- 24 Aug 2020
- Research & Ideas
How Much Will Remote Work Continue After the Pandemic?
A new survey suggests that at least 16 percent of employees will remain at-home workers long after COVID-19 recedes, report researchers Christopher Stanton, Zoe Cullen, and Michael Luca. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 18 May 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
No Line Left Behind: Assortative Matching Inside the Firm
This paper studies how buyer relationships influence suppliers' internal organization of labor. The results emphasize that suppliers to the global market, when they are beholden to a small set of powerful buyers, may be driven to allocate managerial skill to service these relationships, even at the expense of productivity.
- 25 Feb 2020
- Research & Ideas
For Migrant Workers, Homesickness Can Reduce Productivity
Workers in the global economy increasingly perform their jobs far away from home. It turns out, says Prithwiraj Choudhury, that homesickness is a significant barrier to their productivity. Here's what employers can do. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 31 Jul 2019
- Research & Ideas
Distressed Employees? Try Resilience Training
Depressed employees are up to five times more likely to experience work-related problems than employees with chronic physical illnesses. So why aren't employers helping them? asks Ashley Whillans. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 07 Jul 2019
- HBS Case
Walmart's Workforce of the Future
A case study by William Kerr explores Walmart's plans for future workforce makeup and training, and its search for opportunities from digital infrastructure and automation. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 01 Jul 2019
- What Do You Think?
Are Super Stretch Goals Only for the Very Young?
SUMMING UP: Super stretch goals can produce audacious results, but they are best left to companies agile enough to execute then, readers say. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 02 Apr 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Managerial Quality and Productivity Dynamics
Which managerial skills, traits, and practices matter most for productivity? This study of a large garment firm in India analyzes the integration of features of managerial quality into a production process characterized by learning by doing.
- 12 Nov 2018
- Research & Ideas
'Always On' Isn't Always Best for Team Decision-Making
Is it possible for teams to communicate too frequently? Research by Ethan Bernstein and colleagues suggests that groups that meet less often may be better at problem-solving. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 25 Oct 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
Vodafone’s Innovative Approach to Advanced Technologies
William Kerr discusses how telecom giant Vodafone incorporated big data, automation, and artificial intelligence to improve productivity while ensuring new opportunities were created for the next generation of workers. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 28 Aug 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Homesick or Home Run? Distance from Hometown and Employee Performance: A Natural Experiment from India
In the short and long term, distance from one’s hometown has a different effect on individual work performance. First-year performance ratings tend to be high the farther employees work from their hometown. Three years later, however, longer travel times are associated with lower ratings, with implications for managers.
- 23 Jul 2018
- Research & Ideas
The Open Office Revolution Has Gone Too Far
When Ethan Bernstein used wearable technology to track workers around their open office, he discovered many who were trying to avoid collaboration rather than engage in it. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 28 Feb 2018
- Sharpening Your Skills
Master the Team Meeting
Business meetings aren't always enjoyable, but they are key to moving a team forward. Julia Austin offers tips for making the most of your meeting time. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 12 Feb 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Private Equity, Jobs, and Productivity: Reply to Ayash and Rastad
In 2014, the authors published an influential analysis of private equity buyouts in the American Economic Review. Recently, economists Brian Ayash and Mahdi Rastad have challenged the accuracy of those findings. This new paper responds point by point to their critique, contending that it reflects a misunderstanding of the data and methodology behind the original study.
- 31 Jan 2018
- Research & Ideas
American Idle: Workers Spend Too Much Time Waiting for Something to Do
Workers across the country are spending far too much time doing nothing—and it's costing their companies $100 billion annually. Research by Teresa Amabile and Andrew Brodsky. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 17 Jan 2018
- Research & Ideas
If the CEO’s High Salary Isn't Justified to Employees, Firm Performance May Suffer
Researcher Ethan Rouen discovers that rank-and-file employees understand the boss deserves a big salary, but only when the number is fully explained. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 09 Jan 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Identifying Sources of Inefficiency in Health Care
This economic study finds evidence of allocative inefficiency and substantial variation in comparative advantage across hospitals, with the benefits from treatment being much higher in some hospitals than others. The study overall suggests new directions for research on productivity in healthcare.
- 14 Dec 2017
- Working Paper Summaries
The Real Exchange Rate, Innovation and Productivity
Addressing debates on the effects of real exchange rate (RER) movements on the economy, this study examines manufacturing firm-level effects of medium-term fluctuations, in particular firm-level productivity across a wide range of countries. RER changes have different impacts depending on the export and import orientation of regions and the prevalence of credit constraints. Effects are non-linear and asymmetric, suggesting that the link between RER changes and macroeconomic performance might be much more nuanced than usually thought.
- 09 Aug 2017
- Sharpening Your Skills
Productivity Tips You Probably Haven't Considered Before
Want to be more productive at work? These recent studies from Harvard Business School researchers offer tips on everything from organizing work flow to paying attention to the weather. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 12 Jul 2017
- Working Paper Summaries
Task Selection and Workload: A Focus on Completing Easy Tasks Hurts Long-Term Performance
Employees facing increased workloads usually tackle easier tasks first. This study tests the performance implications of such prioritization. Findings show that it happens because people feel positive emotions after task completion, yet it could hurt long-term performance. Workloads could be structured to help employee development as well as organizational performance.
Keep Your Weary Workers Engaged and Motivated
Humans are motivated by four drives: acquire, bond, comprehend, and defend. Boris Groysberg and Robin Abrahams discuss how managers can use all four to keep employees engaged. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.