Human Capital Watch

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 20

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 Conf

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