With the pandemic long over, many companies sought to reaffirm or rebuild their workplace cultures in 2024.
Some major organizations, including Amazon, Walt Disney, and Starbucks, sought to bring more remote and hybrid employees back to offices. Other companies, such as Boeing, Cisco, and Dropbox, cut their workforces in the name of efficiency amid murky economic signals.
The most-read articles about Harvard Business School research reflect questions many leaders are wrestling with—such as how to build a disciplined culture, improve communication, and retain psychological safety—ahead of a potentially transitional year.
Why Boeing’s Problems with the 737 MAX Began More Than 25 Years Ago
Aggressive cost cutting and rocky leadership changes have eroded the culture at Boeing, a company once admired for its engineering rigor, says Bill George. What will it take to repair the reputational damage wrought by years of crises involving its 737 MAX?
The Middle Manager of the Future: More Coaching, Less Commanding
Skilled middle managers foster collaboration, inspire employees, and link important functions at companies. An analysis of more than 35 million job postings by Letian Zhang paints a counterintuitive picture of today's midlevel manager. Could these roles provide an innovation edge?
Breaking Through the Self-Doubt That Keeps Talented Women from Leading
Women are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification—the lasting damage of a lifetime of gender stereotypes. Studies by Katherine Coffman show how employers could use simple-yet-powerful approaches to empower women to pursue senior roles and bring more talent to companies.
The Critical Minutes After a Virtual Meeting That Can Build Up or Tear Down Teams
Weak communication and misunderstandings during virtual meetings can give way to resentment and rifts when the cameras turn off. Research by Leslie Perlow probes the nuances of digital communication. She offers advice for improving remote teamwork.
The Harvard Business School Faculty Summer Reader 2024
What's on your vacation reading list? Harvard Business School faculty members planned to explore not only sober themes, such as philosophy and climate policy, but classic mysteries and hip-hop history.
Let's Talk: Why It's Time to Stop Avoiding Taboo Topics at Work
Few people enjoy talking about succession plans, performance problems, and pay, but sometimes you must. Christina Wing offers five rules for navigating thorny conversations in the workplace, and makes the case for tackling even sensitive topics, like age, health, and politics.
Beyond Goals: David Beckham's Playbook for Mobilizing Star Talent
Reach soccer's pinnacle. Become a global brand. Buy a team. Sign Lionel Messi. David Beckham makes success look as easy as his epic free kicks. But leveraging world-class talent takes discipline and deft decision-making, as case studies by Anita Elberse reveal. What could other businesses learn from his ascent?
Being a Team Player: Why College Athletes Succeed in Business
Forget rocks for jocks. A study by Paul Gompers of more than 400,000 Ivy League athletes probes how the rigors of college sports can help people climb the corporate ladder faster and into higher-paying positions.
New Hires Lose Psychological Safety After Year One. How to Fix It.
New hires begin their roles eager to offer ideas. But research by Amy Edmondson shows how they become more reluctant to share over time. She explains how psychological safety erodes on the job and provides advice for strengthening it.
Deion Sanders' Prime Lessons for Leading a Team to Victory
The former star athlete known for flash uses unglamorous command-and-control methods to get results as a college football coach. Business leaders can learn 10 key lessons from the way 'Coach Prime' builds a culture of respect and discipline without micromanaging, says Hise Gibson.
