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New research on human resources from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including organizational design, compensation, incentive plans, hiring practices, and recruitment.
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Why People Crave Feedback—and Why We’re Afraid to Give It

by Michael Blanding

How am I doing? Research by Francesca Gino and colleagues shows just how badly employees want to know. Is it time for managers to get over their discomfort and get the conversation going at work?

Will Demand for Women Executives Finally Shrink the Gender Pay Gap?

by Kristen Senz

Women in senior management have more negotiation power than they think in today's labor market, says research by Paul Healy and Boris Groysberg. Is it time for more women to seek better opportunities and bigger pay?

Can the Foodservice Distribution Industry Recover from the Pandemic?

Re: David E. Bell

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, US Foods struggled, as restaurant and school closures reduced demand for foodservice distribution. The situation improved after the return of indoor dining and in-person learning, but an industry-wide shortage of truck drivers and warehouse staff hampered the foodservice distributor’s post-pandemic recovery. That left CEO Pietro Satriano to determine the best strategy to attract and retain essential workers, even as he was tasked with expanding the wholesale grocery store chain (CHEF’STORE) that US Foods launched during the pandemic lockdown. Harvard Business School Professor David E. Bell explores how post-pandemic supply chain challenges continue to affect the foodservice distribution industry in his case, “US Foods: Driving Post-Pandemic Success?”

From Truck Driver to Manager: US Foods’ Novel Approach to Staff Shortages

by Pamela Reynolds

Restaurant closures, supply disruptions, and now, worker shortages. The pandemic has been hard on food suppliers. A case study by David Bell looks at the innovative thinking that helped one of the industry's biggest companies stabilize staffing—and grow.

In a Work-from-Anywhere World, How Remote Will Workers Go?

by Kara Baskin

Will professionals still choose cities if they have the option to work from the beach? Research by Prithwiraj Choudhury considers the radical ripple effects of remote work.

College Degrees: The Job Requirement Companies Seek, but Don't Really Need

by Jay Fitzgerald

Hiring platforms routinely screen out experienced candidates simply because they aren't college graduates. With millions of openings going unfilled, Boris Groysberg says that companies should look for skills instead of degrees.

Desperate for Talent? Consider Advancing Your Own Employees First

by Rachel Layne

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.

What Does Your Business Stand For? Why Building Trust Starts with Purpose

by Ranjay Gulati

Trust is fragile and must be nurtured. By tapping into their purpose, leaders can help their organizations embody the values and principles they espouse, says Ranjay Gulati in his book Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

Companies Can Expand Their Talent Pool by Giving Ex-Convicts a Second Chance

by Jay Fitzgerald

People with criminal convictions often have trouble finding work and face double-digit unemployment rates. Yet employers would be more willing to hire them under certain conditions, says research by Zoë Cullen. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How to Avoid the 'Ethical Slide' That Leads Companies Astray

by Lane Lambert

Building strong ethics requires continuous effort from everyone in an organization. In the book Business Ethics: What Everyone Needs to Know, J.S. Nelson offers practical advice for cultivating a "speak-up" culture. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Rituals at Work: Teams That Play Together Stay Together

by Kristen Senz

Rituals—even seemingly silly ones—help employees bond and add meaning to their work, says research by Michael Norton, Francesca Gino, and colleagues. After two years of pandemic disruption, who wouldn't welcome a workday pick-me-up? Open for comment; 0 Comments.

When Employees Feel a Sense of Purpose, Companies Succeed

by Ranjay Gulati

Corporate cultures tend to encourage conformity. At a time when employees expect more from their jobs, companies should make space for individuality, Ranjay Gulati argues in this excerpt from his book, Deep Purpose. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Is Concierge Management an Answer to the “Big Quit”?

by James Heskett

Are employees more likely to be forgotten in remote settings, leaving without so much as a goodbye? Should companies do more to give them a voice? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

3 Steps to Help Companies Rebuild Trust During the Pandemic

by Sandra J. Sucher and Shalene Gupta

Many workers feel battered and distrustful after almost two years of COVID-19 instability. But it's not too late for managers—even those who made damaging missteps—to repair these relationships, say Sandra Sucher and Shalene Gupta. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How Eliminating Non-Competes Could Reshape Tech

by Kristen Senz

President Biden says non-compete agreements threaten innovation, but the tech industry leans on them to protect trade secrets. Andy Wu discusses what a potential ban on these legal pacts could mean for business. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Feeling Seen: What to Say When Your Employees Are Not OK

by Pamela Reynolds

Pandemic life continues to take its toll. Managers who let down their guard and acknowledge their employees' emotions can ease distress and build trust, says research by Julian Zlatev and colleagues. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How Bonuses Get Employees to Choose Work Over Family

by Rachel Kim Raczka

Working late again? Research by Ashley Whillans and colleagues shows how incentive pay encourages workers to think of downtime as wasted time. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How a Company Made Employees So Miserable, They Killed Themselves

by Michael Blanding

Aggressive downsizing at France Télécom culminated in 19 employee suicides. Case studies by Cynthia Montgomery and Ashley Whillans show how mistreating workers can have deadly consequences. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Can Our Parenting Struggles Make Us Better Leaders?

by Ranjay Gulati

Like parents, leaders must know when to impose control and when to step back. Ranjay Gulati reflects on the benefits of authoritative leadership, and what it takes to achieve it. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

The Simple Secret of Effective Mentoring Programs

by Jay Fitzgerald

The employees who need guidance most rarely seek it out. New research by Christopher Stanton sheds light on what companies stand to gain from mentorship programs that include everyone. Open for comment; 0 Comments.