Advertise on podcast: HBS Managing the Future of Work

Are existing institutions up to the task of preparing the labor force for emerging jobs while also addressing longstanding issues of participation and productivity? AI only raises the value of human skills in meeting the challenge. Drawing on her leadership experience across business, government, higher education, and philanthropy, Pritzker discusses what it will take to adapt the complex workforce development system to provide maximum access to the benefits of a radically shifting economy.

How an aging workforce and longer, more complex careers increase the benefits of a well-managed multigenerational workplace. The ROI of dispelling old tropes, promoting learning, and supporting caregivers.

The CEO of the former OneTen explains the skills-first hiring catalyst's new formula: workforce intelligence and advising plus talent supply. And why shifting the discussion from credentials to capabilities helps organizations navigate AI disruption.

As careers last longer and AI accelerates workplace change, should extended career breaks become part of workforce strategy? Harvard Business School senior lecturer DJ DiDonna on burnout, reskilling, organizational resilience, and why sabbaticals may be a missing institution in modern work—for employees and employers alike.

We present Joe Fuller’s 2025 conversation with the Georgetown computer scientist, New Yorker contributor, and longtime student of knowledge work.

The Royal Bank of Canada CHRO explains how the bank's early AI investments are reshaping talent, leadership, and work. Also: RBC's strategic approach to integrating HSBC Bank Canada, redesigning entry-level roles, expanding college recruiting, balancing automation with relationship banking, and why human judgment remains a lasting competitive advantage.

The Conference Board's president and CEO sees AI as less a technological challenge than a managerial one, exacerbated by increasing global volatility. Drawing parallels to the introduction of the personal computer, he argues that governance, workflow redesign, and organizational trust matter more than the technology itself.

We present a recent episode of the HBS SkyDeck alumni podcast featuring Aarti Dhupelia (MBA 2005), CEO of One Million Degrees. The nonprofit supports community college students through career development, paid internships, and financial incentives tied to academic progress. Dhupelia discusses why community colleges are too often viewed as a fallback option despite offering an affordable, career-focused post-secondary path, and why employers should take a closer look at the talent and resilience community college graduates bring to the workforce.

Demand for skilled-trades workers remains high, yet many graduates of vocational programs struggle to land jobs. The founder and CEO of Thurgood Industries discusses how making skills visible through portfolios of real work can improve matching and expand access to opportunity. He also reflects on his own path—from incarceration to Yale Law School and founding a workforce platform—and how it informs his approach to building more inclusive career pathways.

The Khan Academy founder and HBS grad returns to discuss AI disruption—preparing for The Great Reskilling and challenging the status quo in instruction, assessment, and credentials.

BRT's president and COO on policy and planning for multiple AI scenarios, work-based learning, skills-based hiring, and the ROI of employer investments in workforce development. Also, addressing skills gaps and promoting economic mobility.

The multinational's head of HR and sustainability explains how the firm's investment in   continuous skills building positions it to handle AI disruptions, demographic shifts, job redesign, and workflow changes. Also, industrial AI, defining core skills, and co-determination.

The challenge is orchestrating projects that deliver business, educational, and employment value. The Canadian firm's co-founder and CEO breaks down the process.

Corner office churn is up as demands multiply. Heidrick & Struggles' CEO explains what CVs leave out and why flexibility and organizational fit matter more as AI and global volatility undercut the predictive power of past performance. Also, AI-enhanced recruiting and lifelong learning.

The bank's head of global talent, an HBS grad, explains the value of cultivating careers, keeping churn low, hiring from within, and focusing on local markets and communities. Also, AI adoption, skills-based hiring, the pivotal role of managers, and training leaders to navigate turbulence.