As companies shift heavily towards “skills-based hiring” to remove bias, we now see the unintended consequence. Half of all US college graduates are now “underemployed” and 52% of college grads never use the skills they studied in school. This new study, which looks at 10-year job histories of college graduates in the US found that “of the graduates in non-college-level jobs a year after leaving college, the vast majority remained underemployed a decade later.” This study included college grads from 2012 to 2021, conducted by Burning Glass Institute and Strada Education. What’s going on? Hundreds of studies continue to show that college graduates outperform non-grads. The Social Security administration itself states. Men with bachelor’s degrees earn approximately $900,000 more in median lifetime earnings than high school graduates. Women with bachelor’s degrees earn $630,000 more. The Burning-Glass/Strada report also points out that students have seen this coming. College applications are down and students are moving away from liberal arts toward trade-oriented degrees in computer science and engineering. Is this a big wakeup call to Colleges? It sure is. Listen to my explanation about what’s going on. Additional Information Autonomous Corporate Learning Platforms: Arriving Now, Powered by AI Irresistible 2024: Join Us This May! Introducing Our New “AI in HR” Certificate Course

In this podcast I interview Joel Hellermark, the founder and CEO of Sana, one of the most exciting new learning and AI platforms in the market. As you'll hear, Joel has a vision for corporate learning which many of us have dreamed about, and he explains how he's bringing it to reality. Over the coming months I will be interviewing other HR Technology CEOs, focused on exploring the many innovations created through AI and other advanced machine learning technologies. So stay tuned for more. Please mark your calendar and sign up for Irresistible 2024, May 20-22 at USC in Los Angeles. This star-studded event will be "the HR Executive Confab Of The Year" I promise you, and we have many special guests to tell you about. Additional Information Introducing Our New “AI in HR” Certificate Course Introducing Galileo™, The World’s First AI-Powered Expert Assistant For HR HR Predictions for 2024: The Global Search For Productivity  

In this podcast I discuss the urgent need to better automate, upskill, and integrate recruiting. CEOs believe recruiting is the third "most time-wasting" process in their companies (after emails and meetings), yet it's more important than ever. This year companies need to really rethink and transform this function, and this podcast explains the issue. And yes, AI is part of the answer. Additional Information Why Do Companies Hire Too Many People? HR Predictions for 2024: The Global Search For Productivity Are Diversity And Inclusion Programs Going Away? AI in HR: Brand New** Certificate Program From The Josh Bersin Academy

This week Meta (Facebook) announced revenue growth of 25% year over year and a headcount cut of 22%, with net income soaring to $14 billion, almost a 35% net profit. That spectacular outcome is a result of focus and a clear and rigorous process of reducing headcount. But the big story is not this company, it's the big idea that companies often over-hire. And this over-hiring results in bureaucracy, slowdown, and loss of innovation. Just as Meta has learned this, I believe every company has to learn this lesson. In today's talent-constrained global economy, it's time to run our companies with a focus on "fewer people" and "more clarity." This podcast explains. Additional Information The Myth of the Bell Curve The Dynamic Organization Research HR and HR Technology Predictions for 2024 The Four Day Work Week Arrives  

In this podcast I discuss our Dynamic Organization research and how this new way of running a company is rapidly growing around the world. As the title points out, Dynamic Organizations are 31X more effective at bringing innovations to market and far outperform their peers (Netflix is discussed in detail). But this is not as easy as it seems. This podcast is a summary of 200+ discussions we had with HR leaders this week, talking about speed and agility in organization design, Irresistible Leadership, and the urgent need for a more dynamic operating model for HR which we call Systemic HR. I encourage you to listen because it brings together these three pivotal ideas and will help you build a more productive team and company as the labor market gets hotter this year. Additional Information HR Predictions for 2024: The Global Search For Productivity Introducing The Systemic HR™ Initiative Building A Dynamic Organization Companies Have Been Neglecting Their Leadership, And It Shows    

In this podcast I tell the narrative for the 2024 predictions, and why labor shortages, productivity, and dynamic organization models will become core topics this year. I also discuss the new role of DEI, employee activation, labor unions, and what we can expect in the economy. The 15 predictions are all imperatives and our new research should help you learn, prioritize where to focus, and see around the corners for this exciting year ahead. Additional Resources HR Predictions for 2024: The Global Search For Productivity Are Diversity And Inclusion Programs Going Away? The Predictions Webcast: Join Us Get the Predictions Report and Action Guide: Join The Josh Bersin Academy  

This week I introduce a big idea: Employee Activation. This idea, which comes from important work we're doing with Medallia, shows you how to move "beyond engagement" to a whole new world of employee listening and action-taking based on feedback. In the new world of labor shortages, high turnover, unions, and general employee stress, Employee Activation might be the big answer. Here's a definition: “Employee Activation means designing the company so that managers, line executives, and employees can adjust, change, and redesign work around worker’s needs, suggestions, and demands.” (This week's podcast was recorded on a walk, so I apologize for some of the "animal sounds" in the background) Additional Information Is DEI about to DIE? Welcome to The Post-Industrial Age (Labor shortages as far as the eye can see) Why AI Projects Are More Like Traditional IT Projects Than You Think

2024 is off with a bang. The death or decline of DEI strategies, increased activity among unions, and job numbers in December that predict a secular labor shortage for years ahead. In this podcast I give HR and business leaders some advices on "what to do about DEI programs" in this new political environment, and how to think about this ongoing labor shortage. Imagine a world where every employee has 15 job offers to think about each day? That's where we are! And get ready for our comprehensive Predictions report coming this month! More Resources Are Diversity And Inclusion Programs Going Away? Conservatives Going After Corporate DEI Programs Next Bill Ackman Letter re: Harvard Elevating Equity: Best-Selling Certificate Course in The Josh Bersin Academy  

In this podcast I walk through the big business and HR stories of 2023 and what they tell us for the year ahead. 2024 looks like a year with a strong economy, continued labor shortages, with employees continuing to take charge. And as you expect, AI will change everything. And there's one big story that defines everything, but you'll have to listen to the podcast to hear it. Join me as we look ahead and stay tuned for our detailed 2024 Predictions report coming in January.

As I look back on the year and think about all the challenges we face in business, I'm reminded of the simple human formula of how we care for each other. This topic, that of "care," is not something people talk about a lot at work. But in many ways it's fundamental to business success. This podcast explores that issue. Additional Information Workplace Mental Health Has Become A Strategy For Business Performance The Four-Day Work Week: An Idea Whose Time Has Come The Healthy Organization: Next Big Thing In Employee Wellbeing Corporate Citizenship Redefined: Trust, Inclusion, and Responsibility  

This week I want to give you some insights on AI, the use of LLM's, and how to think about a "knowledge graph" for your company, and how it applies to HR. Yes, your AI strategy, your employee experience strategy, and your own career as a professional are all dependent on your "Knowledge Graph."  In HR your knowledge graph includes your understanding of HR practices, vendors and tools, economic and workforce data, company culture, industry trends, HR benchmarks, and the many case studies of successful solutions in the domain. If you think about the knowledge graph in your company, you can develop the right AI strategy for the organization. Additional Information How To Execute The Four-Day Workweek (Harvard Business Review) Introducing Galileo™, The World’s First AI-Powered Expert Assistant For HR Why Are Some Companies More Dynamic Than Others?

We've just completed a major study of the 4-day week and the results are surprising: companies of all sizes are seeing real benefits and this podcast explains why. While we've all been comfortable with the 5-day week since the early 1920s, it's now time to let go of that paradigm. Lots to discuss and think about here, but it's real. Additional Information Our New Research and Toolkit On The Four-Day Workweek The Four-Day Work Week: An Idea Whose Time Has Come (Videos and Examples) Your Co-Workers Are Less Ambitious Than You Were (Qualtrics and WSJ)  

I bet you're an expert at something. We all are. But how will it feel when a Generative AI becomes deeper and more expert than we are? In this podcast I describe what an "Expert" really is, and why Gen AI has the potential to totally change the market for Experts: not only HR consultants, but lawyers, accountants, scientists, and more. And that means we "Experts" need to up our game. Consulting firms watch out. After many weeks using our new platform Galileo™, I'm amazed at what it can do. This podcast explains how it works and how "expertise" is created by AI. Additional Information Introducing Galileo™, The World’s First AI-Powered Expert Assistant For HR (Join the waitlist) Building A Company Skills Strategy: Harder (and More Important) Than It Looks Understanding An Expert System (Wikipedia)

The OpenAI board saga has been fun to read about, but now that it's settling down what have we learned? In this podcast I recap the last week's events and give you some perspectives on tech companies, leadership, employee activation, and culture. And by the way, what is the role of the board and where does it fit? And why is Sam Altman so important? As you'll hear, the big lesson here is that the most important stakeholders are not the board, but the employees, management, leadership, and culture. And I share lots of stories about tech companies, leadership, culture, and growth. Additional Information Companies Have Been Neglecting Their Leadership, And It Shows The Big Reset Playbook: Organizational Culture and Change Agility The Unbelievable, Critical, Never-Ending Role Of Culture In Business

In this podcast I tell the story of our new Generative AI platform Galileo™, The World's first AI-Powered Expert Assistant for HR. Not only do I explain the history, but I explain how Generative AI platforms work and how flexible and scalable they can be. As I explain, Galileo is much more than a highly intelligent assistant, it is a platform for many applications in HR. I hope you find this podcast educational, because it will teach you about AI in general and many of the powerful benefits to come.... and why deep domain-specific AI can be so powerful. Additional Information Sign Up for the Galileo™ Wait List (Corporate Members, you'll be receiving instructions.) Read About Features and Sana AI Watch The Explainer YouTube Video

As everyone talks about building a skills-based organization, developing people, and dealing with the tough labor market a looming question remains: How do we evaluate people for performance? A new book about Ray Dalio's company Bridgewater Associates gives us some interesting insights into one of the most "feedback-rich" cultures on the planet. How much feedback is good and how do we make it work to everyone's benefit? In this podcast I explore the topic and give you my perspective on the never-ending topic of how we evaluate our people. Additional Information We Wasted Ten Years Talking About Performance Ratings. The Seven Things We’ve Learned. Performance Management Reimagined: Certificate Program In The Josh Bersin Academy The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend, by Rob Copeland The Dot Collector, by Ray Dalio

In this podcast I draw the line from cancel culture to Israel to DEI to business performance. And the argument I make is that despite the challenges we face in the political and culture wars, we, in business, have to do away with these behaviors and focus on building a meritocracy, a culture of open, socratic debate, and a focus on "trusted data." A business, unlike a society, relies on trusted data, a common set of values, and the opportunity to decide how decisions are made. Despite the current war against DEI programs, diversity, inclusion, and psychological safety sit at the center of a great company. So this podcast will show you how to think these things through and go back to your values as a leader or HR manager: fair and equitable discussions and decision-making. Additional Resources The Cancelling of the American Mind: How Cancel Culture Undermines Trust, Destroys Institutions, and Threatens Us All. By Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott. Diversity initiatives in America are foundering (Economist) Diversity Programs Become A Political Football: Why This Could Be Positive Building A Dynamic Organization: The Skills Meritocracy  

In this podcast I review our new Irresistible Leadership research, which discusses the new models of leadership and why leadership development investments are so important. Despite a wide range of offerings in this area, investments in leadership have lagged, so I hope this research gets you motivated to put some time and money into this critical business initiative. Additional Information Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World’s Most Enduring, Employee Focused Organizations (Josh’s book) Human Centered Leadership (Certificate Program In The Josh Bersin Academy) The Learning & Development SuperClass (Certificate Program In The Josh Bersin Academy) Why Are Some Companies More Dynamic Than Others? Welcome To The Post-Industrial Age: Why AI Is Here To Save Us

In this podcast I give you the "under-the-covers" look at our new Systemic HR research, and discuss the evolution of HR, the reason HR has changed, and the urgent need for full-stack HR professionals around the world. This research, which is soon to be launched to our corporate members, has been developed after two years of work and helps CEOs, CFOs, and CHROs understand the new operating model for HR teams, and walks through the four-levels of maturity to get there. We're all on this journey together, and this research will show you the way. If you would like to dive into this research and assess your HR team, please contact us. Additional Information Systemic HR: Prelaunch Detailed Video Presentation (From LinkedIn Talent Connect) The Strategic Business Partner: Certificate Course In The Josh Bersin Academy Why Are Some Companies More Dynamic Than Others? Under The Covers Of The Josh Bersin Academy  

In this podcast I briefly discuss the Trailblazer HR Technology vendors STRIVR, Seekout, Sana Labs, HiBob, Rippling, and ServiceNow. These are vendors who are pioneering the use of AI or other innovative technologies; they are big and well enough established to be a safe buy; and they are platforms and tools that have been proven in the market. I'll talk more about other Trailblazer HR Technology Vendors as the year goes on. Many are implementing next generation AI solutions but others are innovative in other ways. If you're an HR Tech vendor and would like to talk with us, please email us to info@bersinpartners.com - we look forward to talking with you. Additional Information - Certificate Courses on HR Technology The HR Tech Workshop, Certificate Program By The Josh Bersin Academy The Learning & Development SuperClass: A New Certificate Program from the Josh Bersin Academy Additional Reading and Research The Role Of Generative AI In HR Is Now Becoming Clear Why Microsoft Viva Skills Could Disrupt The HR Tech Market LinkedIn Launches Exciting Gen AI Features in Recruiter and Learning SuccessFactors Delivers on HXM and The Promise of AI Here Comes “Workday AI” Understanding AI in HR: Research Study The Role Of Generative AI In HR Is Now Becoming Clear People Analytics Evolved: Systemic Analytics Powered by AI Building A Skills Strategy: Harder (and More Important) Than It Looks  

In this podcast, authored in Paris at Unleash, I discuss the confusion about skills technology and how to rethink your skills strategy. I also discuss AI #Trailblazers Docebo, Arist, & Cornerstone.... and I preview some very important c-level research we launched, "The Dynamic Organization." Additional Information The Definitive Guide To Building A Dynamic Organization - new research and infographic to download Building the Dynamic Organization: Critical for the Post-Industrial Era - article by Kathi Enderes Avature Enters The Learning Market

This week I'm kicking off a series of podcasts and articles on the HR Tech "Trailblazers," vendors who are pioneering the use of AI to revolutionize HR, the workplace, and management. As you'll hear me explain, AI is going to totally revolutionize the HR and workplace technology market, and some vendors are now showing us the way. In this podcast I highlight Eightfold, Paradox, SuccessFactors, and Visier. In future podcasts I'll talk about other Trailblazers like Seekout, Sana, Textio, and many more. Additional Information SuccessFactors Delivers On The Promise of AI The Learning & Development SuperClass: A New Certificate Program from the JBA Why Microsoft Viva Skills Could Disrupt The HR Tech Market LinkedIn Launches Exciting Gen AI Features in Recruiter and Learning Here Comes “Workday AI” Why It’s Time For A New Era In Human Resources. Enter Systemic HR. Confused About Generative AI in HR? Here’s How To Run A Hackathon!

This week we previewed our big research effort in Systemic HR, the evolution of the human resources function. As you'll hear, this is a story about how Human Resources professionals continue to add value as business, the economy, and the workforce continues to change. We will be releasing much more on this, I hope it gets you motivated to rethink your role, your career, and how your team is organized. Additional Information The Josh Bersin Academy: The World's Professional Development Center for HR Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations

This week and next we're going to see some big news from the three biggest companies in HR Technology. In this podcast I explain what Workday announced last week and give you a sneak preview (nothing confidential) about what's coming from SAP and LinkedIn. The message is pretty clear: Gen AI is not only here but it's about to add massive value to these systems. There are some threats to come, but generally thinking you'll see how creative and solution-oriented these offerings are. (Definitely nothing to be afraid of.) I also discuss what Gen AI means to you and your IT department, and give you a preview of the three big research studies coming out soon: The Dynamic Organization, Systemic HR, and Irresistible Leadership. See you all at the upcoming conferences. Additional Resources Understanding AI in HR: Research Study The Role Of Generative AI In HR Is Now Becoming Clear People Analytics Evolved: Systemic Analytics Powered by AI The HR Tech Workshop, Certificate Program By The Josh Bersin Academy

In this podcast I go through the last 100+ years in the evolution of Human Resources. As you'll see, this profession has exploded with growth, new domains, new job roles, and a massive increase in importance. HR executives are "at the table" with CEOs, CFOs, and CIOs and now must operate in what we call a "Systemic HR" model. This background explains how we got here and is a preview of our Systemic HR research coming next month. Additional Resources Why We Are Entering A Secular Labor Shortage The Role Of Generative AI In HR Is Now Becoming Clear Deep Dive on AI in HR (Research Study) Introducing The Organization Design SuperClass! The Josh Bersin Academy: World’s Only End-To-End Professional Development Platform for HR

In this podcast I discuss the ongoing UAW strike and why it feels strangely out of sync with the economy, EV revolution, growth of Tesla, and emergence of AI. And I also give you my experience with the "true costs" of AI, which you have to reflect in your rosy expectations for productivity. Also some great resources below. Additional Resources What Are The Three Generations Of AI In The HR Market? Why Union Workers May Be Better Paid But More Unhappy (research) How AI Impacts Organizational Productivity (what I call Organizational Ingenuity) HR in the Age of AI: Certificate Course from Josh Bersin Academy  

This week Walter Isaacson's book came out, so I wanted to give you my thoughts. The book is a fascinating read, and as I finished I left with a new sense of empathy, respect, and admiration for Elon Musk. Not often do individuals take on enormous role models for billions of people, so I wanted to give you a sense of what I learned. Before you judge him, read the book. He, like all of us, is not a perfect person but we can learn a lot from him. I welcome your thoughts, feedback, and opinions. Prior Podcast: Understanding Musk, Twitter, and the role of Business in Society

In addition to my regular podcasts on HR, leadership, the workforce, and the economy I'm now starting a new podcast series on HR Technology. These podcasts will talk about HR Tech markets, trends, and vendors. And I'll give you my unwashed perspectives on how different vendors position themselves. In this first episode I give you a deep introduction to Talent Intelligence, and AI-based solution that is starting to replace traditional HR systems. While the big vendors (SAP, Oracle, Workday, ServiceNow) are trying to enter this market, the hottest vendors are what I call second generation AI vendors. These include vendors like Eightfold, Gloat, Beamery, Seekout, Phenom, Skyhive, Fuel 50, with newer offerings coming from Cornerstone, iCims, and emerging skills technology vendors like Techwolf, Retrain.ai, LinkedIn, Udemy, and soon Microsoft. And Talent Intelligence is not just a technology market: this is a new set of tools to reinvent recruiting, internal mobility, skills development, career growth, workforce planning, succession management, leadership development, and even pay equity and performance management. And many products Read our Talent Intelligence Primer for more detail. And read our AI in HR Deep Dive research to understand what's under the covers. Join The HR Tech Workshop in The Josh Bersin Academy to learn more on this essential topic.  

This week I want to talk about the problem of proliferating HR Tech platforms in companies. It's not a simple problem, but it really is everywhere. The average large company has 80+ HR tools and many global companies have twice that. Why is this taking place and what can you do? And how will AI help? Here are some of the answers, and more resources to help below: Resources HCM Platform Excellence: SAP, Oracle, Workday Implementations In Detail The HR Tech Workshop, Certificate Course in The Josh Bersin Academy The HR Consultant Masterclass with Bill Pelster, The Most Popular Course in The Academy The Role Of Generative AI In HR Is Now Becoming Clear Understanding AI in HR: A Deep Dive  

In this podcast I discuss the continued growth and confusion in the Generative AI market, and explain how the "AI stack" is still immature, making it difficult for application vendors to deliver on the promise quite yet. It means that you, as a business and HR leader, have to focus your imagination on real-world use cases and guide the vendors in the right direction. As with any new technology platform, this massive shift will take time and the shakeout has yet to occur. Google's announcements this week (coupled with AWS last week and Meta the week before) show how big and early the space still is, with many unlimited opportunities ahead. I also discuss the triad of strategies you need to succeed in this new age: a dynamic organization that can adapt to new ways of working; a leadership model that focuses on human-centered business issues first, execution second; and an HR function that operates in a new, strategic, Systemic way. I will be covering more of this at our special event at the HR Technology Conference in Vegas and at Unleash in Paris. Listen in and send me your comments. Additional Information Check out our new mobile-first micro-learning course on AI in the Josh Bersin Academy. Why Org Design Is The Secret To Success in AI Understanding The Post-Industrial Economy And Why It Changes Everyone's Job Keynote Speech at Irresistible 2023  

We just finished five weeks of in-depth discussions with companies about their Gen AI projects and it's pretty amazing. Lots of playing around, pilots, experiments, and fears. In this podcast I describe what we've learned and give you lots of insights on how these systems work, how they will become "IT projects" pretty quickly, and how the vendor market is still shaking out.  For more details please read some of the resources below. Getting Under The Covers of AI in HR The Post-Industrial Economy: Why AI Is Here To Save Us The Organization Design Superclass (Josh Bersin Academy) IBM WatsonX The SAP Copilot          

This week's podcast talks about AI and why this new technology is creating an urgent need to look at Organization Design. I also discuss many of the findings from our Big Reset discussions with 200+ companies about their AI projects. And I included an important discussion by Andy Biladeau about our new Org Design SuperClass. This deep-dive course, designed for HR and business people, takes you through a real OD project (in a simulated company) and gives you access to all our internal consulting tools. So you can adopt AI and learn how to reorganize your team yourself! The Organization Design SuperClass HR In The Age of AI:  Certificate Course Org Design: The Journey To Agile The Deep Dive on AI: Research Report The Josh Bersin Academy:  https://bersinacademy.com

This week's podcast is all about economics, and how it directly impacts HR.  I also discuss the post-industrial economy, a big topic we discussed at Irresistible. This topic will be the focus of much of our research throughout the year. Bottom line: you need to know this stuff, it really matters. The Josh Bersin Company: https://joshbersin.com The JBA (Josh Bersin Academy):  https://bersinacademy.com The Deep Dive on AI in HR

This week I'm podcasting from London and discuss my conversations with 50+ companies this week about talent acquisition and other important topics. We're also two weeks into our summer sprint on AI and I share some of the stories we're already hearing from HR professionals about how confusing this has become.  But there's a method through the chaos. The Josh Bersin Academy: new courses just released https://bersinacademycom The Josh Bersin Company: lots of new research https://joshbersin.com The Time-to-Hire Factbook A New Operating Model for HR: Arriving Soon (No this podcast is NOT sponsored - so you wont have any interruptions or fake endorsements ever!)

We just finished a long call with more than 100 companies about their AI in HR strategies. Guess what - everyone is experimenting. While there are hundreds of use cases, most companies are starting task forces, looking for areas to focus, and realizing that the technology is amazing but also immature and very new. This podcast discusses our first big discussion with HR leaders on their experiences, with much more to come. Our New Deep-Dive Whitepaper on AI in HR The Josh Bersin Academy: Join Our AI Certificate Program

This week I'm podcasting from the UK and want to tell you about the sharply worded letter from conservative Attorneys General to Fortune 100 CEOs threatening to sue them for race-based quota-oriented diversity programs. It's a big messy topic created by the Supreme Court Affirmative Action decision. I also give you some perspectives from the UK National Trust, perspectives on European maturity in business sustainability, and an overview of our new research on AI (available now.) Additional Resources Conservative State Attorneys General Threatening Letter To Fortune 100 CEOs Deep Dive on AI in HR: Our Newest Research Report    

In this podcast I discuss what we've learned about building the Skills-Based Organization, what's happening with skills-tech, and I also give you some thoughts on the management issues behind the "Twitter vs. Threads" war going on in social media.  The podcast is based on the article below, and also discusses many best practices to consider as you build out your skills solutions, technology stack, and strategy. The NEW Josh Bersin Academy: https://bersinacademy.com The Josh Bersin Company: https://joshbersin.com Resources: Building A Skills-Based Organization: The Exciting But Sober Reality Career and Talent Mobility: A New Certificate Program From The Josh Bersin Academy The Global Workforce Intelligence Project: Skills Gaps Industry by Industry Adapting To AI: The New World Of Organizational Ingenuity

The Supreme Court decision to roll back Affirmative Action is very likely to set back our diversity and inclusion efforts in business. Many reports point out that dropping Affirmative Action has already hurt diversity in colleges, and that, in turn, is going to hurt diversity in our companies. Here I discuss what we've learned about this topic and I give you some thoughts for your own leadership teams. Resources Research Shows Rollback Of Affirmative Action Reduces Diversity Dramatically "Our Commitment To Diversity Will Not Waver" (GM, Microsoft, Salesforce) 60+ Companies Submit Amicus Brief Promoting Need for Diversity and Affirmative Action Chevron Leads Diversity Efforts With Business-Driven Strategy Elevating Equity: Josh Bersin Research Overview Salesforce And Others Refuse To Back Down Elevating Equity: The Certificate Course in the JBA (for you and your teams!)

Our Irresistible 2023 conference was not an event, it was an "experience." In this podcast I summarize what went on, and give you the big highlights. Themes include Organizational Ingenuity, Productivity, AI (of course), Culture, and a big learning experience from our visit with the Netflix leadership team. Next year's conference will be May 20-23, 2024 so sign up early! And one big message: HR teams have really learned what the "post-industrial age" is all about. Have business leadership teams learned the same?  Hear my thoughts. Sign up NOW for Irresistible 2024: it will fill up and you get a big discount for signing up early.    

Next week at our Irresistible 2023 Conference I will be unveiling a new speech on the topic of Organizational Ingenuity, part of the long history of business shifting from the industrial age to the post-industrial age. As you'll hear briefly in this podcast, we're all about to become SuperHuman workers thanks to AI, giving us the opportunity to do more with fewer people. But that won't work out if you don't have Organizational Ingenuity. And that's the focus of this podcast and my speech next week. I also discuss the work we're doing on The Josh Bersin HR Copilot, which we'll be previewing at the conference next week. As you'll hear, AI is bringing together information like never before and in many ways making us each like Superman, unaware and learning how to use our new "superpowers." If you want to understand this more, read my book Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations. While the book is not about AI, it lays the framework for the new business issues we face in the AI-decade ahead.

The single biggest expense item in most companies is people: salaries, benefits, real-estate, and HR. How do we manage this expense well? We need better, more integrated people data. Well in this podcast I introduce the idea of Systemic People Analytics, a new way of thinking about our HR technologies, and why despite AI, we need dedicated platforms for "systemic people analytics." Additional Information New Josh Bersin Company Research Just Released Redesigning HR: An Operating System, Not An Operating Model. New People Analytics Tools Coming    

This week's podcast covers several topics: The continuing debate about remote work, and why I believe it's still a good option, despite CEOs who feel otherwise My great conversation with Scott Galloway, discussing remote work and more Why Amazon workers may walk out Review of AI solutions from the ERP vendors and update on 2nd Generation AI The big issue of talent scarcity and what to do about it Why does it take so long to hire people and what's the answer The AI safety law in New York City and why it could create some chaos. Additional Information Irresistible 2023: The Global Conference for HR Leaders and Teams (get your seat) Gallup research on Remote Work (referenced in podcast) Lightcast: The Switzerland Of The Global SkillsTech Market Amazon Workers Walk Out Over Lack Of Trust In Leadership (and Remote Work Policy) The New York City AI Safety Law (we all need to learn about)    

This week Microsoft launched a barrage of Copilots, Copilot development tools, and new infrastructure and Azure services to help IT departments, vendors, and individuals apply AI to our everyday life. In this #podcast I discuss the implications of this transformational new set of tools, and how important they will be to all areas of HR. These applications include recruiting, onboarding, training, leadership development, coaching, wellbeing, and of course day to day productivity. I also discuss the implications of Microsoft's relationship with OpenAI and the difference between Microsoft's strategy and Google's AI strategy unleashed a week earlier. And I briefly discuss the Josh Bersin Copilot we will be previewing at our conference in June. Additional Information Microsoft's Massive Copilot Announcements Microsoft Build 2023: all the news and announcements from the developer conference Microsoft Build 2023: Five Top Announcements Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott thinks Sydney might make a comeback Microsoft Goes All In On Plug-ins for AI Apps  

In this podcast I describe our newest thinking about talent, leadership, and HR in the Post-Industrial Age. Today's economy, and all it brings to us in business, jobs, and HR, is very different from the past - and if you understand this new world you see it explains many things: Why we have talent shortages Why skills are so important to companies Why high performing companies have fewer employees Why old-style leadership is holding companies back. The lessons in this podcast explain many of the new trends in HR, and also will teach your business leaders how to think about hiring, performance management, and leadership very differently. Many of the principles in this dialogue are covered in my book, but I wanted to update this thinking in the new world of AI. Additional Information Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations Pacesetters: Lessons In Transformation From Leaders In Healthcare, Banking, and CPG Why Is The World Afraid Of AI? The Fears Are Unfounded, And Here’s Why. Organization Design For The Post-Industrial Age Introducing Irresistible 2023: Why You Should Come Join Us!  

In this podcast I explain how Large Language Models and neural networks are reinventing the HR Technology market. After more than 30 in-depth interviews with HR Tech vendors, we see three generations of AI solutions: Emerging: AI features added on First Generation: AI capabilities built-in Second Generation: Platforms built on AI As I discuss in this week's podcast, vendors in category 3 are the most transformational of all. These vendors are building their entire product set around Large Language Models and expansive neural networks. While they were once considered new, as you'll learn in this podcast I believe these "built on AI" platforms are the future of the market. Stay tuned for our new whitepaper on the HR Tech vendor market and how AI is changing the entire marketplace, and my take on the impact Google will have on this market. Additional Information: How AI Is Disrupting The HR Tech Marketplace SeekOut Brings GPT4 To Recruiters. Eightfold Launches Copilots For HR. What Is A Neural Network? (Great overview video)

Introducing the Pacesetters: industry leading companies who outperform their peers through skills, transformation speed, and execution. After more than a year of research in the Global Workforce Intelligence Project, this week we unveil the Pacesetter research, and this podcast gives you the overview. These companies are "architected for change," and they include leaders like DBS (Digital Bank of Singapore), Providence Health, BNY Mellon, ING Bank, and many others. I hope you enjoy this podcast, please join our membership for much more. Additional Resources Transform or Perish: Seven Winning Strategies Of The Pacesetters (Inc. Magazine) The Global Workforce Intelligence Project (Pacesetter Report) GWI Overview and Methodology Understanding Talent Intelligence: The Primer 

In this podcast I introduce our new research on pay and rewards. This enormously important part of business needs a transformation, and our new research on "Systemic Pay and Rewards" explains why. I give you an overview of why pay systems are so brittle, what really drives results, and how we can dramatically improve these important parts of our companies. You'll hear about how to implement pay equity, what to do about performance management, and why "total rewards" is just not the total solution to the problem. In an economy where skills are constantly changing, employees are burned out, and the job market is incredibly competitive, it's time to rethink your approaches to pay and put together a high-value, strategic, "systemic" approach. Additional Resources Why Pay Practices Are Broken (article) Systemic Rewards: The Research The Definitive Guide To Pay Equity Solving the Complex, Important Pay Equity Problem Wellbeing Evolved: Building A Healthy Organization How to Solve Pay Equity: More Important than You Realize (podcast)  

Generative AI and neural networks are going to radically improve and change corporate training. In this podcast I detail the five biggest opportunities for change, and what corporate training, L&D leaders, and HR professionals should think about as we bring these amazing new systems into our companies. Additional Information EdTech Is Going Crazy For AI What Is A Neural Network? Fantastic Overview Of How AI Systems Work. Redesigning HR: An Operating System, Not An Operating Model. Why Is The World Afraid Of AI? The Fears Are Unfounded, And Here’s Why. The Stanford University AI Index: Measuring trends in Artificial Intelligence SeekOut Brings GPT4 To Recruiters. Eightfold Launches Copilots For HR. Workday’s Response To AI and Machine Learning: Moving Faster Than Ever Yann LeCun and Andrew Ng: Why the 6-month AI Pause is a Bad Idea  

In this podcast I discuss a big question: Why are HR professionals being laid off? It's not for a lack of effort, it's caused by a bigger issue. The role of HR has changed, and we need to stop "building solutions" and "taking orders" and spend more time "Falling In Love With The Problem." As you'll hear, this consultative approach to HR is now badly needed. And HR professionals who don't get this are soon to be at risk. In this podcast I explain what "Falling In Love With The Problem" means to HR, and how you can use these ideas to make your work, your career, and your team far more effective and essential to your company. Additional Resources Redesigning HR: An Operating System, Not An Operating Model. The HR Consultant: A Masterclass From The Josh Bersin Academy (our #1 course!) The Strategic HR Business Partner, From The Josh Bersin Academy The Academy At Bank Of America Case Study    

This week I summarize the results of 20+ interviews with HR Tech and AI vendors and talk about how AI and all its various manifestations can teach us a lot about how to approach Human Resources in a much more systemic way. Not only are the HR tools and Copilots starting to roll out in the market, but we are also seeing how AI-centric platforms (Talent Intelligence systems, for example) will really disrupt and ultimately obsolete many traditional HR tools. I also introduce the idea of "Falling In Love With The Problem," which in many ways defines what we call the new Systemic operating model for HR.  (Uri Levine, the founder of Waze, really first coined this phrase.) Resources I Recommend What Is A Neural Network? Fantastic Overview Of How AI Systems Work. Redesigning HR: An Operating System, Not An Operating Model. Why Is The World Afraid Of AI? The Fears Are Unfounded, And Here’s Why. Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations SeekOut Brings GPT4 To Recruiters. Eightfold Launches Copilots For HR. Workday’s Response To AI and Machine Learning: Moving Faster Than Ever Yann LeCun and Andrew Ng: Why the 6-month AI Pause is a Bad Idea

In this week's podcast I discuss the open letter signed by Elon Musk asking researchers to "pause" the development of AI, the explosive meeting between Howard Schultz and Bernie Sanders, and an amazingly important new study by Pew Research on the state of American Work. As you'll hear, I make an argument that all this AI development is extremely positive and that we really have no choice except to push ahead as a society. The Starbucks story is well worth listening to because it exemplifies the enormous power employees have over employers, and why you cannot let your employee experience problems get away from you. And as you hear more about the Pew research on American Work you'll learn more about why trust, growth, and your relationship with co-workers (your company culture) are the top issues to address health, wellbeing, and happiness in the United States. As always, I welcome your feedback or comments. (apologies for the slightly funky sound this week) Resources to Read Open AI Letter Asking For Pause Howard Schultz Testimony To Congress on Starbucks Union Activity Pew Research: How Americans View Their Jobs The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer New MIT Research Shows Spectacular Increase In White Collar Productivity From ChatGPT Bill Gates Sees Generative AI As The Biggest Thing Since Windows The New York Times Still Worries AI Will Destroy Our Lives Understanding Chat-GPT, And Why It’s Even Bigger Than You Think (*updated) Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations    

After weeks of discussion with dozens of technology vendors, I'm ready to say: GPT and Generative AI is going to revolutionize Human Resources. And it is going to disrupt the HR Tech space as well. In this podcast I explain why I feel this way, how I don't see the "evils" of AI at all, and how we can use these new tools to evolve, improve, and transform our HR departments and our companies. Additional Resources The Role Of Generative AI And Large Language Models in HR Workday’s Response To AI and Machine Learning: Moving Faster Than Ever Bill Gates Sees Generative AI As The Biggest Thing Since Windows The New York Times Still Worries AI Will Destroy Our Lives  

In this podcast I detail the Workday AI and ML strategy, with a strong focus on the new, more integrated HCM products and how they fit together. I also discuss the Skills Cloud, where it came from, and where it's going. And I also explain why Workday Prism, Extend, and Orchestrate have become so strategic to the company's growth. And I also give you my perspectives on GPT-4 and the massive Microsoft Copilot launch. Additional Resources The Role Of Generative AI And Large Language Models in HR Workday’s Response To AI and Machine Learning: Moving Faster Than Ever New MIT Research Shows Spectacular Increase In White Collar Productivity From ChatGPT LinkedIn Announces Generative AI Features For Career, Hiring, and Learning Microsoft Launches OpenAI CoPilots For Dynamics Apps And The Enterprise. Understanding Chat-GPT, And Why It’s Even Bigger Than You Think (*updated) Microsoft’s Massive Upgrade: OpenAI CoPilot For Entire MS 365 Suite.  

This week I'm focusing on three things:  First a quick discussion of the SVB banking crisis and what's going on; Second a further discussion about why Generative AI is so disruptive to HR; and Third, and most important, a deep discussion about Pay Equity. This coming week is Equal Pay Day where we symbolically celebrate closing the pay gap between men and women. Well the bigger topic is pay equity, and we are launching a major new research study which describes the state of pay equity, the impact of pay equity, and the best practices in pay equity. You can get the overview materials starting on Tuesday and in this podcast I interviewed Kathi Enderes, our SVP who led this research. Additional Resources After years in decline, is the gender pay gap opening up? Why The Gender Pay Gap Is Stuck The Role Of Generative AI And Large Language Models in HR New MIT Research Shows Spectacular Increase In White Collar Productivity From ChatGPT What’s Going on With Silicon Valley Bank?

This week I want to talk about the IBM/Chief study of women in leadership that concludes "the leadership pipeline is broken" and that "given the state of the pipeline, we may NEVER reach gender parity." The data is striking so I want to show it to you and try to interpret what's going on. Second, I want to update you on the rapid progress in OpenAI's strategy as they launch their open API for enterprise and developers, and discuss major new announcements coming. Finally, I want to describe Systemic HR in more detail and give you a real-world example. Additional Resources OpenAI launches an API for ChatGPT, plus dedicated capacity for enterprise customers In 2023, Gender Parity 'Feels' Close — But Research Shows We Are Farther Than Ever Before Redesigning HR: An Operating System, Not An Operating Model. The Unbelievable, Critical, Never-Ending Role Of Culture In Business

In this podcast I talk more about the high cost of AI and chatbots like Bing and ChatGPT, and how to think about the "risks" of AI as it takes over the computing landscape. (Yes, it will!) I also discuss the enormous opportunity for HR teams to lead productivity projects, and finally give you my perspectives on why face-to-face meetings are so important.  (And I welcome my new grandson!) Some Additional Resources To Read Understanding Chat-GPT, And Why It’s Even Bigger Than You Think (*updated) Why Chatbots Lie Were All These Layoffs Inevitable? Perhaps, But Here’s How It Happened. Predictions for 2023: Redefining Work, The Workforce, And HR Are We The Guinea Pigs For AI Tech Vendors? Who Should You Believe When AI Chatbots Go Wild? Organization Design Demystified: Your Journey To Productivity

This week we saw hundreds of stories, articles, and complaints about Bing. Well I've tried it and talked with some Microsoft execs and I believe this is one of the most important (and disruptive) technologies we will see in HR. So listen and you'll hear why. On an even more important point, I spent some time discussing our New HR Operating System, which we call Systemic HR. We're in the middle of this research and I'll be explaining more at the Irresistible 2023 Conference in June. In this podcast I explain the model and why it's so essential. Additional Information My Experience With Bing and Chat-GPT: It’s Amazing And Not A Bit Scary. The Churning US Labor Market… And Why We Need “Labor Anthropologists.” Were All These Layoffs Inevitable? Perhaps, But Here’s How It Happened Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations

This podcast is a review of last week's massive set of announcements from Microsoft and Google about Chatbots. Rather than try to summarize what you've already read, I spend time talking about the implications of all this. Here are a few highlights: Is Microsoft's statement that "search will be reinvented" really correct and could this disrupt Google? Lots of problems with that theme, and I've seen Bard. It's good. What are the implications of ChatGPT and Bard on jobs, roles, and the technologies of HR? Many things to discuss here. What will ChatGPT and Google Bard do to consumer behavior and the massive advertising and SEO markets? Publishers are freaked out but should they worry? Is this another "automation eliminating jobs" technology or not? As you'll hear, this is an "augmentation" technology and yes, it will force us to think about where we add value. Finally, what about the AI Mania taking place in the stock market? Not only are AI companies suddenly worth more money but it's now becoming impossible to buy a .AI domain name. I don't have all the answers but I'll explain what's going on. Additional Resources Understanding Chat-GPT, And Why It’s Even Bigger Than You Think (*updated) Microsoft thinks AI can beat Google at search — CEO Satya Nadella explains why Google is investing $300M in an OpenAI challenger that will take on ChatGPT while focusing on A.I. safety OpenAI Is Drawing Competition From Fleet of Startups

This week we saw the US unemployment rate drop to 3.4%, a 53 year low. Yet many large companies are announcing layoffs. Is this "the big shift" from Tech to Retail, Hospitality, Healthcare, And Travel? Or is this just the new normal: too many jobs and not enough people? In this podcast I'll explain what's going on. Additional Resources Labor Shortage In The Middle Of A Business Slowdown? It All Makes Sense. Were All These Layoffs Inevitable? Perhaps, But Here’s How It Happened. Predictions for 2023: Redefining Work, The Workforce, And HR Understanding Chat-GPT, And Why It’s Even Bigger Than You Think (*updated) The January 2023 BLS Jobs Report (itself) Want More? Join The Josh Bersin Academy! Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations (my book)

In this week's podcast I cover a bunch of topics. Here they are: More proof that Chat-GPT is immature and yes, it's biased The unexpected impact of pay transparency laws Why the economy is experiencing a "slow motion car crash" The ever-tighter labor market and shortage of workers Why gig workers are happier than wage slaves and what you can do about it Microsoft research on the inadequacy of productivity tools (& why ServiceNow is hot) What 10 HR execs agree on the "secrets of high performance hiring" Why car sales people are great folks to hire! What to do AFTER the layoff Why Amazon is a very tough place to sell a book (sob) The new operating model for HR, which we call Systemic HR Predictions for 2023: it's all about Activation!!! Additional Links Predictions for 2023: Work, Workforce, and HR Understanding Chat-GPT, And Why It’s Even Bigger Than You Think (*updated with many links) A New Generation Of Mastery-Based Learning Platforms Has Arrived (*Updated) The Josh Bersin Academy: Even Bigger And Better In 2023 Understanding HR Capabilities: Mandate for 2023 and Beyond   Want More? Join The Josh Bersin Academy!

Now that we've all had a chance to hear about CHAT-GPT we're all scratching our heads. Is this real? Is it going to transform our education and our lives? Or is it a tool for job displacement, information warfare, and abuse? Well I've learned a lot about this over the last several years and in this podcast I give you a simple explanation about what's going on. And I will try to convince you that Chat-GPT (and it's many cousins and competitors) are likely to have a massively positive impact on business, leadership, and HR... to say nothing about our normal lives as consumers and individuals. Additional Resources Chat-GPT: Try It Out Yourself Chat-GPT vs. Sparrow: Battle of the Chatbots (worth watching) Six AI Chatbots Threatening OpenAI (From TheInformation) Why Microsoft's Investment in OpenAI Threatens Google (Fortune) Listen to Satya Nadella Describe Microsoft's View of OpenAI Get to know Olivia, Paradox.ai For Recruiting

More layoffs, more worries about the economy, and lots of discussions of "Quiet" things: quiet quitting, quiet firing, and quiet hiring. In this podcast I recap the first week of the year, discuss these issues, and give you a sense of what it all means. I also discuss the latest about the economy, the enormous growth in talent mobility, and my high level perspectives on Chat-GPT. It's going to be a tumultuous year, so stay tuned for our big Predictions for 2023, coming later this month. Resources A Skeptical Look at Chat-GPT by Ezra Klein and Gary Marcus 2023 Predictions: Webinar (report to come) Why Employees Are Really Quietly Quitting, 4-day Workweek and More Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations (my book) "A must-read primer for business leaders considering how and why to build a people-centered business.", by Arianna Huffington. Join The Josh Bersin Academy: 50,000+ HR Professionals Learning Every Day    

I've been talking about Capability Academies for a few years, and sure enough they're becoming an important new paradigm in corporate learning. Well in this podcast I explain how a new set of L&D technology providers is focused on this space, and why you, as an HR or L&D leader, are likely to buy one of these platforms in the near future. I encourage you to read the accompanying article here, or check out our many examples of Capability Academies in our member research library. Other resources I recommend: What Is A Skills Taxonomy Anyway? The Capability Academy: Where Corporate Training Is Going A New Strategy For Corporate Learning: Growth In The Flow Of Work The Josh Bersin Academy: The World's Home For HR

We're entering a tumultuous year and employees are fed up. Quiet quitting continues and unemployment remains low. What is your mission as an HR professional in the year ahead? In this podcast I help you understand tech industry layoffs, the changing role of pay, new priorities for L&D, and why employees are "fed up" and changing jobs at a rapid rate. And I'll give you an informed perspective on the role of HR and your mission as a leader, HR professional, consultant, or entrepreneur. This is an exceptional time to be in Human Resources, L&D, consulting, or HR Tech. Join me as I explain how you can re-energize your career and value in the year ahead. Additional Resources Doing More With Less: Why Are Employees Checking Out? HR Technology 2023: What's Hot? What's Not? Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations Accelerating Your HR Career: The Newest Course In The Josh Bersin Academy The Global HR Capability Project    

In this podcast I discuss the big trends in the HR Technology market in 2023. This podcast discusses the article posted this week which lists many of the hot vendors. While some of this discussion is my opinion, I am always interested in your feedback so if you disagree or want to convince me otherwise please let us know! As you'll hear, there are some exciting new opportunities ahead, but also some "category convergence" I think you'll find important. Additional Information HR Technology: What's Hot? What's Not? (Article) Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations Follow Us On LinkedIn HR professionals and leaders: Join The Josh Bersin Academy Join Our Corporate Membership Program  

In this podcast I breakdown the big secrets we've discovered in the digital transformation in financial services. While there are a lot of industry-specific issues to understand, many of the best-practices apply to every company in the world. And Trailblazers, the banks that set the standards for customer experience and digital offerings, are now accelerating their lead from their peers. This research is the latest study from our Global Workforce Intelligence Project, and I know you'll find it fascinating. Additional Information Banking Under Siege: The Secrets To Digital Success In Financial Services Introducing The Global Workforce Intelligence Project Redesigning Jobs, Organizations, and Work Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations (Best-seller on Amazon)

In this podcast I break down the big issue of "purpose at work," which is one of the biggest challenges companies face. How do we create a work environment and set of experiences, programs, and management practices that engage people with a sense of Purpose? And why does "reducing work time" actually make so much sense? As you'll hear, this is not as philosophical as it sounds - there are a lot of pragmatic solutions here, and I took some time to decompose them for you. I also talk about Happiness, and how most of the research about happiness teaches us even more about how to be better leaders, managers, teammates, and HR professionals. Additional Resources Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations How To Build A Happy Life, by Arthur Brooks Our New Role: Bringing Kindness To Work The Four Day Work Week

In this podcast I discuss our new research program on Irresistible Leadership, a topic which will be essential in the year ahead. As you'll hear, I packed the podcast with stories and ideas, but focused my attention on the big narrative: why a new model of leadership is needed in the year ahead. Productivity, sustainability, growth, and human-centered leadership must come together. If you're interested in joining us in this research, please click here or contact us to set up an interview. Additional Resources The Art And Science Of Irresistible Leadership, by Nehal Nangia Productivity Paranoia: The Leadership Challenge Ahead Join The Irresistible Leadership Research Program Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations (best-seller)

In this podcast I describe my two-week tour through Northern Europe: Sweden with Workday and Spotify, UK book tour with banks, publishers, and media companies; and The Future of Work Symposium hosted by the King and Queen of The Netherlands. Issues with skills, recruiting, inflation, diversity, and the role of HR and employers in the Future of Work. This Symposium was one of the most interesting and powerful meetings I've attended in years, so stay tuned to hear all about it. What I Learned From The King And Queen Of The Netherlands Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee Focused Organizations (Now cited as "the most important business primer of our times.") About Us The Josh Bersin Company is the leading research, advisory, and professional development organization for HR leaders and their teams around the world. Corporate members gain access to thousands of in-depth research, case studies, tools, advisory services, and benchmarking information. Individuals can join The Josh Bersin Academy for a complete professional development platform, designed to keep HR professionals current on groundbreaking ideas, tools, and best-practices.      

This was one of the most chaotic and "news-filled" week we've had in a while. In this podcast I want to recap what happened and give you some perspective. The bottom line is that most of these stories are about trust, leadership, and the need to invest in people. (Of course I want to tie this back to HR.) So use this podcast as a way to make sense of all this noise. I also talk a lot about my predictions for 2023 (coming late this year) and why hiring is going to be difficult for years to come. And I talk more about our Global Workforce Intelligence Project which has turned out to be one of the most exciting research projects we've ever done. (Corporate Members only.) Next week we are in Europe at Workday Rising and meeting more than 50 clients all over northern Europe, so I'll have lots of news to share. Additional Resources Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations (my best-selling book) Understanding The Tech Layoffs. Could They Have Been Prevented? The Growing Role Of Pay In Employee Experience and Business Performance The Email Elon Musk Just Sent to Twitter Employees is a Masterclass in How Not to Communicate The Josh Bersin Company Corporate Membership Program

Layoffs are simply a part of business. Over the years there have been millions of workers let go and it's always a difficult, painful process. In this podcast I give you my perspectives on the process, the role leadership must play, and how to deal with the topic if you are the one losing your job. I also give you my own perspectives on hiring, which is the mirror image of layoffs, and what I think is going on at Twitter. Finally, I took a few minutes to share my personal experience with layoffs at IBM, Sybase, DigitalThink (where I was the victim), and my own company. I hope this podcast gives you some perspective as a leader, HR person, or individual dealing with this issue. And let me remind you the Irresistible companies deal with this a very unique way.  (They hire slowly and have a very deliberate process to make sure all new hires "increase productivity" and don't "slow the company down.") More Background History of biggest layoffs in the US List of latest 200,000 layoffs in Tech (real-time updates) Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Companies Elon Musk Is Bad At This (The Atlantic) Mark Zuckerberg Says "He's Sorry" For The Layoffs

After several weeks travelling to conferences and talking with clients I want to riff on a bunch of urgent topics: How do we create pay equity when inflation is running at over 8%? How do we get people "back to the office" when 55% of job candidates now want fully remote work? How do we redesign jobs to reduce stress and help with tremendous hiring challenges? And what really works for Employee Experience now that people are more worried about their standard of living than their mental health? (And will the Four-Day week really work?) In this podcast I try to cover it all, and also point out some of the important lessons in my book Irresistible, to help you stay ahead of this crazy labor market. Important Resources Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Companies (a 99 cent special price discount on Kindle for a week!) Microsoft's Amazing DEI and Pay Equity Story Mercer's New Inside Employee's Minds (how pay has become the #1 issue for employees all of a sudden)

This week I travelled to the Cornerstone and Guild user conferences, so I give you some in-depth perspectives these companies and your SkillsTech, talent marketplace, and career pathway strategy. Also, the print copy of Irresistible is available this coming week, so I explain why the book is so essential in our new "back to work" economy for the year ahead. Resources Cornerstone Makes A Play To Dominate The Skills Platform Market Career Pathways: An Innovation That Could Transform The Economy Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations

In this podcast I describe the emergence of a massive new innovation in business: non-linear Career Pathways. These new innovative programs bring new careers, educational credentials, and skills to individuals and help companies fill important jobs and operational roles in the future. This is a big new idea that is now paying off, pioneered by companies like Walmart, Guild Education. BrightHorizons EdAssist, Verizon, AT&T, Mercy BonSecours, and many others.

This is the story of Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations. Listen to the story: how the book was written, why the seven secrets, and what this book will teach you, your team, and your organization about growth and profitability in the dynamic business environment ahead. The book is now available on Amazon, for bulk orders, and for academic and student orders.  

This week I discuss how the war in Ukraine teaches us important lessons in business. This week I'm talking with several thousand HR professionals in Ukraine and we're going to talk about what we've all learned. What you'll see is that most of the lessons in my new book, Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations, are also the lessons of winning the war. The book is available on Kindle this week (purchase here) and the print version comes out on October 25. Resources Mentioned In The Podcast Organization Design: The Real Secret To Growth Team of Teams, by Stanley McChrystal Accounting for Slavery, by Caitlin Rosenthal

New Microsoft Work Trends research identifies the Productivity Paranoia at work: 87% of employees feel productive, yet only 12% of CEO's agree. In this podcast I detail the big issue of "productivity at work" and explain why this gap is taking place, and what you can do about it. Additional Resources Discussed In This Podcast Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations Journey to Agile: Organization Design, The Real Secret To Growth, The Josh Bersin Company The Good Jobs Strategy, by Zeynep Tom How To Fix A Toxic Culture, by Don Sull, PhD.

In this podcast I dig into the low unemployment rate and the new role technology plays at work. We're no longer in a world were tools are used to replace people: our new world of work is far more "human-centered," giving employers and policy-makers an opportunity to leverage PowerSkills in a very important and strategic way. Additional Reading We Are Becoming A PowerSkills Economy Josh’s New Book: Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World’s Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations

This podcast is a quick overview of all these topics, following my week at the largest HR Tech conference in the world.  As you'll hear, the HR Tech world is doing fine, and I decompose what's going on in core HR, skills technology, recruiting, M&A, and all sorts of other topics. I also want you to listen to my conversation on the Global Workforce Intelligence Project, the 4 R's, the "new job market," and the introduction of my book, Irresistible. Irresistible, a book I've been working on for seven years, will be available on October 25. Pre-order or buy it the first week and you'll be one of my BFFs. Have a wonderful Fall - its time to start going to conferences again and I look forward to seeing you all in the coming months. Additional Resources Irresistible: The Seven Secrets Of The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Companies GWI Launch:  Curing the Healthcare Talent Crisis and the Four R's SuccessFactors Launches It's Biggest Release In A Decade  

In this podcast I interview Kathi Enderes, our SVP of Research and a seasoned healthcare executive, about our new GWI research on this vital industry. Learn how the healthcare providers are solving some of the most challenging talent issues in the economy. Additional Resources The Global Workforce Intelligence Project Healthcare At A Crossroads: What To Do?

In this podcast, I "spill the beans" on all the major trends in HR Technology for 2023  I'll be detailing this in my 75 minute keynote at the HR Technology Conference in September.  In this session I talk about: The growth of the HR Tech market and "the best stock in HR technology" The new HR Tech architecture Why investors are changing their strategy in HR Tech How Employee Experience is flipping the market upside down The Next Gen HCM market Growth and disappointments in SkillsTech The emergence of Talent Intelligence Incredible growth and consolidation in Recruiting Tech Category creation of Talent Marketplace New world of corporate learning and the role of the Metaverse, Capability Academies Why the Creator Market will disrupt L&D A new world of People Analytics and Employee Listening The six things you have to know to manage HR Tech well. Yes you should still come to the conference, but this is a good preview. Join our corporate membership if you want much much more! Additional Resources Next Gen HCM: It's Closer Than You Think Pre-Order My New Book: Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations HR Technology Market Disrupted: Employee Experience Is The New Core New Research: HCM Best Practices  

In this podcast I discuss the huge, exciting, and brutally competitive market for HR Technology. With the big conference coming up soon, I wanted to give you a sense of how complex this market can be, and how some vendors thrive and others fail to achieve their potential. I list a lot of vendors here, and in every case these are innovative, creative companies run by amazing entrepreneurs. Some succeed, and some do not. So I discuss the keys to success. See you in Vegas in September, where I will be discussing the HR Tech market for the year ahead. Vendors mentioned include Entelo, Pymetrics, HighGround, Impraise, TinyPulse, SumTotal, Saba, Zenefits, Trinet, Lever, Waggl, CultureIQ, Kenexa, EdCast, Cornerstone, CodeAcademy, Skillsoft, Peakon, Workday, Qualtrics, Udemy, LinkedIn, Lynda.com, Glint, Oracle, SuccessFactors, and more. Additional Resources HR Technology: The Definitive Guide HR Technology Archives: All Our Public Research

In this podcast, I discuss our groundbreaking new research on corporate training, Growth in the Flow of Work. After almost a year of research and study of 1000+ companies, we evaluated more than 90 business practices that drive business impact. After a detailed analysis of the findings, the results are clear: it's time for corporate L&D to focus on growth: career mobility, skills adjacency, coaching, leadership development, and organizational growth. This is a significant new role for corporate training managers. Most companies know they need to focus here, but only 11% of companies are focused here today. This podcast describes the findings. Additional Resources New Definitive Guide: Growth In The Flow Of Work Learning In The Flow Of Work: A New Paradigm The Academy at Bank of America The Creator Economy In Corporate Learning

It has been a crazy year so far, as inflation and recession worries abound. In this podcast I will try to demystify what's going on and give you what I believe is your mandate as an HR leader or HR professional in the mess of information coming your way. Additional Information It Doesn't Look Like A Recession To Me Be Careful With The Layoffs How Do You Build an Irresistible Company? Here’s how Starbucks, Walmart, Microsoft, Lego Group, L’Oreal, Chevron, and Cedars Sinai thrive. How Work Design And Job Design Are Holding Companies Back Unleashing Human Potential: The Real Secret To Business Success

As I read about the latest Supreme Court decisions, realizing how many people feel "ignored" by our government, I wanted to give you some solace. Despite the often-dysfunctional nature of our public policy systems, companies can be very fair, diverse, and inclusive. In this podcast I discuss the "real secrets" to diversity and inclusion, with a clear distinction about what "great" really looks like. I included examples of Dow Chemical, Chevron, L'Oreal, Cedar Sinai, Target and others who lead in this area. And what you'll hear is that you can create a fair, inclusive, and highly diverse company if you focus on the business, not just HR. The story is all about building our own "society" within your company, and how learning to be diverse and inclusive is all part of being what we call an Irresistible company. And for more on that topic, take a look at my book coming out this fall, Irresistible: The Seven Secrets To The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Centric Organizations.

Coming off our Irresistible Conference, I want to highlight the big idea: making your company Irresistible by Design™. In this podcast I overview the concept and give you some stories to help you understand this idea. In today's world of economic change, rapid technology change, war, inflation, and many other uncertainties, there is one business strategy that works: designing your company around the desires, skills, and aspirations of your people. And that's what Irresistible by Design is all about. This is not about raising pay, increasing benefits, or increasing the flexible work policy. Irresistible by Design™ is a new way to think about your company, so dig in and let me explain. We are also starting to market my new book Irresistible: The Seven Secrets To The World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations, which you can pre-order now. Listen in and please give us your thoughts. Additional Resources Irresistible By Design: What It Means To Chevron, Walmart, Microsoft, L'Oreal, Cedars Sinai, and Lego Group. Elon Musk's Email Announcing 10% Force Reduction How Work Design And Job Design Are Holding Companies Back Unleashing Human Potential: The Real Secret To Business Success  

Yes, it looks like we’re headed for a slowdown. Not only have high growth stocks and crypto been devastated, but companies are also starting to wonder about growth. While we’re certainly not in an...

After endless articles about Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, I wanted to give some perspective. In this podcast I discuss what’s really going on here, and how Elon Musk’s activities are a good lesson...

We have entered a new phase in the economy: one where employees are simply fed-up. Union movements at Starbucks, Amazon, and Apple are just the tip of the iceberg: almost 81% of employees are...

Workday is one of the most iconic enterprise software companies, essentially inventing a new breed of enterprise cloud applications. In this podcast, I discuss the history of the company and the newest strategy to...

This podcast details our brand new research on recruiting, and why 74% of companies underperform. I took some time to give you many of the details, including the labor market situation, why companies struggle...

In this podcast, I explain how HCM systems have changed, and how the center of gravity for HR Tech has shifted. The new center is the Employee Experience and Talent Intelligence platforms, with the...

In this podcast, I discuss one of the most important topics in business: Organization Design. Now that it’s almost impossible to hire people and we’re redesigning everything about work, it’s time to look at...

We’ve entered a new world of work. Jobs, skills, and organizations are changing faster than ever. And it’s all because of what we call “Industry Reinvention.” If you want to learn all about how...

How do we attract, recruit, and retain people in this difficult labor market? Raise wages? Improve career options? Spend money on training? The answer is yes – all these things. But there’s something more....

In this podcast, I detail our new research, The Change Agility Playbook, which looks back at what companies have learned over the last two years. Change Agility is a new management manifesto, and it’s...

In this podcast I discuss inflation. Why do we have it? How long will it be here? And most importantly of all, what does Inflation do to our wages, recruiting, and pay and benefits...

In this podcast, I discuss the biggest talent issue of the year: the tremendous need for people. As the unemployment rate plummets and it becomes harder to hire, we have to ask ourselves “why...

In this podcast, I discuss the billion dollar+ market for online coaching. It’s an amazingly successful, fast-growing space with four distinct categories. Coaching on-demand, driven by AI matching, Leadership development for all, democratizing coaches...

It’s time for our 2022 Predictions. It’s going to be an exciting and challenging year for business leaders and HR teams. Not only are we entering the most competitive labor market in decades, we’re...

In this podcast I explain why vendors like Udemy, Articulate, 360 Learning, Fuse Universal, and other “creator tools” are growing at a breathtaking rate in the enormous market for corporate training. I also explain...

How do you develop these essential PowerSkills in business? As I describe in this podcast, there are four methods: traditional instructor-led training, 360-degree assessment and coaching, simulation and real-world experiences, and suggestions and nudges....

Recruiting is one of the most difficult challenges in business today, and in this podcast, I talk about what we’ve learned. As you’ll hear in my discussion, the human-centered approach to recruiting is more...

In this podcast I interview Ronni Zehavi, the CEO and co-founder of HiBob. HiBob is one of the fastest-growing HR platforms in the mid-market, known for its gorgeous and very innovative user experience. I...

In this podcast I interview Kathi Enderes, our VP of Research and the author of Employee Experience, The Definitive Guide. Kathi discusses the most important elements of employee experience, the role of pay, trust,...

Facebook’s rebrand to Meta is even bigger than you think. Here are my perspectives on this deal, along with some discussion about Nextdoor, DAOs, STRIVR, Mursion, and why I think Facebook is missing a big opportunity. This is a risky move for the company, and it may take them away from the biggest opportunity they have – fixing the existing business we all know. And also, that Facebook sees the Metaverse as a massive advertising strategy, learning more about you as a consumer than you ever wanted them to know. “Let’s not build the Metaverse with the plan to help other Platforms accumulate and retain consumers,” Rubin wrote. “Let’s build the Metaverse to keep them from being in the VR business in a meaningful way at all.” “Revenue would also come from ads, the market Facebook knows best. Rubin imagines Coca-Cola paying for prime placement of a pavilion, Ford paying for its virtual cars to be usable or Procter & Gamble promoting its brands on digital billboards. Gucci could open a virtual store and Comcast (owner of CNBC parent NBCUniversal) would pay for “a giant sign that says, ‘Comcast: Get Better MetaSpeed!’” Interesting Resources The Metaverse Is Mark Zuckerberg’s Escape Hatch (my general thinking) Facebook Meta Was Our Game To Lose (the real Advertising strategy here) The Metaverse May Be Coming But Don’t Expect It From Zuckerberg (WaPo) What The Metaverse Could Be (A positive view from VR fans) Meta the Business (good business perspective) Facebook Employees Think The Name Is a Brand Tax Definitions of Meta Making or showing awareness of reference to oneself or to the activity that is taking place, especially in an ironic or comic way. One definition of this Greek word is transcending or going above and beyond. In the computer field, it defines things that embrace more than usual. For example, a metafile contains all types of data. Meta-data describes other data. See metafile, metadata, and meta tag. Going beyond or higher, transcending. Metalinguistics, metacriticism.

What’s the next step in Employee Wellbeing? Well as our new research points out, companies are moving well beyond benefits to a new world of The Healthy Organization. In this podcast I describe the...

Over the last few weeks we’ve seen a flurry of “flow of work” applications enter the world of HR Tech. In this podcast I explain Workday Everywhere, the growth of GrowBot (now called Disco),...

In this podcast, I describe The Ten New Truths about HR Technology Market.  This summarizes the presentation I”m giving at the HR Technology Conference this year, and will be the source for much of...

In this podcast, I discuss the massive trend for CEOs, CFOs, and CHROs to invest in the education of their workers. Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Disney, and hundreds of other companies are investing many billions of dollars to help employee obtain degrees, certificates, and educational credentials. What’s behind this huge trend? In this podcast I describe the trend and explain why this is one of the highest ROI programs in business today. Additional Resources Build vs. Buy: The Days Of Hiring Scarce Technical Skills Are Over Let’s Stop Calling It Labor: We’re All In The Services Business Now The Capability Academy: Where Corporate Learning Is Going Talent Acquisition At A Crossroads: New Certificate Program from the Josh Bersin Academy

In this episode, I talked with Nari Ansari, one of the general partners at TCV. We talked about lots of important topics in the HR Tech market, including: What makes HR Tech companies successful over the long run? How does TCV pick winners like LinkedIn, Facebook, HireVue, Perceptyx, and others? Why are sales and marketing so vitally important in the HR space? What should you do when the company struggles and what happens when you’re in the “cold part of the pool?” How should CEOs and entrepreneurs think about big fundraises vs. a series of small raises? Should you go deep or wide with your product strategy? When should you sell out to a bigger vendor? What consulting services are important sources of revenue? Some of the resources to look at include: HR Tech Companies: Is Raising More Money Always A Good Thing? Cornerstone Goes Private: It’s All About Growth PS: If you’re a budding new board member, angel investor, or entrepreneur please listen in. You’ll learn a lot.  

The EX market is so dynamic it feels like every tool, vendor, and platform is moving in this direction. In this podcast I describe the three layers of EX and how you can think through what goes where. The three layers are A) the productivity tools layer, B) the workflow or journey tools layer, and C) the core application layer. If you’re trying to sort out how to configure your core HCM systems to make work easier for people or if you’re building employee portals or journeys, this podcast may help you figure out what’s going on. And of course I talk about the role of ServiceNow, Workday, Oracle, SuccessFactors, Qualtrics, Microsoft, and many other vendors in this market. Additional Resources Employee Experience: The Definitive Guide (100+ page study) Employee Experience: Four Fascinating Facts Workday People Experience Arrives SerivceNow: The Workflow Workforce Not To Be Outdone, ServiceNow Ups The Ante in Employee Experience Oracle Introduces Employee Experience Platform The Massive Impact of Microsoft Viva Employee Experience 4.0: Shortening The Distance From Signal To Action

What is the number one thing we’ve learned from the Pandemic? In this podcast I sit down and talk about the number one thing we’ve learned from the Pandemic: The Unquenchable Power Of The Human Spirit. In this podcast I explain why Human Resources has become one of the most important jobs in business, and how we, as HR and business leaders, need to really think about “the power of the individual.” Specifically, I talk about: Why Trust is the most important part of the Employee Experience What companies should do to attract the best candidates in this wierd and competitive labor market. Why “reskilling” is kind of bad word to use, and how to reframe this as “upskilling” Why Allstate has been able to reinvent itself for 90 years using the focus on “unleashing the power of the human spirit” Why the new world of individuality and uniqueness is replacing conformity at work How to build a hybrid work strategy that lets people thrive and grow Why terms like “growth mindset” and “abundance mentality” are all about unleashing the power of the individual. Additional Resources Employee Experience: The Definitive Guide The Big Reset: Where We Are Now The Joys Of Hybrid Work: How We Got Here The Global HR Capability Project HR Capabilities:  Beyond Technical Skills Why Service Workers Are More Important Than Software Engineers        

In this longer podcast, I walk through everything we’ve learned about skills taxonomies, job architectures, and the new world of hybrid work. And to really get your attention I explain why the Apple Genius Bar is a genius idea, which builds on all that’s going on in the world of skills and jobs. We are clearly entering a new world of organization design. You no longer need to model your company like a gigantic pyramid, it’s truly a network of hybrid roles. We’ve gone from jobs to roles and from skills to capabilities, and in this podcast, I explain how this all works.  I also explain how NASA has redefined its skills model for its mission to Mars, and how Telcos are rethinking skills in the age of 5G, and how Epic (one of the most successful software companies in the world) organizes its jobs into only seven categories. And I give you the three business strategies that create effective skills taxonomy projects. And here are some other references to help. What Is A Skills Taxonomy Anyway? The Global HR Capability Project The War Of The Skills Clouds BurningGlass Acquires EMSI: A Leader In Jobs Data? Let’s Stop Talking About Softskills: They’re PowerSkills Hybrid Work: Ten Things We Have Learned Accounting for Slavery: Masters and Management (a fascinating book that’s all about organization design)    

Over the last few years, we’ve seen unprecedented investments in HR Tech, Learning Tech, and SkillsTech. Analysts like HolonIQ and CBInsights believe more than $10 Billion has been invested in these markets and as I wrote about a few weeks ago, more and more HR tech companies are reaching Billion dollar valuations. And these valuations are real: public companies like Coursera, Workday, Docebo, and many others are achieving these valuations in the public market. But at this time of highly frothy markets (the stock market is at an all-time high, driven largely by low interest rates), should you as a vendor keep taking more cash? Many CEOs tend to celebrate these fund raising events as if they are truly business achievements in themselves. As I describe in this podcast, taking in a lot of investment capital is a great thing, but it has costs too. So at this particularly risky time in the stock market, I wanted to just talk about the risks. And yes, I”m a capitalist and feel very strongly about the value of capital and investors in the market. But for entrepreneurs and CEOs, remember that there is always a “cost of capital” to consider. I also talk about the growth of “platform business models,” and why they are so powerful but not necessarily as easy as you think.

In this podcast I discuss the new SEC Human Capital Disclosure rules, why they’re important, and how government regulation as a whole is a force for good in business. While many government regulations are a headache, this one will have a lot of positive impact. I also discuss the Biden Administration’s 72 new areas of “big business” competitiveness, how to build a strong People Analytics function, and the role of Conformity vs. Individuality in society. And yes, it all fits together. Resources: SEC Human Capital Disclosures:  Case Studies and Handbook People Analytics: Ten Things You Need To Know (and maturity model) Bank of America: The Academy Case Study Bank of America’s Human Capital Report to Investors PwC Guidance to SEC Reporting Employee Experience: The Definitive Guide Tim Wu: Who He Is And His Books The Attention Merchants (Book I Recommend)

In this podcast, I detail our comprehensive research on EX and what’s really driving employee needs today. You’ll learn about the history of EX and learn about the role of culture, leadership, technology and HR in this massive business area. Additional Resources: Employee Experience: The Definitive Guide (The research study) Employee Experience: The Definitive Guide (Infographic) The Crusade For Employee Experience: How Did We Get Here? Employee Experience 4.0: Shortening The Distance From Signal To Action The Massive Impact Of Microsoft Viva Employee Experience Platforms: A New Category Arrives  

In this podcast, I share the eight key strategies to building a World-Class HR function, and also explain why this is a Journey, not a “project.” I also describe the 14 “Tribes” of HR and give you a little detail on how we build our HR Capability Project. The eight strategies are: Professionalizing each role – focus on competence, goals, technology enablement, data Clear service delivery model – creating service centers, solution centers, employee self-service, and automation Design and innovation – creating design skills, product management skills, and iterative development in HR Professional development – implementing job rotation, an HR Academy, external voices, and business acumen Technology focus – creating HR Tech competence, architecture, market savvy, and close relationship with IT Employee experience – understanding roles, journeys, transitions, wellbeing, DEI, and all aspects of employee productivity COE optimization – having very strong world-class COEs in talent acquisition, development and mobility, rewards, talent, analytics Operating at a team – creating an integrated HR strategy, making sure people know each other, help each other, and rotate within and in and out of HR. In the podcast, I also describe how our research now proves that “highly capable HR teams” directly correlate with the financial, talent, and customer performance in their respective business units. This is a journey, and I hope this podcast helps you see the roadmap.  

It’s getting harder and harder to hire people, and one of the reasons is people’s interest in just “taking a break” from the job they’re in. What’s going on? In this podcast, I discuss what’s going on in the job market and what you, as an employer, should do about it. I also discuss: A) What is your employment brand and how do you “burnish” it? B) How do you build a world-class recruiting function and why are recruiters more important than ever? C) How do you better use data for recruiting and by the way, What is the Burning Glass – EMSI merger all about? D) What are the two big approaches to Employee Experience and how do you make your company a truly “great” place to work? E) What should you be doing about internal recruiting now that it’s harder than ever to recruit? I also walk you through how Bank of America has reinvented its entire employee experience and what you can learn from John Jordan and his team. (Read the study here.) Join me. And make sure you read our “Post-Pandemic Research Reads!” Fresh off the presses from our amazing research team!

I don’t claim to be a leadership guru, but I’ve had a lot of experience working with senior leaders, studying leadership, running three fast-growing companies, and leading at big companies. Here are my ten principles, and they apply to you – regardless of your level, tenure, or role. Believe in the power of every individual Build a “we vs. I” mentality, focus on people helping each other Embrace humility, listen to others Create energy: inspire the team Make decisions consistently, find a framework and use it Understand all the stakeholders involved Respect and honor technology Love and study people Think like an economist Live with an abundance mindset. And by the way, if you’re building a leadership program, here are two resources.  First, Why Leadership Development Is Broken, and second Human-Centered Leadership, part of The Big Reset.

In this podcast, I go under the covers of JBA, The World’s Professional Development Academy for HR. After two years, forged by the Pandemic, the JBA has become “the global home for HR.” Here are a few secrets: More than 30,000 HR professionals use the JBA every week, consuming two programs on average More than 400 global corporations now use the JBA for their HR teams, consuming 42 person-years of content JBA members come from more than 100 countries, and 60% are managers, senior managers, or directors Each JBA member communicates with 10 different members, creating tens of thousands of relationships The JBA is supported by 40 senior faculty who joined the JBA to mentor you More than 4,000 JBA members have taken the JBA Global Capability Assessment Academy members access 80 hours of certificate training and 500 curated learning resources, case studies, and tools. The JBA NetPromoter is higher than the NetPromoter of Apple! And as I discuss in this podcast, we’ve also discovered something new. HR capabilities are one of the most highly correlated contributors to Employee Experience. Read this article to get the details. This is just the beginning. Join us!

In this podcast I talk about the six big changes coming this Fall, which I call The Calm Before The Storm. And it’s a lot more than Hybrid Work. The rapid economic growth and stormy, disrupted labor market The financial storm and likely change in financial, asset, crypto, and digital currencies The US Federal Government impact on the global economy, infrastructure, taxes, and job market New models of Pay and the disruption of pay models and refocus on employment brand The flattening of companies and mainstream adoption of marketplace models for work The SkillsTech market and how AI and inference engines have proliferated every part of business The WorkTech market and how HR Tech is now focused on experience management and creator tools The transformational new role of HR in this upcoming new economy and hybrid world of work

Hybrid Work is one of the hottest topics in business today. Is this really a good idea? Yes! In this podcast, I discuss why Hybrid Work is a very good thing, and discuss the five issues to consider as you build a hybrid work strategy. Resources: The Joys of Hybrid Work: Ten Considerations The Remote Work Bootcamp Remote Work Is Here To Stay – But Harder Than You Think    

HR Technology remains one of the fastest-growing and important parts of business. In this podcast I demystify this entire topic and give HR and business leaders the five most important things to know. Why is HR tech so important and why is the market growing so fast? Why is there such a big gap in HR Tech capabilities in the HR profession? How do you create an HR tech architecture and platform team? How do you select vendors and curate the right solutions? What is the role of data, AI, and analytics? How do you manage the cloud or outsourced market for HR Tech? What is the Creator Economy and how do you turn HR professionals into Citizen Developers? As background to this podcast, read HR Technology 2021: The Definitive Guide.

While the post-pandemic economy grows, it’s now clear that the reduced fertility rate and accelerated retiring of baby boomers is leading to a labor shortage. While this seems new to many of you, it has happened before. In this podcast, I explain what Talent Acquisition is going to look like, and how new business strategies are needed. For more information on all these topics, read our Big Reset research studies.  And join our Research Membership so your company can join the conversation.

Business and HR leaders are going through a frenzied focus on skills. As the job market gets competitive and employees come back to new jobs, every company wants to upskill or reskill its people. For vendors, it’s a red hot marketplace. Vendors from LinkedIn and Microsoft to Coursera, Udemy, Degreed, Cornerstone, and Workday are investing here, and massive investments are coming from SAP, SkillSoft and many more. What is a “skills taxonomy” anyway and what should companies do? Is this just a market of buying lots of training or is there a whole new way? In this podcast I explain what #skillstech is all about and what companies can do to leverage this innovative new domain. Read more about The War for Skills Clouds.

The global labor market has gone through a massive change. Remote work, automation, and a huge increase in job and career mobility has arrived, coupled with one of the fastest growing economies in decades. What are you going to do about it? In this podcast I explain what’s going on and show how the new practices of internal mobility, gig and contract recruiting, capability development, and diverse and inclusive recruiting are mandates for business success ahead. And I show you how Bank of America, Wegman’s, Ashley Furniture, and other exciting companies are way ahead of these issues. Read more on this topic in my latest article, which includes graphics describing these changes.

This podcast is a 45-minute overview of all the major trends in the HR Technology Market, which you can view at the HR Technology Spring 2021 conference. The details behind this will be available in the HR Technology 2021 Definitive Guide on Kindle, and the PDF version will be available to JBA Members in a few weeks. There is a lot going on, but the big theme you’ll hear about is HR Technology platforms shifting from Systems of Record to Systems of Engagement to Systems of Experience to Systems of Design.

Understanding the Skills of the Future is a massive effort around the world. In this podcast, I unravel this complicated problem and explain the difference between competencies, skills, and capabilities. As you’ll hear, this is a critical topic and one that warrants a strategic business focus. Then I introduce our big new project, The Global HR Capability Project.  In this section, I explain what we’ve done in the Josh Bersin Academy to understand, unlock, assess, and develop the skills of the future in HR.  You can read all about it in our new whitepaper, listen in and please join us in this global effort!

Microsoft Viva could play a massive role in the HR Technology landscape. Given all the other deals taking place in this market, how disruptive can Viva become, and could it reshape the entire Employee Experience market? The answer may be yes, and here is my thinking. For more information on this, please read my article “The Massive Impact of Microsoft Viva.”

We just finished one of the most difficult and divisive political periods in our lives. What can we, as business and HR leaders, learn from this? In this podcast I discuss how to deal with politics at work, and also the broader issue of our own role as citizens. And I discuss why we, as business and HR leaders, play an enormous role in the political and economic lives of our constituents.

In this podcast I discuss the tremendous importance of Public Health in the Workplace. Learn how the disciplines of Public Health are now part of the Employee Experience, and how Public Health teaches us about the safe workplace, culture, return to work, and the long term resilience of our organizations. Yes, Public Health is now a vital capability in HR. More resources below: Public Health: A New Imperative For HR The Big Reset Playbook: What’s Working Now, Josh Bersin Academy The Remote Work Bootcamp, Josh Bersin Academy Resilient HR, Josh Bersin Academy, developed in partnership with Accenture Voice, Values, and HR, Josh Bersin Academy Business Resilience: The Best Practices in Pandemic Response, Josh Bersin Academy

The last four years of the Trump Administration have taught a lot about leadership. In this podcast I summarize some of the big lessons and why care, trust, and followership are among the most important leadership qualities of all. I also dig in and explain why PowerSkills represent the leadership behaviors of the future.  (PS.  Part of the message is the Great Politicians are not necessarily Great Leaders, but some are.)

The Big Tech (Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google) now make up 30% of the S&P 100 and 23% of the S&P 500. The Congressional Report on High Tech is comprehensive and important to read. In this podcast I discuss the report and highlight four things: What is the role of business in society? Why have these companies become so important and possibly dangerous? What can we learn about the leadership and culture of large organizations? What will be the impact of these companies on society, the economy, and trust? My analysis in writing here. Read the report itself here.

We thought the Pandemic was a public health crisis, but it's really much more. We have a whole new economy. In this podcast I talk about the four dimensions of The Pandemic Economy, which will give you insights for the year ahead.

The newest theme in business is to create a sense of "belonging" - the feeling of being included, respected, and fully involved in the company, team, or organization. After conversations with more than 40 Diversity and Inclusion leaders, here are my thoughts on why Belonging is the key to figuring this out.  Read this article for the various frameworks and examples. Reference Materials Why Diversity has become a business priority. The value of belonging at work, in HBR Women in the Workplace 2019, by McKinsey Introducing People Success: Helping People Be their Best and Do their Best at Work, Glint  Why Inclusive Leaders Are Good for Organizations, and How to Become One. The Trouble with Gender Targets Dobbin, F., & Kalev, A. (2016, July-August). Why diversity programs fail: And what works better. Harvard Business Review, 94(7-8), 52-60. Toward a systemic and inclusive framework. In B. M. Ferdman & B. R. Deane (Eds.), Diversity at work: The practice of inclusion (p. 3–54). Jossey-Bass. https:// doi.org/10.1002/9781118764282.ch1 Plaut VC1, Garnett FG, Buffardi LE, Sanchez-Burks J. (2011) “What about me?” Perceptions of exclusion and whites’ reactions to multiculturalism. Macdonald G1, Leary MR. Psychol Bull. 2005 Mar;131(2):202-23. Why does social exclusion hurt? The relationship between social and physical pain. Why rejection hurts. https://www.edge.org/conversation/naomi_eisenberger-why-rejection-hurts Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2007). A question of belonging: Race, social fit, and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(1), 82–96. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.1.82 https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-3514.92.1.82 Fear of Being Different Stifles Talent. https://hbr.org/2014/03/fear-of-being-different-stifles-talent Shore, L.M., Randel, A.E., Chung, B., Dean, M.A., Ehrhart, K.H., Singh, G. (2011). Inclusion and diversity in work groups: A review and model for future research. Journal of Management, 37. Making it safe: the effects of leader inclusiveness and professional status on psychological safety and improvement efforts in health care teams, Ingrid M. Nembhard Amy C. Edmondson Value Inclusion, Belonging, and Equity for All, by Workday

It's August and we've learned a lot about the Pandemic. The four big lessons and how to prepare for Fall and Winter.

Diversity, inclusion, fairness, Black Injustice - all unsolved problems in society. As you think about the D&I agenda, consider a big topic: Unity. How do we bring the organization into a unified whole?

Employee Engagement is at an all-time high - yet the Pandemic rages out of control. What's going on? Employers have taken a whole new focus on workers, one which will surprise you.

The Coronavirus has created a lot of problems: unemployment, health, political fighting, and income inequality. But there are positives too. In this podcast I highlight ten positive things that are coming from the Pandemic, and many of these will last for years to come.

Injustice to Black Americans has raised the need for citizenship in business. It's all about trust in our institutions, and trust is made up of competence, ethics, and listening. How can you apply these principles to your organization?

Understanding Cornavirus Now: The Big Reset Revisited. Now that we go back to work, let's revisit how remote work and the economy have been permanently changed. And safely coming back to work.

The Talent Marketplace is one of the most exciting innovations in business and HR. What is it and why is it so important, especially now?

Remote Work or Work at Home (WAH) is the new craze. Will this really be the permanent new way of work? Not quite. But it's working well.

How do you build resilience - as an organization and individual? Lessons from the military and the world of positive psychology.

The COVID-19 Economy is different - built on trust, safety, and values. As hard as it has been, we're in the middle of an economic transformation - one that impacts every business and all our home and business lives.