- 05 Dec 2022
- Research & Ideas
5 Companies Where Employees Move Up the Ladder Fast
IBM, Southwest Airlines, and other companies proactively help workers advance their careers to try to retain them, says research by Joseph Fuller. The findings show just how important an employer can be to future salary and job prospects.
- 23 Aug 2022
- Cold Call Podcast
Management Lessons from the Sinking of the SS El Faro
Captain Michael Davidson of the container ship SS El Faro was determined to make his planned shipping trip on time—but a hurricane was approaching his intended path. To succeed, Davidson and his fellow officers had to plot a course to avoid the storm in the face of conflicting weather reports from multiple sources and differing opinions among the officers about what to do. Over the 36-hour voyage, tensions rose as the ship got closer and closer to the storm. And there were other factors compounding the challenge. The El Faro was an old ship, about to be scrapped. Its owner, TOTE Maritime, was in the process of selecting officers to crew its new ships. Davidson and some of his officers knew the company measured a ship’s on-time arrival and factored that into performance reviews and hiring decisions. When the ship ultimately sunk on October 1, 2015, it was the deadliest American shipping disaster in decades. But who was to blame for the tragedy and what can we learn from it? Professor Joe Fuller discusses the culpability of the captain, as well as his subordinates, and what it reveals about how leaders and their teams communicate under pressure in his case, "Into the Raging Sea: Final Voyage of the SS El Faro."
- 03 May 2022
- Research & Ideas
Desperate for Talent? Consider Advancing Your Own Employees First
What would it take to build the skills your company needs in your current workforce? Joseph Fuller and Manjari Raman offer a new playbook for a historic talent crunch with no end in sight.
- 19 Jan 2022
- In Practice
7 Trends to Watch in 2022
Surging COVID-19 cases may have dampened optimism at the start of 2022, but change could be on the horizon. Harvard Business School faculty members share the trends they're watching this year. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 05 Nov 2021
- Op-Ed
How to Tap the Talent Automated HR Platforms Miss
Companies are struggling to fill open positions, but the job platforms they use often screen out promising candidates just because they don't tick every box. Joseph Fuller probes the challenges—and opportunities—of "hidden workers." Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 26 Oct 2021
- Research & Ideas
What Companies Want Most in a CEO: A Good Listener
Financial expertise and operational experience will only take executives so far. More than ever, companies want senior leaders with strong social skills and emotional intelligence, says research by Raffaella Sadun and Joseph Fuller. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 14 Oct 2021
- In Practice
Reunited and It Feels (Not) So Good: Tips for Managing a Rocky Return
For many companies, returning to the office has felt like a rollercoaster of worry, excitement, and uncertainty. Members of the Harvard Business School faculty offer advice to help managers restore calm. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 Jul 2021
- Office Hours
Readers Ask: Which Companies Are Transforming Work?
Joseph Fuller answers readers' questions about automation, virtual internships, and the future of work on Working Knowledge’s “Office Hours” series. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 19 May 2021
- Op-Ed
Why America Needs a Better Bridge Between School and Career
As the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, America faces a critical opportunity to close gaps that leave many workers behind, say Joseph Fuller and Rachel Lipson. What will it take? Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Nov 2020
- Research & Ideas
Why a Blended Workforce May Be Key to Lasting Competitive Advantage
Companies are increasingly blending full-time staff with skilled on-demand talent. The problem: Few companies have developed cultures that accommodate gig workers, says Joseph B. Fuller. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 12 Jul 2020
- Book
The Harvard Business School Faculty Summer Reader 2020
Harvard Business School faculty are both voracious book readers and frequent book authors. Here is what they are reading this summer, and what they have written over the last year. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Jan 2020
- In Practice
6 Traits That Set Top Business Leaders Apart
What do the best leaders do differently? Harvard Business School faculty members highlight the leadership skills and qualities that separate good from great. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Jan 2019
- Research & Ideas
Why Business Should Support Employees Who Are Caregivers
Shifting demographics are causing an increasing number of people to act as caregivers for family and friends—but employers seem hardly to notice the trend. Joseph Fuller discusses why companies should support them. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 18 Dec 2017
- Op-Ed
Why Employers Must Stop Requiring College Degrees For Middle-Skill Jobs
Employers are guilty of "degree inflation," requiring lofty academic bona fides for jobs that don't really need them. Joseph Fuller says the practice is hurting American competitiveness. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Nov 2016
- Op-Ed
Forget About Making College Affordable; Make it a Good Investment
Making college affordable is a popular campaign topic this year, but Joseph Fuller argues the real debate should be over increasing the returns for students. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 28 Jun 2016
- First Look
June 28, 2016
Is it time for Dinr? ... How Costa Rica built an ecotourism trade ... Starting a new fund in energy startups.
- 08 Apr 2016
- Research & Ideas
How to Hire a Millennial
This is not your parents' workplace anymore, Joseph Fuller reminds us. Crucial for attracting millennial workers are flexible work arrangements, meaningful mentorship programs, and sense of mission. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 12 Feb 2016
- Op-Ed
The Real Jobs Tragedy in the US: We've Lost the Skills
Upgrading domestic skills is far more relevant to the future of American workers than potential job losses through expanded trade with other Pacific-rim nations, say Joe Fuller and Matt Sigelman. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Nov 2015
- Lessons from the Classroom
How Activist Investors Became Respectable
Once reviled as villains operating on the fringes of the market, activist investors like Carl Icahn are now powerful forces at work in the mainstream of business, says Professor Joseph Fuller. And their influence is only growing. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
Can Apprenticeships Work in the US? Employers Seeking New Talent Pipelines Take Note
What if the conventional college-and-internship route doesn't give future employees the skills they need to build tomorrow's companies? Research by Joseph Fuller and colleagues illustrates the advantages that apprenticeships can provide to employees and young talent.