The HCL Review Podcast

The Tired Room: Hidden Sleep Debt, Performed Alertness, and How Leaders Can Make Rested Judgment a Standard of Good Work

Abstract: Sleep loss is widespread among managers, executives, and workers in safety-critical roles, yet it is usually treated as a private lifestyle matter rather than a

Off the Clock, Still On Call: The Right to Disconnect, the Always-On Workday, and How Leaders Can Make Recovery Part of the Work System

Abstract: After-hours availability has become one of the least examined features of modern work. Telemetry from Microsoft 365 shows email checking before 6 a.m., inbox ac

The Thirty-Two Hour Question: What the Four-Day Week Evidence Really Shows, and How Leaders Can Redesign Work Before They Cut Time

Abstract: In September 2026, the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act was reintroduced in both chambers of the U.S. Congress, proposing to lower the Fair Labor Standards Act over

The Midlife Exit: Menopause, the New Action-Plan Era, and How Leaders Can Keep Experienced Women Working and Thriving

Abstract: Menopause affects a large share of the workforce at the point in their careers when experience, judgment, and leadership potential are often at their peak, yet

Two in Five: Why Most American Jobs Still Fall Short of the Quality Standard, and How Leaders Can Build Jobs Worth Staying In

Abstract: For the second consecutive year, the American Job Quality Study finds that only about four in ten U.S. workers hold a job that meets minimum standards for fair

Below the Thirty Line: Why U.S. Employee Engagement Has Fallen to a 15-Year Low, and How Leaders Can Rebuild Clarity, Care, and Connection

Abstract: In the third quarter of 2026, the share of U.S. employees who were engaged at work fell to 29%, the first reading below 30% since 2011 and roughly 11 million fe

Is Anyone in the Loop? Algorithmic Management, Europe's Platform Work Deadline, and How Leaders Can Keep Humans Accountable for Automated Decisions

Abstract: Software now assigns work, sets pace, scores performance, and in some organizations suspends or ends working relationships with little or no human involvement.

Inclusion on Firmer Ground: Building Fair, Lawful, and Effective Practices in the Era of DEI Enforcement

Abstract: Between 2023 and late 2026, the legal ground under U.S. workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs shifted substantially. Supreme Court decisions

Before the Threat: How Behavioral Threat Assessment and Prevention-Focused Safety Management Can Stop Workplace Violence Before It Starts

Abstract: Workplace violence remains a persistent and unevenly distributed occupational hazard. U.S. data record 470 workplace homicides in 2024, and health care and soci

The Silent Struggle: Why Men Hide Mental Health Challenges at Work, and How Leaders Can Make Help-Seeking Normal

Abstract: Men frequently conceal stress, burnout, and mental health struggles at work, even as employers expand access to support. Recent surveys indicate that most emplo

Who Do I Ask? Relational Capital, Hybrid Onboarding, and How Leaders Can Help Newcomers Belong and Perform Faster

Abstract: Hybrid and AI-enabled workplaces have made the informational side of onboarding easier while making its relational side harder. New qualitative research at a mu

Death by a Thousand Clicks: Work Friction, Cognitive Load, and How Leaders Can Design Burnout Out of the System

Abstract: Burnout is often treated as an individual problem to be addressed through resilience training and wellbeing apps. This article argues that it is substantially a

Before the Whistle Blows: Whistleblowing Reform, Retaliation Risk, and How Leaders Can Build Speak-Up Systems People Trust

Abstract: Whistleblowing law is moving again. In October 2026 the UK government opened a broad consultation on reforming its whistleblowing framework, including a possibl

The Benefits Breaking Point: Rising Health Costs, the GLP-1 Dilemma, and How Leaders Can Keep Coverage Affordable, Fair, and Worth Having

Abstract: Employer-sponsored health coverage, which protects almost 157 million Americans under 65, is under acute strain. KFF's 2026 Employer Health Benefits Survey find

Out of the Shadows: Why Employees Are Using Unsanctioned AI at Work, and How Leaders Can Turn Hidden Experimentation Into Governed Capability

Abstract: Employees are adopting generative artificial intelligence faster than their organizations can approve, secure, or support it, producing widespread "shadow AI":

Enrich, Don’t Extract: Why Selling AI as a Productivity Tool Backfires, and How Leaders Can Introduce AI as a Path to More Meaningful Work

Abstract: Organizations are investing heavily in generative AI, yet many deployments stall at shallow, defensive use. This article examines new field research from Stanfo

Working From Somewhere: Hidden Remote Work Abroad, the Location Compliance Gap, and How Leaders Can Replace Secrecy With Sanctioned Flexibility

Abstract: A growing share of remote employees work from places their employers do not know about. G-P’s 2026 World at Work Report, released in October 2026, found that 93

The Second Paycheck: Side Hustles, Moonlighting, and How Leaders Can Govern Multiple Jobholding Without Losing Trust

Abstract: Holding more than one job has moved from the margins of working life toward its mainstream. G-P's 2026 World at Work Report, a survey of 7,100 executives and pr

The Targeted Raise: Flat Pay Budgets, the Retreat From Across-the-Board Increases, and How Leaders Can Differentiate Pay Without Breaking Trust

Abstract: As organizations finalize 2027 compensation plans, U.S. salary increase budgets have settled at roughly 3.5% for a second consecutive year, while employers are

The Redesign Dividend: Why Most Organizations Still Aren't Getting Value From AI, and How Leaders Can Redesign Work for a Human-Agent Workforce

Abstract: Despite several years of heavy investment in generative and agentic artificial intelligence, most organizations report little enterprise-level value. Recent sur