenure. Alexander shared his key priorities behind this amazing journey along the 5E framework of what leaders do – envisioning, enabling to execute, and engaging and empowering – and who leaders are, or should be – along mind, heart, and gut. “Walk the talk” and “what you give attention gets done and grows” were just a couple of the many nuggets of wisdom pulled from the experience of “how a Dutchman from the canals succeeds in the exotic Gulf”.
Inspiring People, Inspiring Journeys, is a new podcast series moderated by Sanja Haas, Leader of the Human Capital Center, Europe. Each episode features an informal conversation with a CHRO about their role & responsibilities, professional journey and perspectives about HR careers and the future of the function.
In this first episode, Sanja sits down with Guergana Andreeva, CHRO of JTI. Among other topics, Guergana shares her discovery path during her first 100 days as a CHRO, and the importance of understanding the needs and expectations of both her own team and that of the business. She discusses what it’s like to be a leader in the function, shares insights into her own professional journey and what is needed to be successful in HR today.
In this episode of Insights Jayshree Seth, Chief Science Officer at 3M sits down with John Metselaar to explore the broad space of innovation. They begin by discussing the human side to innovation, connecting it with the thrill of curiosity, the art of science, and the value derived from excellence in (technical and commercial) execution of the innovation. They conclude on the importance of STEM moving to SH(humanities)TEM for better results and a better world into 2023 and beyond.
To understand how the HR function is evolving to support new business demands in highly volatile conditions, The Conference Board has recently conducted a global survey of human capital leaders. Results highlight how, in order to act as a lead function, HR must align its priorities more closely with those of the business, and adopt new metrics to better evaluate its own strategic impact.
In this podcast, coauthors Marion Devine, Principal Researcher, and Camilla Andretta, Research Analyst, share the main findings of the survey and provide key insights around the evolution of the HR function and of the profile of HR leaders from their report Next Generation HR 2022: Realigning HR's Priorities to Deliver Business Impact
With 163 million employed workers, employment in the Euro Area has reached record-high levels in Q2 2022. Although hiring expectations are on a downward trend since March across all industries, the labor market is currently incredibly tight. Marion Devine, Associate Director for Insights on Human Capital, and Bettina Schaller, Senior Vice President Public Affairs for Adecco, and President of the World Employment Confederation discuss with Conference Board Ilaria Maselli how companies can improve the mental and financial wellbeing of workers, how demographic change is transforming the labor force, and how Gen-Z will change the way we work.
In this second part of our “CTIO Perspectives” episode with Maria Velissariou, former CSO and Corporate R&D VP at Mars, we transfer the need of Ambidexterity from the leadership to that of the organization. How to elevate your people into the capability to “perform AND transform” at the same time. Maria offers a trinity of principles as inspiration for your organization for both excellence in execution and generating those out-of-the-box creative ideas toward transformation ahead – illustrated by her real life experiences.
In this episode of “CTIO Perspectives” Maria Velissariou, former CSO and Corporate R&D VP at Mars, discusses the power, and need, of Ambidexterity in today’s business world with John Metselaar. This first (of two) sessions focuses on what it means to become an ambidextrous leader. We cover five pillars toward creating an innovation culture of agility, speed, and scale – to be able to “perform AND transform”.
Read the report here
To understand how organizations are continuing to react to the pandemic and the changing business environment in the context of their workplaces and workforces, The Conference Board has conducted four online surveys of human capital leaders in the past two years. As The Reimagined Workplace Two Years Later: Human Capital Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic reveals, greater numbers of employees are expected to work remotely than they did before COVID. We anticipate that organizations will adapt to this new work reality with flexible hours and hybrid working locations, hoping these adjustments will sustain future success sourcing talent, retaining current employees, and increasing productivity levels. In this podcast, coauthors Robin Erickson, PhD, and Deb Cohen, PhD, share the survey findings about remote work and returning to the workplace, recruitment, retention, employee well-being, and organizational culture, as well as comparing findings to the April 2020, September 2020, and April 2021 surveys results.
The disruption of COVID-19 and other crisis has accelerated profound shifts in attitudes and expectations about the nature of work, and how, where and why people perform this function. Which dimensions of the future of work should companies consider to map out their own future-scape? What are the key trends connected to these dimensions?
Listen to this podcast as Camilla Andretta, Research Analyst, and Marion Devine, Senior Researcher, discuss the report Future-scape: Reimagining the Who, What, How, Where of Work and share case examples of companies that are preparing for the future of work.
In the midst of a global talent shortage, CEOs, CHROs, and HC leaders recognize that simply doing talent acquisition better and faster will yield only marginal gains—it will not solve the current challenge of finding the right talent.
In this podcast, Robin Erickson, PhD, Vice President, Human Capital is joined by Barbara J. Lombardo, PhD, Distinguished Principal Research Fellow, to discuss their most recent report: Navigating the Global Talent Tsunami.
Their global research study found that organizations should fundamentally rethink some long-held assumptions about who can do the work; where, when, and how the work gets done; and the talent acquisition function itself. They believe that rethinking sourcing strategies will yield more candidates in the short term and more agile and diverse talent pools, and organizations, in the long term.
Sean Sheppard, Managing Partner of Corporate Venture Builder U+ shares with us the secrets behind his four pillars approach. Understanding how to do breakthrough innovation in a large corporation. How to organize yourself for successful Corporate Venturing and put in place the necessary and repeatable activity system to turn ideas into tangible new business models.
At the war in Ukraine’s outset, multinational companies responded promptly to bring their staff to safety. Now, in this new juncture what are they doing to support employees displaced to neighboring countries? Are enough provisions for accommodation, schooling for children, and psychological support being made? Additionally, how are companies addressing emotional tensions between Russian and Eastern European staff? These questions and more are explored by Neil McPherson, Council Director for the Global Benefits Council, and Sara Murray, Managing Director, International.
In this podcast British journalist and author Christina Lamb joins Sara Murray, Managing Director International to discuss what’s happening on the ground at the Polish-Ukraine border, how the war is unfolding and its consequences to families, especially women and children. Together they look at what’s currently not being told, and steps companies can take to ensure employees and their families are safe, as well as views on how this war will end.
Lamb also discusses her award-winning book ‘Our Bodies, Their Battlefield: What War Does to Women’.
What are the estimates for wage growth in Europe in 2022? How are companies rethinking how to attract and retain skilled workers in these volatile times? Will the war in Ukraine jeopardize the economic and labor market outlook? Will Europe see its own Great Resignation?
Listen to this podcast as Sanja Haas, Human Capital Center Leader, Europe, interviews the 2 lead authors: Ilaria Maselli, Senior Economist, and Marion Devine, Senior Researcher Human Capital, to unveil the key insights from the European Labor Market Outlook. This bi-annual outlook analyzes data from 11 European economies on labor market dynamics, wages, inflation and the implication of these findings for people strategies, to generate future-focused, tangible business insights for the C-suite.
With ever widening shifts of external crises and uncertainties, more than ever companies need to stay true to their purpose. Having a strong public voice in terms of the company is becoming increasingly crucial to attract talent, drive inclusion and give a sense of alignment.
In this podcast Marion Devine, Senior Researcher, is joined by Anne Stevens, Council Director for the Global CHRO, HR Executives, and, Global Business Women Leaders Councils. Together they discuss insights from an upcoming report on the CHRO’s role in navigating the future of work', exploring themes such as: purpose of the business from an operations and people perspective, how to define the role of the CHRO, and leadership.
The Conference Board’s annual survey of C-Suite Executives is out, and it reveals the main internal issues CEOs will focus on in 2022. What are the top internal priorities for European CEOs? How can companies respond to the challenges they are facing? Listen to this podcast as Camilla Andretta, Research Analyst, interviews Marion Devine, Senior Researcher, to unveil the findings from this year’s C-Suite Outlook through the lens of Human Capital.
The results of our C-Suite Outlook 2022 have just been released. What's keeping CEO's up at night as we head into the New Year? Remote work, inflation, and labor shortages top the list. Listen to this Insights podcast as Executive Vice President of Human Capital, Rebecca Ray unpacks the findings with the author of our report, Chuck Mitchell. https://www.conference-board.org/publications/c-suite-outlook-2022
As many companies wonder why their workplaces remain ghost towns, a new survey reveals that COVID concerns are not what’s discouraging staff from coming into the office. In fact, they are working from home because of the greater work-life balance it purportedly offers. Indeed, workers place such a premium on this balance, that a quarter of workers who changed jobs did so for the ability to work from anywhere. What’s more, Baby Boomers who left their jobs for this flexibility did so at twice the rate of Millennials. The survey findings also reveal that workplace flexibility goes a long way in supporting workers’ mental health. 70 percent of workers say that flexible hours and work location are the top policies businesses can enact to support their mental health.
Dr. Srini Pillay, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer at Reulay, Inc. and former head of the Outpatient Anxiety Disorders Program at Harvard Medical School’s McLean Hospital joins Rebecca Ray, PhD, Executive Vice President of Human Capital at The Conference Board, to discuss the findings of this new survey examining career plans, factors driving workers to pursue new job opportunities, opinions about remote work, mental health, and more.
Generating value from your investment in technology continues to be a major challenge for many corporations and organizations. In this podcast, our guest Thanos Yiagopoulos, Chief technology Officer at Momentive, uses the company’s technology transformation as an example to demonstrate the integrated elements of innovation management to create the foundation for a culture of innovation.
In this podcast, Robin Erickson, PhD, Principal Researcher, and Deb Cohen, PhD, Distinguished Principal Research Fellow, discuss their recent report Transforming Talent Acquisition, Onboarding, and Internal Mobility: Conversations with CEOs, CHROs, TA and HR Leaders. In today’s historically tight labor market, finding and keeping talent is now top of mind for business leaders. This new report from The Conference Board offers six recommendations to acquire and retain the talent that organizations need to succeed, especially in the new landscape of increased remote and hybrid work arrangements. At the organizational level, the C-Suite should offer as much flexibility as possible, broaden talent pool diversity with alternative credentials, and create a culture that supports internal talent mobility. At the HR level, TA and HR leaders should focus on candidate experience and employee value proposition, transform onboarding, and train and evaluate hiring managers.
Join us for a fascinating and inspiring conversation uncovering how to drive constructive disruption with our guest Christophe Perthuisot, former Chief Research & Innovation Officer, Danone. How do you tap into the plethora of new business opportunities driven by fast-changing consumer preferences and societal trends, as well as emerging possibilities behind new digital technologies.
Managers, take note: As the pandemic drags on, the mental health of your workers may be deteriorating. 57 percent of workers recently surveyed say their mental health has degraded since the start of the pandemic. The driving factor behind this decline: their workload. In fact, work pressures are so great that half of respondents say work demands are taking a bigger toll on their mental health than COVID-19. What’s more, the survey reveals a stark gender divide. Women are disproportionately suffering from work-related pressures—at more than 1.5 times the rate of their male counterparts. This is likely due to the combined pressure of work and home life.
Dr. Srini Pillay, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer at Reulay, Inc. and former head of the Outpatient Anxiety Disorders Program at Harvard Medical School’s McLean Hospital joins Rebecca Ray, PhD, Executive Vice President of Human Capital at The Conference Board, to discuss the findings of a new survey examining the declining mental health of workers and what business efforts are most effective in addressing this growing crisis.
How do set up your organization to “Perform AND Transform” at the same time? How do you ensure you are leveraging what you have to maximize value extraction through relevant incremental innovation? And in parallel establish the agility for constructive disruption ahead, tapping into emerging consumer and societal challenges with new technologies and capabilities. Listen in to our first episode on the subject of ‘Learning to Lead Innovation’ with our guest Kathy Fish, former CTIO of Procter & Gamble.
Since the onset of COVID-19, virtually every employee in America and across the globe have experienced a dramatic change in their work lives, while at the same time facing new challenges in their personal lives, from health concerns to economic uncertainty to isolation from family and friends. Many professional and office employees suddenly began performing their jobs remotely and many are likely to continue to do so post-pandemic. On top of this, several incidents brought a heightened awareness of racial injustice and a renewed employer focus on committing to address diversity, equity, and inclusion.
As they look to return to the workplace, many organizations are now reconsidering their talent strategies. Through interviews with seven organizations that thrived during 2020, as well as new survey data, six lessons were discovered that will help organizations recreate work in ways that maintain productivity while enhancing their employees' experience and contributing to a healthy organizational culture. Join co-authors Robin Erickson, PhD and Barbara Lombardo, PhD, as they share insights from their new research report, Reshaping Employee Experience and Organizational Culture: Lessons from the Tumultuous Events of 2020 and 2021.
Lindsay-Rae McIntyre's presentation at our recent DEI conference was one of the standout sessions. She shared Microsoft's DEI and culture journey, touching on issues such as growth mindset, authenticity, allyship, leadership....the list goes on. So for this podcast we selected some of the most compelling questions from the audience that we weren't able to get to on the day and engaged in a wide ranging, informative conversation where we talk about how messy this work can sometimes be, the need to reframe failure, the essence of allyship, addressing resistance and so much more. Lindsay-Rae ends with a call for us all to practice "relentless empathy" as we together create organizations and a world of genuine equity and inclusion.
The Conference Board first measured the effects of COVID-19 on employees in April 2020 and then in September 2020. In April 2021, The Conference Board again surveyed HR leaders to see how their organizations have adapted in the past year and what their plans are going forward, publishing The Reimagined Workplace a Year Later: Human Capital Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in May 2021.
In this podcast, co-authors Robin Erickson, PhD, and Frank Steemers share the survey results and explore trends in remote work, productivity, and well-being; recruiting and retention; and plans for returning to the workplace. They discuss historic labor shortages and suggest continuous listening as one solution for deteriorating employee well-being.
This latest episode of DEI-Logue: Conversations on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion features Alan Morales, VP & Head of Transformative Change for The Future of Work at Prudential Financial.
Alan spoke at our May DEI conference about the benefits of applying a change management approach to DEI in organizations. Building on his session we begin by revisiting the idea of a “change mindset” and how essential this is to effective change and how the same principles apply when building inclusion. We then discuss in depth the need for leaders to be empathetic and what this means in practice in a diverse, rapidly changing workplace.
If you enjoyed his session at the DEI conference in May, this is a great opportunity to learn more about Alan’s approach to change - and if you missed the event you’ll benefit from learning more about Alan’s authentic and human centred approach to change and DEI.
In November 2020, in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, and economic crises, The Conference Board conducted its annual Job Satisfaction survey. Overall job satisfaction increased, despite the economic crisis, mass layoffs and the increase in the unemployment rate, for the 10th consecutive year. This increase with the backdrop of the pandemic presents conflicting views of worker job satisfaction.
In this podcast, join VP of labor market Gad Levanon and VP of Human Capital research Amy Abel in a discussion of this year's counterintuitive results. Join the discussion on how labor market conditions and company actions have maintained this all time high. And learn how HR practitioners can utilize the lessons learned from last year to continue this trend.
For more details and discussion on the findings please see the full report.
Hosted by The Conference Board President & CEO, Steve Odland, C-Suite Perspectives takes an objective, data-driven look at a range of business topics aimed at senior executives. Listeners will come away with what The Conference Board does best: Insights for What’s Ahead™.
In episode two, Steve sits down with Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President and leader of the Human Capital Center at The Conference Board, to discuss a range of timely topics on the business community’s radar, including:
Returning to the workplace: What will be the lasting effects of the pandemic on the workplace and the way we work?
Addressing worker well-being: The events of 2020 have taken a toll on workers. What can organizations do to support their people?
Developing leaders: How must leaders change as we move forward from the pandemic? And why is empathy key to effective leadership?
Responding to social change issues: Are we in a permanently different era of corporate activism? What should leaders keep in mind when responding to social change issues?
The growing importance of human capital management: Human capital management is expanding beyond human resources into the purview of boards and the C-suite. How can companies effectively oversee human capital management?
As people return to working some of the time in offices, the economy bounces back from the pandemic, and the competition for talent intensifies, now is the time to think long and hard about the new generation entering the workforce - Generation Z. Different from the Millennials, many of whom are who are now moving into leadership roles, they are the drivers of much of the protest of the Summer of 2020, they are innovators and have high expectations of work and their employers.
Jennifer Openshaw, CEO of Girls with Impact joins us to discuss their recent national research on Gen Z - what motivates them, their expectations of the workplace, how they will shape the world and their likely impact on your business.
Going way beyond the wide generalizations often made about generations, you’ll hear some surprising and essential insights into Generation Z’s ideas about having an impact, activism, mental health, building confidence, teams, leadership, entrepreneurship, the office, and diversity and inclusion.
You can find out more about Girls With Impact and the research on their website at www.girlswithimpact.org
On this episode of DEI-logue, Peter McBride, Executive Director of The Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, discusses the origins and widespread occurrence of hate and hate crimes.
From growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles to his current role at the Cohen Center, Peter has long studied the psychological impact of community trauma and draws parallels from our current situation to other countries and other eras of American History. From the emigration of the Irish to today’s rise in Anti-Asian racism and popularization of “replacement theory”, Peter examines the particular character of hate crimes. We discuss the evolutionary origins of fear, how language fuels the othering of different groups, the role of trauma, the strategy of scapegoating and why we won’t be seeing a rise in anti-British hate crime as a result of the prevalence of the UK variant of Covid19.
What if your organization could deliver twice as much innovation, boost customer satisfaction ratings, grow the human capital return on investment (HCROI) by 270 percent, improve efficiency up to 15 percent, and increase profitability by 25%? It is possible according to a new report from The Conference Board, Accelerating Value by Using Human Capital Analytics to Understand the Workforce Experience. Organizations that address employee experience objectives with data analytics to fine-tune their HC program design and execution could potentially create more innovation, boost customer satisfaction ratings, grow human capital ROI, improve efficiency, and increase profitability.
Join the report’s co-authors, Solange Charas, PhD, Stela Lupushor, and Robin Erickson, PhD, as they discuss the strong relationship between investment in people, worker productivity, and the resulting business performance.
The recent shootings in Atlanta have thrust Anti-Asian racism into the media spotlight. But Anti-Asian racism was not news to the Asian American community that has faced discrimination throughout its history. From outright bans on immigration from specific countries, to lynchings, organized attacks on specific communities, WW2 internment, to the current wave of assaults and verbal abuse linked to Covid, Asian Americans have always been targets of racism.
In this episode of DEI-logue: Conversations on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Bryan Lee of Salesforce reflects on this current moment and some instances he encountered racism. We discuss the specific forms Anti-Asian racism takes, particularly the myth of the model minority and the way in which the rich diversity of Asian cultures and nations becomes reduced to a single “other” identity.
Brian shares some of the initiatives Salesforce have implemented to address this issue inside and outside the organization as well as how individual managers can support their Asian American employees.
We invite you to join us on the essential journey to create workplaces committed to inclusion, equity, and belonging as we build on the momentum of this great event and design an all-new agenda for May. DEI professionals' work is never-ending, and we join with the community to create an event that addresses their most current challenges and celebrate their achievements. Register now: https://conference-board.org/contenthub/conferenceContentHub.cfm?parent=diversity
In this second episode of DEI-Logue, John Brewer discusses the important topic of privilege with Sofia Bonnet, Director Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at Github.
From humble beginnings growing up in Mexico, Sofia identifies how privilege and the support of allies helped her build a successful career in D&I and a safe and prosperous life in the USA. Starting out benefiting from having paler complexion than her siblings and peers and a mother who believed in her and the value of education, Sofia’s story is on the one hand an inspiration but also a lesson in humility and awareness. Whereas many define privilege as those advantages you have through no effort of your own (skin color, accent, appearance, inherited wealth) even when Sofia’s own hard work enables her to achieve a goal such as learning English, she recognizes that that too confers a privilege.
We invite you to join us on the essential journey to create workplaces committed to inclusion, equity, and belonging as we build on the momentum of this great event and design an all-new agenda for May. DEI professionals' work is never-ending, and we join with the community to create an event that addresses their most current challenges and celebrate their achievements. Register now: https://conference-board.org/contenthub/conferenceContentHub.cfm?parent=diversity
In this first episode of DEI-logue: Conversations on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, our guest is Deanna Ransom, Chief Marketing Officer at Televerde.
John Brewer, Program Director of the Conference Board’s Diversity & Inclusion Conference and Deanna Ransom discuss Televerde’s work employing incarcerated women, and Deanna shares her experiences of the last year - the impact of Covid-19 and her thoughts on the increased discussion of race in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd. She shares her work experiences as a Black woman and an overview of her recent Forbes article “Three Ways Business Can Empower Black Families”. Throughout the conversation Deanna demonstrates her commitment to equity in the workplace and the need to create cultures where everyone feels they belong. This aligns with Televerde’s mission to equip the women it employs to make a positive contribution at work and in society once they are released - the ability to contribute being a cornerstone of true belonging.
Deanna will be participating in a panel on how we can learn to appreciate our differences and create common ground at work at our upcoming Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Conference on May 24-26, 2021.
We invite you to join us on the essential journey to create workplaces committed to inclusion, equity, and belonging as we build on the momentum of this great event and design an all-new agenda for May. DEI professionals' work is never-ending, and we join with the community to create an event that addresses their most current challenges and celebrate their achievements. Register now: https://conference-board.org/contenthub/conferenceContentHub.cfm?parent=diversity
The SEC is now requiring that US public companies disclose information about human capital management “to the extent such disclosures would be material to an understanding of the registrant’s business”—such disclosure is no longer voluntary. Organizations will need to determine whether human capital is material, what they need to disclose, how to contextualize human capital performance, and how they should communicate this to the community and stakeholders. This podcast will explore the issue further and how we can think about this critical trend.
By providing new joiners with personalized onboarding experiences and addressing their needs at a faster rate, AI-powered solutions can help decrease the regrettable attrition of new joiners, enhance overall onboarding and work experience, and improve the work productivity of onboarding professionals by taking over administrative, repetitive tasks.
In this podcast, The Conference Board Researchers Barbara Lombardo, PhD and Amy Ye discuss how AI can elevate the onboarding function and drive business results. To help onboarding professionals respond to a new work environment with various AI tools, they also reveal the impact of AI on the roles and skill sets required for this function and identify common issues and concerns with employing AI technology in onboarding. https://conference-board.org/topics/AI-HR/AI-for-onboarding
The phrase “What a difference a year makes” was never truer than in 2020. A year ago, The Conference Board published its first report on the topic of how organizations manage social change, Higher Expectations: How Organizations Engage With Social Change Issues. We highlighted the fact that organizations are now being judged on the quality of their relationships with customers, employees, owners, and communities while being expected to play a role in social change conversations. These higher expectations accentuated organizations that were purpose-driven, as well as profitable.
In November 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and as it spread globally, a domino effect ensued that demonstrated weaknesses in health care systems (national and private) which cracked under the pressure of managing the magnitude of serious and fatal cases. The shock of the pandemic and shutdown measures plunged the global economy into a severe contraction, as millions lost their jobs to furloughs and layoffs. Remote work became the norm wherever possible due to government-mandated lockdowns. In addition, shortages of food and basic necessities due to supply chain disruptions caused widespread panic. Schools and facilities for childcare, seniors, and other dependents closed, creating new, 24/7 responsibilities for many employees.
In the midst of these social crises, on May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US. Extensive protests erupted in the US and globally, from New York to Tokyo, 2 which criticized police brutality and racism against Black people. The protests did strike a chord with many organizations and prompted or required a response.
Given the new realities of 2020, The Conference Board decided to repeat its 2019 survey to see whether organizations are responding differently to social change issues and whether employees think differently about how organizations should respond. In this study, we investigated 16 human capital-related social change issues. To ensure that we measured various facets of this topic, we combined a short online survey with nearly 850 global respondents (with 43 percent outside North America) with a literature review. This report sheds light on changes around the globe in employee sentiment and in how organizations are rising to the challenge of meeting new expectations for business. (See “About This Report” on last page for more detail about the survey.)
The Conference Board defines an organizational response to social change issues as: The use of an organization’s leadership, brand, and resources to respond, internally and/or externally, to changing cultural and social norms.
Join us to gain insight on the biggest issues that will keep business leaders up at night in the new year. We will discuss the findings of the 2021 C-Suite Challenge™ survey, which asks executives around the globe to identify the key strategies they intend to use to meet their critical business challenges and grow their companies.
Globally CEOs expressed concerns about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and recession but are hopeful about the widespread availability of a vaccine as a game changer in 2021. US CEOs ranked concerns about higher corporate taxes and increased regulation higher than their global peers but ranked global political instability and disruptions to global trade lower than did CEOs worldwide. Unlike leaders outside the US, American CEOs are placing a high priority on employees returning to the physical workplace. The C-Suite Challenge surveyed more than 900 CEOs and 600 C-suite executives in late 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered both a global health crisis and an economic crisis. These crises have generated an extraordinary level of uncertainty, creating another crippling crisis and a considerable threat to employee well-being—anxiety.
As of September 2020, according to the Center for Disease Control, 4 out of 10 Americans have a medically diagnosed case of anxiety—and think of how many more haven’t been diagnosed! The solution to this rising anxiety epidemic is to develop our resilience. In this podcast, Principal Researcher, Robin Erickson, PhD, and Distinguished Principal Research Fellow, Leo Flanagan, PhD, review their recently published report, COVID-19 Reset & Recovery: Developing Resilience to Move through Uncertainty to New Beginnings with information on why we become anxious and 12 practical recommendations for leaders and employees.
For more information on the Resilience Model mentioned in the podcast, see Leo’s blog: Beating Back the Anxiety Pandemic: The Science of Resilience.
The Conference Board expects that COVID-19 will have many lasting impacts on the world of work and Human Capital processes. To gauge how organizations are reacting to the changing business environment in the context of their workforces, we conducted an online survey in September 2020 with 330 human capital executives, mostly in large companies—a follow-up on our survey from April 2020. Our findings were published in the report Adapting to the Reimagined Workplace: Human Capital Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic. In this podcast, we share the survey findings about remote work and hiring, productivity and well-being, workforce cost reduction actions, and plans for returning to the workplace.
The Conference Board recently conducted two short surveys about organizational and employee readiness to return to the workplace after the lockdowns required by COVID-19. In the August survey with over 1,100 leaders across industries in 20 metropolitan areas, we found that 35% of organizations said the timing of reopening is unknown. Most organizations had implemented safeguarding measures to protect employee health, but only 59% surveyed their employees about their readiness to return. Those organizations that did survey their employees were very responsive, demonstrated by the fact that they were 20-40% more likely to put all of the safeguarding measures in place.
The September survey was focused on employees and found that only 17% of employees feel very comfortable returning. The top employee concerns were contracting COVID-19 personally, the risk of exposing family to COVID-19, and the lack of an effective, available vaccine. We also found that some groups of employees feel more pressure to return than others. Without a continuous dialogue, and in many cases, the lack of a detailed plan about returning to the workplace, it comes as no surprise that many workers are apprehensive. We suggest that organizations create a two-way dialogue with their employees and implement a Continuous Listening program if they haven’t already.
This fall, working parents with school-age kids will be facing some tough times as they try to balance working from home and partially home-schooling their kids. Many schools will either be going exclusively remote or a combination of online and socially distanced in-person classes. And things may change suddenly if COVID-19 cases spike, or if someone at the school tests positive.
How can employers help their employees navigate these unpredictable times and, frankly, their potentially upended work schedules?
Our panel of Conference Board experts (and parents), Gad Levanon, Vice President Labor Markets, Amy Abel, Vice President Human Capital, and Elizabeth Crofoot, Senior Economist Labor Markets, discuss the following topics:
- How many families in the US are affected by remote learning?
- What are the problems that working parents are facing?
- How are the most innovative companies helping workers balance their roles as employees and parents?
The Conference Board CEO Steve Odland discusses our C-Suite survey on COVID-19 with Wharton Business Daily's Dan Loney on SiriusXM.
In this podcast, guests from Barilla Group, Kristen Anderson, Luisa Ercoli, and Megan Christie, speak with Laura Sabattini, Principal Researcher at The Conference Board, about their diversity and inclusion and Employee Resources Groups (ERGs) strategy, including how Barilla was able to engage workers across regions and in their plants.
The podcast highlights insights from the recently published case study on Barilla’s ERGs strategy, which focuses on driving a positive work culture. Core elements of Barilla’s approach are
Senior leadership sponsorship
Consistent communication globally
Recognition of ERG leaders
Clear guidelines that allow local flexibility
Knowledge share among ERGs
Case study: https://www.conference-board.org/topics/employee-resource-groups/barilla-whats-next-egs;
Additional resources: COVID-19 Reset & Recovery: Employee Groups as a Crucial Resource for Organizations and Leaders; What is Next for Employee Groups?
During the COVID-19 crisis, Nielsen’s D&I team worked with its ERGs to shift priorities and respond to the unique challenges created by the pandemic. Nielsen's ERGs are tasked with helping both the firm’s associates and its senior executives communicate more effectively throughout the crisis.
Full case study can be found here.
On the DriveThru HR podcast, The Conference Board’s Rebecca Ray discusses what HR departments need to be thinking about as they develop plans for reopening their workplaces amid COVID-19.
With looming and potentially long-lasting unemployment as a result of COVID-19, both workers and organizations must reconsider the credentials they have and those they need now and in the future. Job losses as a result of the COVID-19 crisis may tempt employers to cherry-pick workers with traditional qualifications. However, relying solely on traditional talent pools may be a shortsighted strategy for any company likely to find itself in turbulent and even chaotic conditions. By all means, they should scoop up rare talent that might become suddenly available, but companies would also be wise to look for diverse talent to help them adopt fresh thinking and recognize new opportunities.
Join Distinguished Principal Research Fellow, Deb Cohen, PhD, and Principal Researcher, Robin Erickson, PhD, as they discuss our latest report, Different in Degree: Closing the Talent Gap with Alternative Credentials and share the different types of credentials, how to evaluate them, and how organizations can benefit from using them.
For other Human Capital topics in the wake of COVID-19, see COVID-19 Pandemic Resources & Support for HC Community Curated Resources.
During times of high stress, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a sense of urgency to make decisions and a corresponding risk of acting without fully considering the consequences of those decisions. Substantial research has been conducted in decision-making effectiveness, and overwhelmingly, the research concludes that successful decision making requires the availability of information (specifically financial information) and its deployment in a variety of financial management techniques.
The target of most decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic have focused on human capital deployment – for example, how to:
· reduce staff size,
· increase staff size,
· keep employees safe from COVID-19,
· get technology to people working from home as appropriate,
· counsel employees in emotional distress,
· optimize productivity,
· get products made and delivered to customers,
· pivot the business model and associated human capital needs to stay relevant.
An accurate underlying assumption is In the absence of data, decision-making processes will be compromised. Given that most of the decisions made will impact employees and employee programs to respond to COVID-19, it is more important than ever to create and rely on human capital data. Human capital teams must be strategic in gathering and analyzing that data to inform decisions. Organizations that have base-line performance data from before COVID-19 may be positioned to better understand whether decisions made during and post-COVID-19 are achieving desired human capital performance and ultimately business outcomes. Even if base-line data has not yet been created, it is not too late to curate data from past performance so that you can “path-correct” going forward.
This report will describe five areas of human capital where the use of data is critical in decision-making: productivity, health and wellbeing, engagement and rewards, ways of working and leading, and diversity & inclusion. Each section will describe common metrics before COVID-19, how the pandemic has changed how we collect data, and the potential long-term effects that will remain in place after the pandemic.
The Conference Board expects that COVID-19 will have many lasting impacts on the world of work and Human Capital processes. To gauge how organizations are reacting to the changing business environment in the context of their workforces, we conducted an online survey in April 2020 with more than 150 U.S. HC executives, mostly in large companies.
Join The Conference Board researchers, Robin Erickson, PhD, and Frank Steemers as they discuss our latest report, From Immediate Responses to Planning for the Reimagined Workplace: Human Capital Responses to COVID-19, and share our findings about remote work and the cost-reduction actions that have already been taken, as well as the HR priorities for the recovery phase. Teaser: we predict one of the lasting legacies of COVID-19.
For other Human Capital topics in the wake of COVID-19, see COVID-19 Pandemic Resources & Support for HC Community Curated Resources.
This podcast aim to provide audience with practical actions companies can take to best manage near- term, upcoming performance conversations during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as several significant trends companies will need to consider if they want to redesign their PM approaches for an increasingly unpredictable future.
Join The Conference Board researchers, Robin Erickson, PhD, and Marion Devine as they discuss two important Human Capital subjects for an organization’s employment brand: employee well-being and talent acquisition. Leaders and managers can’t fix the unprecedented challenges arising from COVID-19, but they can provide personal support and assurance to their employees to help reduce isolation and anxiety. The stigma and weight of the issues make mental health a very private matter, but organizations can still help employees by understanding the importance of well-being and empowering them to help themselves (you can read the article here). In addition, most organizations have transitioned to remote work for all employees who can work from home. And with the global economy declining precipitously, most organizations have been forced to or have chosen to undergo cost-containment measures. As a result, the talent acquisition (TA) functions in most organizations have had to dramatically change their processes and move to primarily virtual recruiting. Accordingly, TA leaders are being forced to navigate many changes (you can read the article here). For other Human Capital topics, see COVID-19 Pandemic Resources & Support for HC Community Curated Resources.
Incidents of racial bias and xenophobia against people of Chinese and Asian descent in the US have been increasing since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Human capital and diversity and inclusion (D&I) leaders have an important role to play. Laura Sabattini, Principal Researcher at The Conference Board and Serena Fong, VP of Strategic Engagement at Catalyst, discuss actions organizations and leaders can take to support workers facing this difficult issue. Additional readings: Catalyst The best ways to call out coronavirus racism; The Conference Board Addressing stigma and discrimination during times of crisis
This pandemic is fundamentally changing the way teams operate and communicate. To be effective in a crisis environment, team leaders require different skills to maintain worker engagement and productivity in a remote setting, make decisions quickly, and communicate effectively. In fact, working from home is the new reality for many US workers and may lead to wider adoption of virtual teams following COVID-19. Prior to this crisis, remote work was a growing but still limited part of the workforce. Only about 3.4% of employees in the US worked primarily from home in 2018. The scale and scope of the current situation, with organizations of thousands of employees transitioning to virtual teams in a very short time, are unprecedented. Research by The Conference Board has identified 12 behaviors of highly engaging leaders. As we strive to keep employees engaged during the COVID-19 crisis and afterward into the recovery phase, these 12 behaviors are good reminders of how to best lead virtual teams.
COVID-19 has rapidly impacted all aspects of work. But as the response moves away from addressing the initial shocks of the impact new questions arise: How can employee engagement efforts be maintained in this new world of work? And How do we tailor our comp and ben practices to best help our workers? Human Capital researchers Amanda Popiela, Amy Ye, and analyst Calvin Rong discuss their recent researcher on COVID-19, examining how leading organizations are responding to the crisis and changes.
Businesses are struggling during this extremely volatile period resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the current economic conditions, many organizations have started various cost-cutting measures, and layoffs are often one of the first. In this podcast, researchers from The Conference Board discuss two recent reports on COVID-19 and layoffs: Finding Innovative Alternatives to Layoffs, with eleven cost-saving alternative measures to help organizations avoid laying off employees. The other report is Conducting Compassionate Layoffs – for organizations in survival mode, to make layoffs less painful and damaging in both the short and long term, The Conference Board suggests employers take seven actions to conduct layoffs more compassionately. Both reports are available to the public, along with the remaining reports in the Human Capital Management during COVID-19 series found at COVID-19 Pandemic Resources & Support for the Human Capital Community. And if your organization has found a creative alternative to layoffs, please email Robin Erickson, PhD, Principal Researcher at robin.erickson@conference-board.org.
Join Sarah Bond, Diversity and Inclusion in Business Council Director, in conversation with Raashi Sikka, Head of Diversity and Inclusion for Uber across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In this podcast to mark International Women’s Day 2020 Raashi talks about the importance of risk taking, being open to opportunities and the value of honest conversations in forging her own career path, and about the shift in mindset and culture on diversity and inclusion taking place in Uber.
Join Sarah Bond, Council Director in conversation with Melanie Richards, Partner and Deputy Chair of professional services firm KPMG UK, talking about the curiosity, collaboration and female friendship, and about the importance of putting oneself in the shoes of others as a leader and in order to create more gender equal and inclusive workplaces.
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Employee (Resource) Groups – also known as employee networks, affinity groups, or business resource groups – have been a core component of companies’ diversity and inclusion strategy for decades. Yet, many organizations still struggle with business alignment and with keeping employee-group initiatives sustainable over time and across different regions of the world. Join our researchers as they explore current and future trends to understand “what is next” for employee groups, as well as share insights from leaders across different industries and global regions on:
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How are employee groups evolving in the diversity and inclusion space and across regions?
- How are employee groups’ strategies, goals, and activities changing in response to new workforce and workplace trends?
- How do employee groups foster inclusion across multiple identities and with allies?
Report Summary link: https://www.conference-board.org/publications/whats-next-for-EGs-ES
Join Council Director Anne Stevens and Sustainability guru Annette Stube in a fascinating and insightful discussion on being a role model, lessons gained from a highly successful career and some advice and thoughts for emerging leaders. With a focus on sustainability and leadership, Annette shares some of her innermost hopes, ambitions and desires for the world. A discussion not to be missed!
If we are serious about achieving gender balance in the workplace, we need to make sure that men are actively engaged as partners with women. However, there is some evidence that men are becoming less inclined to support these efforts. Why does it matter? And if it does, why and what can we do about it?
Join us for an insightful discussion between Anne Stevens, Council Director at The Conference Board and her guest Graham Sparks, an expert on gender balance and inclusion in the workplace
During radical global transformation, human capital is business capital. To give organizations competitive, actionable intelligence to inform their workforce strategies, we are introducing The Conference Board Human Capital Benchmarking Service, the first global, cross-functional tool to assess metrics and practices against your most valuable asset: your people. Hear from Dr. Rebecca Ray, EVP, Human Capital, The Conference Board, and Karen Ganzlin, Chief Human Resources Officer, TD Ameritrade, as they discuss this new offering.
Learn more at Human Capital Benchmarking
Today, approximately 80 percent of AI-powered HR solutions address talent acquisition (TA) issues. AI technologies can increase the efficiency of recruitment processes, improve employment branding, bolster recruitment marketing, improve the hiring experience for both candidates and hiring managers, optimize sourcing, and enhance the quality of the candidate pool, all while driving down costs and streamlining boring and repetitive tasks. In this podcast, The Conference Board Researchers Robin Erickson, PhD, and Amy Ye discuss how AI can elevate the TA function and drive business results. To help TA professionals respond to a new work environment with various AI tools, they also reveal the impact of AI on the roles and skill sets required for this function and identify common issues and concerns with employing AI technology in TA. Robin and Amy both share recommendations to help organizations ensure successful implementation of AI in TA.
The World Health Organization has declared the novel coronavirus outbreak an international public health emergency, acknowledging that the virus now represents a risk beyond China. How can organizations prepare for and manage the potential impact of this fast-moving, deadly outbreak? What are the short and long-term economic implications? How can companies respond to a major health outbreak from various functional perspectives?
In this timely podcast, Ataman Ozyildirim, Senior Director, Economics & Global Research Chair, The Conference Board, sits down with leading experts to discuss these and other critical issues. Participants include: Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President, Human Capital, The Conference Board; Erik Lundh, Senior Economist, The Conference Board, and an expert on the China economy; Denise Dahlhoff, Senior Researcher, Consumer Research, The Conference Board; and Craig Carroll, Executive Director, OCR Network, and a global expert on corporate reputation.
Join us for a lively conversation with Dr. Nabeel Ahmad about the intersection of business, technology, and learning -- three rapidly changing, interconnected topics. Nabeel is a Distinguished Principal Research Fellow at The Conference Board's Human Capital Center and a Partner at Rose Rock Dynamics, a learning strategy consultancy.
Join us for a lively conversation about performance management with Anna Tavis, PhD, Clinical Associate Professor of Human Capital Management at New York University. According to the recent 2019 Job Satisfaction report from The Conference Board, only 33 percent of employees are satisfied with their performance reviews; yet this process is a strong driver of job satisfaction. Additionally, many organizations are in the midst of changing their performance management processes. In this timely podcast, Anna tackles some tough questions: Why is it so hard for companies to figure out performance management? Are there true success stories? Where should this transformation start? And what is the future of performance management?
The public prominence of social change issues is influencing how many organizations operate. The challenge for organizations is to determine the costs and benefits, and thus the overall impact, of taking a stand on the social change issues that affect customers, employees, owners, and the communities in which they operate. Simply put, social change issues matter to organizations because they matter to many of their employees and customers, both of whom affect overall profitability.
Join Robin Erickson, PhD, and Amanda Popiela as they discuss their latest research report focused on how organizations approach social change and the choices they have when they decide to do so. They will also share the findings of an online survey with over 500 respondents and interviews with 10 executives at global organizations.
Join us for a conversation with Chester Elton, author and co-founder of The Culture Works. Chester is co-author of the New York Times and #1 BusinessWeek, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling books All In, The Carrot Principle and his latest, The Best Team Wins. More than 1.5 million copies of his books have been sold in more than 50 countries.
He has been called the “apostle of appreciation” by Canada’s Globe and Mail, “creative and refreshing‚” by the New York Times, and a “must read for modern managers” by CNN. In 2017 Global Gurus research organization ranked him as #15 in the world’s top leadership experts and #10 in the world’s top organizational culture experts, and he is a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches (MG100), pay it forward project.
A Conversation With... features a discussion with the leader of our Human Capital Center, Dr. Rebecca Ray, and thought leaders in the Human Capital field. In June, Rebecca will be speaking with renowned HR experts, Dr. Jack Phillips, Co-Founder and Chairman, and Dr. Patti Phillips, President and CEO, of ROI Institute Inc.
Companies invest millions in learning programs, platforms, and content. Yet many have no systematic way to evaluate the pay-offs. Learning analytics is a rigorous process that helps organizations align learning with business outcomes and evaluate its impact. Find out how to make it an essential management tool―much like financial reporting, sales forecasting, and market research—that supports decision-making and business performance.
Today’s technology, and the data it produces, are vital enablers of more flexible and personalized approaches to talent, providing a closer fit between business objectives and the individual skills and aspirations of its workers. This podcast discusses the emergence of total talent mobility—an expansive and holistic approach that helps organizations achieve both talent and business purposes in a volatile, hypercompetitive environment. Specifically, it identifies the top 10 strategic purposes of talent mobility, the primary barriers to some purposes, and the best practices to alleviate those challenges.
Join this lively podcast where Robin Erickson, PhD, Principal Researcher, interviews KimArie Yowell, Vice President of Talent Development at Quicken Loans about how they engage their teams. Quicken Loans has a unique approach to engagement that is clearly successful as they’ve been named to FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the last 16 years. Learn how the Quicken Loans “isms” provide the foundation for a diverse and dynamic culture.
What three words characterize the HR profession today? How is that different from what you might have expected in your role as a leading Human Capital practitioner? And, how have you handled disruption in this profession?
Please join us for our first in a series of Conversations with…... These podcasts will include a discussion with the leader of our Human Capital Center, Dr. Rebecca Ray, and recognized experts in the Human Capital area. Each installment of the series will feature a different thought leader .
During our first program of this series, Rebecca will be speaking with renown HR management expert, David Ulrich, a University of Michigan professor at the Ross School of Business, author, speaker, management coach and management consultant.
The practice of coaching continues to evolve as a development strategy to support leaders and their teams in chaotic business conditions. Artificial Intelligence may be a tool to complement your practice and draw insights into the effectiveness of your coaching efforts across a large group. Learn about an innovative use of AI in coaching and how we can enhance our coaching work for the benefit of the leaders and the enterprise.
Mary Young, Principal Researcher, Human Capital
Linda Leonard, Global Diversity and Inclusion Leader, Bristol Myers Squibb
Mary Young interviews Linda Leonard about overcoming the fuzziness of inclusion with hard evidence and driving more inclusive behaviors at all levels of the organization.
Defining and Measuring Inclusion, The Conference Board, 2018
Webcast: More Than a Feeling: Defining and Measuring Inclusion, February 20, 2019
A look at the biggest challenges facing executives in 2019, based on a new global survey from The Conference Board.