McKinsey Talks Talent

In the US, many companies still struggle to fill essential roles. What if part of the solution involves talent that has traditionally been overlooked? Take Johanna Carbajal, who spent her adolescence shuttling between...

AI is ushering in a new era of work, and smart employers are staying ahead of the curve by rethinking how to cultivate the skills their organizations need to thrive. The best leaders realize they won’t be able to do it...

On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock join Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly for a conversation with Jason Wright, managing partner and head of...

A smart strategy is vital —but in today’s fast-changing world, it isn’t enough. Our research suggests that even high-performing companies fail to deliver on the potential of their strategy, to the tune of about 30...

AI is fast transforming work as we’ve known it—and the latest data on jobs doesn’t always reflect the changes underway. “One word sums it up best: ‘uncertainty,’” says Svenja Gudell, chief economist of global employment...

Think about your org chart. Now imagine it features both your current colleagues—humans, if you’re like most of us—and AI agents. That’s not science fiction; it’s happening—and it’s happening relatively quickly...

Leaders have long recognized the importance of a healthy workforce to driving economic productivity. But they might be surprised at the value at stake—and at the size of the employee population in less-than-fine fettle...

Return to office (RTO) is on the rise. But in the words of McKinsey partner and talent expert Bryan Hancock, “It doesn’t matter where you ask someone to be. What matters is what you do with them once they’re there.” On...

Time is finite and leadership pressures are legion, particularly in the throes of change. Nevertheless, the best leaders persist in cultivating generosity with their teams—and they see a range of advantages as a result...

New research reveals what employees find fair, what motivates them to perform, and where many organizations go wrong when it comes to feedback, compensation, and annual ratings and reviews. On this episode of McKinsey...

Everybody hurts sometimes, R.E.M. once famously sang. And if you’re in human resources, your job is to help. On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey leaders and talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock...

Neurodivergent people make up a substantial percentage of the global population. How can companies best put their distinctive capabilities to work? On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey senior partner...

Middle management was already a tough gig. Then generative AI (gen AI) entered the fray. A year after the publication of their book Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work (Harvard Business...

Plumbers, carpenters, builders, and engineers are in short supply. What will it take to meet the demand for these skills in the United States and globally? In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Brooke Weddle and...

Narcissism. Overconfidence. Low EQ. Why do we persist in selecting for leadership traits that hamper organizational progress—and leave the right potential leaders in the wrong roles? In this episode of McKinsey Talks...

Yes, organizational health still drives long-term performance—but the way leaders measure and diagnose health should change, new research shows. McKinsey partners Bryan Hancock and Brooke Weddle join global editorial...

Empathy: we all aspire to it, but does it really make a performance difference in the workplace? Definitely, according to Jamil Zaki, a research psychologist at Stanford University and author of The War for Kindness...

As the impetus of New Year’s resolutions starts to fade, the year’s real work begins. What can the dizzying pace of change in 2023 teach us about what’s next? Join McKinsey partners Bryan Hancock and Brooke Weddle, in...

‘Humans in the loop’: It’s the angst-ameliorating mantra for the new age of generative AI. But what does it really mean? In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Stanford University professor Melissa Valentine joins...

With the rise of more technical roles across industries and sectors, and a shortage of people to fill them, skills-based hiring could help organizations access new talent pools. McKinsey partners Bryan Hancock and new...

Most of us don’t exactly dream about becoming a middle manager. But in fact, middle managers play a pivotal role in organizational success, according to the new book Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to...

Look around. If you’re like many of us, your workplace comprises members of four, possibly even five, generations—and attention to age-based differences is mounting. On this episode of the McKinsey Talks Talent podcast...

Generative AI: it’s powerful. It’s accessible. And it’s poised to change the way we work. On this episode of the McKinsey Talks Talent podcast, talent leaders Bryan Hancock and Bill Schaninger talk with McKinsey...

Office rituals matter—and in a range of ways. But the pandemic has made many rituals moot, at a time when employees need them most. In this episode of the McKinsey Talks Talent podcast, talent leaders Bryan Hancock and...

What should leaders implement to gain traction in a volatile talent landscape? For one–flexibility in all its myriad forms–is key. Talent experts Bonnie Dowling, Bryan Hancock, and Bill Schaninger weigh in with McKinsey...