Sabotage. AI and pay equity. Love and fulfillment. Those are a few of the research themes leaders sought as they coped with conflicting economic signals and technological upheaval in 2025.
The most-read articles about Harvard Business School research for the year probed the relationships of managers and their employees, strategies for effective communication, and how artificial intelligence is reshaping work. Here they are:
What Drives Managers to Sabotage Talented Employees
Intense competition in the workplace may lead managers to sabotage talented employees to protect their own job security, says research by Hashim Zaman and Karim Lakhani.
Women Are Avoiding AI. Will Their Careers Suffer?
Women are adopting generative AI technology at a significantly lower rate than men, in many cases because women question whether it's ethical to use the tools, according to research by Rembrand Koning and colleagues. If women are shying away from AI, could the gender gap in pay and job opportunities widen?
Three Tips for a Happier Work Life
Want to be happier? Ditch pointless meetings, celebrate your progress, and think twice before chasing that corner office, advises Arthur C. Brooks in his book The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life.
Charting the Value of Remote Work: Would You Take a Pay Cut?
More organizations are asking employees to return to offices, but many employees would rather take a pay cut than commute. Research by Zoë Cullen and Christopher Stanton puts a value on remote work.
What Makes a Leadership Team Effective? Start with These Eight Steps
All too often, executive teams stumble in their attempts to lead their organizations effectively. Michael Beer explains how to refine a top management team to advance a company's strategy.
A Retirement Expert Explores Finding Fulfillment After Work
Teresa Amabile and her coauthors break down the decisions people face as they shape their post-career lives in their book, Retiring: Creating a Life That Works for You. In this interview, she explains why it can be hard to let go of one's work identity.
'Get Off Your Phone': Debora Spar on Love in the Digital Age
Technology is transforming relationships, says Debora Spar, but algorithms can't replace authentic human connection. She discusses her research on the future of marriage and what these shifts mean for all of us.
'Boomerasking': The Annoying Habit Ruining Your Office Conversations
Coworkers who ask questions just to talk about themselves? It's a conversational quirk that makes people cringe, says research by Alison Wood Brooks. She offers advice for improving workplace communication.
'Misfits' in Power: When a Company Needs a Leader CEO, But Gets a Manager
A study of nearly 5,000 CEOs finds that hiring a manager when a leader is needed—or vice versa—can reduce productivity. Research by Raffaella Sadun highlights the importance of matching executive skills to a company's specific needs.
Why You Might Want to Say Goodbye to the Annual Performance Review
The annual performance review has long shaped workplace feedback, but a software company's dynamic feedback approach boosts retention through career growth, says a case study by Katherine Coffman.
