logo
episode-header-image
May 2021
41m 13s

Who's the Boss?

TED
About this episode

Workers are now expecting more from their employers beyond a paycheck and benefits. Employees want an employer who lines up with their values outside of work and stands up in the name of justice. And when they don’t, employees are becoming more active about asking their companies to cancel partnerships or are walking out in protest--as we’ve seen with workers at Facebook, Google and others.

A company is not a democracy, but it doesn't work when it's a dictatorship. Employees are embracing activism, calling on their employers to take a stand on social and political issues. How should leaders navigate these demands while addressing the concerns of other stakeholders? And how can we all use our voices effectively to drive change? Find the full text transcript for this episode at go.ted.com/WLTranscript49. WorkLife is made possible with the support of LinkedIn, Logitech, Morgan Stanley, SAP, and Verizon.

For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/worklife/worklife-with-adam-grant-transcripts


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
ReThinking: Why are people acting like everything’s fine? with Rahaf Harfoush
<p>In our rapidly changing world, it might make you feel crazy to look around and see others going about life as usual. There’s actually a term for this phenomenon: hypernormalization. In this episode, Adam talks with Rahaf Harfoush, a digital anthropologist and expert on toxic p ... Show More
41m 21s
Nov 18
ReThinking: Talking people out of hate with Daryl Davis and former neo-Nazi Jeff Schoep
<p>The Ku Klux Klan is one of the tightest-knit White supremacist groups in America—once someone joins, they’re usually in for life. But since the 1980s, over 200 members have renounced their affiliation, and all give credit to the same man: a Black jazz musician named Daryl Davi ... Show More
41m 39s
Nov 11
ReThinking: Living each day like it’s your first with Suleika Jaouad
Suleika Jaouad is the author of the memoir Between Two Kingdoms and the new Book of Alchemy—she’s also a lifelong journaler. In this episode, Adam and Suleika reflect on how Suleika’s journaling practice has helped her through cancer, discuss the art and science of journaling, an ... Show More
42m 1s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2022
Why Middle Managers are Feeling the Squeeze and How to Fix It
Middle managers are in charge of implementing the slew of changes taking effect in workplaces nationwide — and polling shows it’s making them miserable. A new report from the Future Forum finds that middle managers are more stressed than any of their co-workers. Why? According to ... Show More
22m 48s
Sep 2021
Dignity isn't a privilege, it's a worker's right | Abigail Disney
<p>What's the purpose of a company? In this bold talk, activist and filmmaker Abigail Disney imagines a world where companies have a moral obligation to place their workers above shareholders, calling on Disney (and all corporations) to offer respect, dignity and a living wage to ... Show More
15m 5s
Jan 2024
Bringing your 'whole self' to work
It’s become the mantra of many employers, and the expectation of some employees, but what does bringing your whole or authentic self to work actually mean, and should companies encourage it? Evan Davis and guests discuss the pros and cons of a workplace culture in which staff sha ... Show More
39m 57s
Aug 2022
FROM FRESHWORKS AND FAST CO. WORKS: What is the future of the employee experience?
Every company’s success is tied to its talent - recruiting and retaining the employees needed to deliver high-level customer experiences that support the bottom line. Yet rapid transformation has disrupted many things that organizations used to do to maintain great company cultur ... Show More
26m 42s
Nov 2021
One Way to Fight the Great Resignation? Re-recruit Your Current Employees
Debbie Cohen and Kate Roeske-Zummer, cofounders of HumanityWorks, are sounding an alarm bell for employee retention. Record numbers of people are quitting their jobs due to burnout and better opportunities. Those resignations leave their former colleagues burdened with even more ... Show More
26m 26s
Apr 2023
We’re back in the office - so how much has work changed?
When the pandemic disrupted the workforce, showing that lots of jobs can be done remotely and making workers rethink the values they want from their jobs, many people thought it would change the way we work forever. In 2023, a lot of those workers are back in the office and feeli ... Show More
16m 22s
Oct 2021
Hybrid working
In 2020, the pandemic hit, and the world locked down. Suddenly white-collar staff went from working in the office, to working remotely. But now we are opening up, will people want to return? Hybrid working has become the buzzword of employers across the country, allowing individu ... Show More
28m 23s
Feb 2023
Unionising the US workforce
There has been a surge in the number of workplaces in the United States voting to join a labour union. Amid this wave of unionisation, companies are pushing back hard. We find out what is happening in the US and how businesses and politicians are reacting.We hear from a worker at ... Show More
18m 45s
Feb 2024
Everything you need to know about what work will be like in 2024
Work has changed a lot in the last few years: from the shift to remote work to the struggle over returning to the office, from the great resignation to mass layoffs at tech and media companies, from the rise in union organizing to the rise in AI in workplaces. So what does 2024 h ... Show More
35m 57s
Dec 2021
r/Antiwork WHY WON'T MY EMPLOYEES WORK FOR FREE???
r/Antiwork "Honestly, employees are so unfair to their bosses. It's so rude to ask bosses for a paycheck in exchange for a hard day's work. In fact, I would say that employees are obsessed with getting paid! Why can't employees just work for free due to their love and passion for ... Show More
19m 49s