The intersection of culture, religion, and work ethic presents a unique challenge in the global business environment, especially in contexts like France where laïcité (secularism) plays a significant role. A report by the Randstad Institute and Observatory for Religion in the Workplace (2018) highlights that issues related to religious symbolism in French workplaces are on the rise. Instances of wearing religious symbols or visibly praying during breaks have become more prominent, with managers increasingly reporting these activities. This rise in religious visibility at work raises critical questions about how such religious stimuli might influence employee attitudes and performances, particularly in secular versus religious cultural settings. Understanding these dynamics is crucial as it impacts not only individual work ethic but also organizational harmony and effectiveness.Key findings:Implicit religious beliefs can shape how individuals perceive and approach their professional responsibilities, potentially influencing their sense of diligence and ethical commitment—though these effects vary across different cultural contexts.Cultural context shapes work ethic: The cultural environment can shape attitudes toward work, including values such as diligence, discipline, and frugality.Spirituality and professional life are integrated: In certain cultural contexts, work is not merely a means to an end but is intertwined with spiritual fulfillment.The perception of work as an act of worship varies across different religious and cultural settings.Impact on management: Organizations can foster a work environment that aligns with the intrinsic motivations of their employees, potentially leading to increased job satisfaction and productivity.
By Michael Segalla
Ratings and rankings are frequently used to motivate companies to become good corporate citizens. The late Wooseok Jung, Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resources, and his co-authors, Amanda Sharkey from the University of Notre Dame and David Tan from Johns Hopkins University in the US, studied the response of firms that barely make it into a CSR ranking, such as Tesla. They showed that in a specific context, companies can take significant action in the area of CSR but that these efforts are mostly window dressing.
Despite advances in workplace equality, the gender gap in leadership persists. Women continue to be underrepresented in management positions, particularly in male-dominated sectors. This gap is not just a result of discrimination or lack of opportunity but is partly rooted in how societal expectations influence leadership aspirations. Ekaterina Netchaeva, Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resources at HEC Paris, is a leading researcher on gender dynamics in the workplace. Her extensive work, relayed by Bloomberg and Forbes, delves into the complexities behind why women aspire less to leadership roles than men. During her HEC RESKILL masterclass, Netchaeva explored the underlying causes of this leadership gap.
Marc Beretta’s RESKILL Masterclass focused on what he terms the "experience-based qualities for leadership development." These qualities were gathered from over 20 years of coaching top executives around the world. Drawing on over 20,000 hours of experience and real-life examples, Beretta identifies six core leadership qualities: awareness, agility, eco-friendliness, high standards, kindness, and co-visionary thinking. Beretta argues that such assets help leaders not only develop themselves but also foster healthier, more productive environments in their organizations. Extracts.
For a long time, addressing sustainability problems has been regarded as a technological challenge. Today, supporting the transition to a more sustainable world has transcended this technological status and emerged as a quintessential management, economic, and behavioral challenge. Within this realm, research in social sciences and management assumes a pivotal role, offering insights across various crucial dimensions of the transition.
HEC Paris undergoes a transformative shift in its curriculum. Building on its legacy of sustainability initiatives, the institution now prioritizes planetary boundaries and societal impact. The updated curriculum emphasizes sustainability integration and student empowerment for real-world impact. This reflects HEC's dedication to nurturing leaders prepared to address modern challenges.
How to find a balance between executives and employees' objectives to attract and retain talents? How to show legitimacy and trust to align with citizens' values in a time of conflicts? What is the good timing to leave a company? Understanding these multifaceted questions is key for navigating the talent competition and fostering personal career growth. Today, students seek ethical employers, while employees yearn for deeper meaning in their work. Simultaneously, governments and consumers closely examine firms' practices throughout the supply chain. In this edition, researchers from diverse fields offer insights and business cases gleaned from their investigations.
These days, workers at management consulting, investment banking, accounting, and law firms tend to be as interested in their career paths as they are in their salaries—which often means jumping from one firm to another in pursuit of better opportunities. But their career paths and motivation can be powerfully influenced by what sort of tasks an employer assigns to them. A study by Raphaël Lévy, Associate Professor of Economics and Decision Sciences at HEC Paris, and his colleague Heski Bar-Isaac, Professor in the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, explores how these firms’ task allocation strikes a balance between producing value for the business and offering workers opportunities to prove their talent. Three key findings: • “Lose it to use it”: To attract and motivate employees, employers sometimes sell their jobs as springboards to a great career even outside the firm. • Employees are motivated to perform when granted exposure on the labor market and when assigned to tasks allowing them to showcase their skills. • Different human resources policies coexist: some firms consent to high exposure to their employees to boost their professional advancement, others, more concerned with employee retention, offer flatter career paths.
By Raphaël Levy
The world of employment is undergoing a period of rapid change, with major technological developments, economic turbulence, and shareholder activism all contributing to a fast-moving and unpredictable context. To adapt to this new employment landscape, what kind of career strategies do (and should) professionals adopt, specialization or generalization? Professor Roxana Barbulescu of HEC Paris and Rocio Bonet of IE Business School offer insights for jobseekers and employers.
By Roxana Barbulescu
Sales is an occupation known for its high turnover rates. And for good reason: an HEC study shows that salary increases for salespeople tapers off within three years if they stay put. The study’s co-author, HEC Professor of Marketing Dominique Rouziès held a RESKILL Masterclass on October 19 to discuss her research on the value of experience. Rouziès and her colleagues (Professors Keshavarz, Kramarz, Quélin and Segalla) analyzed paycheck data of around 25,000 French salespeople and sales managers over a 20-year period to better understand the links between experience (i.e., careers) and compensation. These are five lessons Professor Rouziès shared in her Masterclass.
