McKinsey Talks Talent
Episodes
US manufacturing’s next test: Building a workforce for a new era
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Manufacturing is back at the center of the US economic agenda. Yet the sector faces a persistent talent shortage—and to bridge it, leaders will ...
How smart people end up in the wrong careers
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Many high performers think they’re doing everything right—yet still feel somehow wrong about their day-to-day. And the advent of AI means ...
What leaders can learn from Homeboy Industries
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the US, many companies still struggle to fill essential roles. What if part of the solution involves talent that has traditionally been overlooked?...
Building a talent pipeline for the AI era
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Talent wins: the growing business of women’s sports
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock join Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly for a c...
How the right operating model can close your performance gap
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A smart strategy is vital—but in today’s fast-changing world, it isn’t enough. Our research suggests that even high-performing compa...
What the labor market isn’t telling you—yet
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AI is fast transforming work as we’ve known it—and the latest data on jobs doesn’t always reflect the changes underway. “One w...
The future of work is agentic
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Think about your org chart. Now imagine it features both your current colleagues—humans, if you’re like most of us—and AI agents. Th...
The surprising state of employee health
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leaders have long recognized the importance of a healthy workforce to driving economic productivity. But they might be surprised at the value at stake...
How to get return to office right
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
The value of generosity in leadership
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Time is finite and leadership pressures are legion, particularly in the throes of change. Nevertheless, the best leaders persist in cultivating g...
What works—and doesn’t—in performance management
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
New research reveals what employees find fair, what motivates them to perform, and where many organizations go wrong when it comes to feedback, compen...
Why being in HR is getting tougher—and how to break through
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Talen...
Understanding what neurodivergent employees need to succeed
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Neurodivergent people make up a substantial percentage of the global population. How can companies best put their distinctive capabilities to work? O...
Managing in the era of gen AI
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Middl...
Workers wanted: How to fill the skilled-trade shortage
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 glob...
Why so many bad bosses still rise to the top
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Narcissism. Overconfidence. Low EQ. Why do we persist in selecting for leadership traits that hamper organizational progress—and leave the right pot...
Rethinking organizational health for the new world of work
29 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, organizational health still drives long-term performance—but the way leaders measure and diagnose health should change, new research shows. M...
It’s cool to be kind: The value of empathy at work
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Empathy: we all aspire to it, but does it really make a performance difference in the workplace? Definitely, according to Jamil Zaki, a research psych...
The shape of talent in 2023 and 2024
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As the impetus of New Year’s resolutions starts to fade, the year’s real work begins. Whatcan the dizzying pace of change in 2023 teach us about w...
Human-centered AI: The power of putting people first
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
‘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 McKi...
Right skills, right person, right role
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With the rise of more technical roles across industries and sectors, and a shortage of people to fill them, skills-based hiring could help organizatio...
The future of middle management
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us don’t exactly dream about becoming a middle manager. But in fact, middle managers play a pivotal role in organizational success, accordin...
Making sense of generational stereotypes at work
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Look around. If you’re like many of us, your workplace comprises members of four, possibly even five, generations—and attention to age-based diffe...
Generative AI and the future of HR
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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, ...
Workplace rituals: Recapturing the power of what we’ve lost
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Talent in a changing market: What now?
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What should leaders implement to gain traction in a volatile talent landscape? For one–flexibility in all its myriad forms–is key. Talent experts ...
Quiet quitting and performance management
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Churn is up. Engagement is down. And year-end reviews are here. Are you worried giving feedback will make workers feel worse?See www.mckinsey.com/priv...
The office of the future: A whole new (floor) plan
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 27:06) > In this episode of the McKinsey Talks Talent podcast, McKinsey tale...
Stave off attrition with an internal talent marketplace
27 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 17:27) > There’s a talent shortage and many jobs to fill. By using an inte...
Is worker power on the rise?
04 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 21:44) > Quitting is up, and so are wages. As the Great Attrition persists, ...
Talent at a turning point: How people analytics can help
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:11) > Rising resignations. Hybrid work. The diversity imperative. Leaders...
How business should move forward in 2022 as the pandemic persists
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:47) > In a wide-ranging discussion, hear Bryan and Bill discuss the Great...
LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace
30 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 40:45) > Too often, LGBTQ+ workers are "the only" in the office, which can l...
Culture in the hybrid workplace
11 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 34:34) > Hybrid is happening. Is your culture ready? Hear from McKinsey tale...
Grabbing hold of the new future of work
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 34:56) > The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped existing workforce trends and ca...
The elusive inclusive workplace
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 33:07) > You’ve committed to fast progress on diversity. Are your talent p...
The vanishing middle manager
05 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:44) > In the COVID-19 pandemic, middle management is once more under assa...
Grief, loss, burnout: Talking about complex feelings at work
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 36:33) > The COVID-19 crisis has unleashed emotions at unprecedented scale a...
Today’s skills, tomorrow’s jobs: The reskilling imperative
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 35:18) > Automation will leave few roles untouched. McKinsey’s Bryan Hanco...
Next-level sales talent: HR’s message to the CEO
24 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:24) > McKinsey’s Bryan Hancock and Bill Schaninger on how the right dat...
The new science of talent: From roles to returns
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 26:17) > McKinsey’s Bryan Hancock and Bill Schaninger on the new technolog...