The graduate’s guide to the world of work

A collection of recent insights and interviews to help you hit the ground running at your new job or internship during a period of continuing—and profound—change.

Mind the Gap
Sign up for this free weekly newsletter. Curated reads for Gen Z—and their Z-curious colleagues—on everything from hacking your workplace to grappling with inflation’s effects. Want to preview some sample issues? Right this way.

Orientation | My Rookie Moment | Podcasts | Author Talks | Sustainable, Inclusive Growth | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Health & Wellness | Top Trends in Tech | The Global Context | Sustainability and Climate | McKinsey Themes

Orientation

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Hybrid work: Making it fit with your diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy
– New research details what empowered employees love about hybrid work models and the risks to diversity, equity, and inclusion... if managers get the evolving flexible workplace wrong.
Article

If we’re all so busy, why isn’t anything getting done?
– With endless meetings, incessant emails, and casts of thousands, companies have mastered the art of unnecessary interactions.... Winning in the next normal requires much more focus on true collaboration.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Our future lives and livelihoods: Sustainable and inclusive and growing
– Growth for all, growth for good. Here, we offer a proposal for business, government, and society leaders.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

‘Great Attrition’ or ‘Great Attraction’? The choice is yours
– A record number of employees are quitting or thinking about doing so. Organizations that take the time to learn why—and act thoughtfully—will... have an edge in attracting and retaining talent.
Report - McKinsey Global Institute

The future of work after COVID-19
– The pandemic accelerated existing trends in remote work, e-commerce, and automation, with up to 25 percent more workers than previously... estimated potentially needing to switch occupations.
Collection

My Leadership Journey
In our new interview series, participants from the private sector, academia, the arts, and other walks of life reflect on the... people and experiences that helped shape them, and the setbacks that made them even more determined to succeed.

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Charting the path to the next normal
A daily chart that helps explain a changing world—during the pandemic and beyond.

McKinsey quote of the day
Daily insights from our publishing on what matters in business and management.

My rookie moment: learn from people who’ve been where you are

 
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Careers Blog
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Podcasts

Podcast

Leadership lessons from the world’s best CEOs
– The authors of the new book CEO Excellence, who interviewed dozens of the top-performing chief executives, share their... most memorable encounters and stories.
Podcast

The search for purpose at work
– Purpose is personal, but companies play a critical role in how we express it.
Podcast

What is the metaverse—and what does it mean for business?
– No official definition yet exists for the metaverse, but companies can’t afford to wait until one does or the metaverse... fully evolves to start experimenting and investing in it.
Podcast

Culture in the hybrid workplace
– Hybrid work is happening. Your culture will need to catch up—fast.
Podcast

Rise of the inclusive, sustainable consumers
– How can businesses attract and retain customers when sustainability and inclusion are no longer “nice to have” but... critical to business? And how can they do so successfully in this challenging economic environment?
Podcast

Is worker power on the rise?
– Quitting is up, and so are wages. As the Great Attrition persists, employer–employee dynamics appear to be changing. But who actually... benefits—and how durably?
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Author Talks

Interview

Actor Terry Crews wants you to open up
– The Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor and former NFL player tackles the issue of toxic masculinity and explores how “tough... guys” can find strength in vulnerability.
Interview

Don’t spoil the fun
– Even in difficult times, says Catherine Price, fun should be a priority, not an afterthought.
Interview

Forge your power
– Deepa Purushothaman pays homage to the women of color who cracked open corporate America and prepares the next generation to take... their turn.
Interview

Why shouldn’t we all just get along?
– Populace cofounder Todd Rose explains how conformity biases and our individual desires to fit in with the group can lead us all... down the wrong path.
Interview

Attributes—not skills—determine whether you ‘cut it’ or not
– Retired Navy SEAL commander Rich Diviney explains why we react to stressors the way we do and how to achieve optimal performance.
Interview

The made-up words that make our world
– Walking through an empty office. Moving out of a childhood home. Struggling to write something original. Experiences like these... often lack the perfect word, so John Koenig spent more than a decade writing his own dictionary.
Explore more from our Author Talks series

The McKinsey Download Hub
Dive deeper with free downloads of reports on the issues that matter.

Sustainable, inclusive growth

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Our future lives and livelihoods: Sustainable and inclusive and growing
– Growth for all, growth for good. Here, we offer a proposal for business, government, and society leaders.
Report

The case for inclusive growth
– US leaders across sectors have an opportunity to improve economic performance—and bolster individual and community well-being—through... investments that embed equity into the development process.
Podcast

Rise of the inclusive, sustainable consumers
– How can businesses attract and retain customers when sustainability and inclusion are no longer “nice to have” but... critical to business? And how can they do so successfully in this challenging economic environment?
Explore more insights on the new era of growth

Generation Z
Explore a special collection on what Gen Z's influence means for work and society.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Report

Diversity wins: How inclusion matters
– The business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is stronger than ever. Taking a closer look at diversity... winners reveals what can drive real progress.
Article

Black representation in film and TV: The challenges and impact of increasing diversity
– New research reveals the barriers that Black talent in the film and TV industry faces, the economic fallout, and solutions for... creating a more inclusive, equitable workplace.
Article

Women in the Workplace 2021
– A year and a half into the COVID-19 pandemic, women in corporate America are even more burned out than they were last year—and... increasingly more so than men. Despite this, women leaders are stepping up to support employee well-being and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, but that work is not getting recognized. That’s according to the latest Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey, in partnership with LeanIn.Org.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Being transgender at work
– Although corporate America has stepped up its public support of LGBTQ+ rights, it still has a long road ahead to foster a truly... inclusive environment for transgender employees.
Report

The economic state of Latinos in America: The American dream deferred
– Addressing the barriers preventing Latinos from full economic participation could have a multitrillion-dollar impact, further... unleashing their entrepreneurial spirit, creating millions of jobs, driving consumer spending, and building intergenerational wealth.
Report - McKinsey Global Institute

The economic state of Black America: What is and what could be
– Closing racial gaps across the economy is not only about righting historic wrongs. It is also about choosing a more dynamic future... and realizing the full potential of a massively underutilized source of talent, to the benefit of all Americans.
Podcast

The state of burnout for women in the workplace
– Women are doing more to support employee well-being but face higher stress levels as a result. Here’s how leaders can help.
Podcast

LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace
– How to take action to support LGBTQ+ employees—not just during Pride Month, but year-round.
Video

LGBTQ+ voices: Speaking out and looking ahead
– LGBTQ+ business leaders speak about the challenges they face and what it takes to make the workplace more inclusive.
Dive deeper on DE&I

Careers at McKinsey
Explore our 500+ job openings.

Health & Wellness

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

How to turn everyday stress into ‘optimal stress’

– Managed well, stress can be an ally rather than an enemy. Here’s how to use it to your advantage.
Report - McKinsey Health Institute

Adding years to life and life to years
– At least six years of higher quality life for everyone is within reach.
Interview - McKinsey Quarterly

How wellbeing improves performance: An interview with Annastiina Hintsa
– The CEO of Hintsa Performance argues that wellbeing is the foundation of sustainable high performance—not a reward for it.
Video

Happiness and work: An interview with Lord Richard Layard
– The preeminent happiness researcher shares some surprising results on connecting well-being, mental health, and how employers... can play a role in improving our lives at work.
Podcast

Culture in the hybrid workplace
– Hybrid work is happening. Your culture will need to catch up—fast.
Article

Sleep on it: Addressing the sleep-loss epidemic through technology
– Sleep deprivation has become a global problem. Can the burgeoning sleep-tech industry provide solutions?
Interview

Author Talks: Why burnout is an epidemic—and what to do about it
– To solve the burnout epidemic, organizations need to look beyond traditional wellness perks.
Video

Wellness in 2030
– In this video, McKinsey experts imagine the future of the fast-growing wellness industry.
Article

Addressing the unprecedented behavioral-health challenges facing Generation Z
– A series of consumer surveys and interviews conducted by McKinsey finds Gen Zers reporting the least positive life outlook, including... lower levels of emotional and social well-being than older generations.
Executive Briefing

COVID-19: Implications for business
– Our latest perspectives on the coronavirus outbreak, the twin threats to lives and livelihoods, and how organizations can prepare... for the next normal.

Top trends in tech

Article

What technology trends will—and should—lead business agendas in 2022?
– We asked leaders in industry, academia, and at McKinsey to share their perspectives on the technology trends likely to headline... business agendas this year, the ones that could—but shouldn’t—slip through the cracks, and what executives should think about when considering new technologies. Here is what they told us.
Interactive

The top trends in tech
– Which technologies have the most momentum in an accelerating world? We identified the trends that matter most.
Collection

The Next Normal – The future of air mobility: Electric aircraft and flying taxis
– Look! Up in the sky! Not a bird … or a plane … it’s an eVTOL! An eVTOL (pronounced “ee-vee-tol”)... is an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft—and thousands of them could be flying above cities by 2030. Hear McKinsey experts and industry pioneers describe what’s coming in the world of “advanced air mobility” (AAM) and how it could affect passengers, pilots, and our planet.
Interactive

McKinsey for Kids: I, Robot? What technology shifts mean for tomorrow’s jobs
– Tomorrow’s jobs will look different from today’s—and not just because you might be working alongside robots.... In this edition of McKinsey for Kids, peer into the future of work and what it may hold for you, whether you’re thinking about becoming a doctor, an influencer—or a garbage designer.
Article

How the fashion industry can get into a metaverse mindset
– Shoppers, particularly those in Gen Z, are spending more time online and exploring the possibilities of the metaverse. Here’s... what fashion and luxury players need to know about this emerging frontier.
Article

The dawn of the FemTech revolution
– As opportunities in women’s health accelerate, FemTech is helping to match capital and talent to unmet needs—with... promising early results.
Article

Innovating to net zero: An executive’s guide to climate technology
– Advanced technologies are critical to stopping climate change—and the drive to develop and scale them is accelerating. Here... are five themes that could attract $2 trillion of annual investment by 2025.
Article

The next frontier in consumer goods: Digitally enabled innovation
– Four lessons to guide the industry’s innovation transformations.

McKinsey on Books
Searching for your next read? Explore this month’s best-selling business books prepared exclusively for McKinsey Publishing.

The global context

Collection

McKinsey Global Economics Intelligence
Provides macroeconomic data and analysis of the world economy
Interactive

Global Energy Perspective 2022
– We're in the midst of an energy transition that continues to evolve.
Podcast

The rising risk of a global food crisis
– The war in Ukraine poses a looming threat to the worldwide food supply. Here’s what’s at stake—and what might be done to help.
Article

War in Ukraine: Lives and livelihoods, lost and disrupted
– As uncertainty weighs on decision making, scenarios can provide guidance.
Article

How COVID-19 caused a global learning crisis
– The pandemic has taken a substantial toll on students’ academic progress as well as on their mental health. School systems... can respond across multiple horizons to help students get back on track.
Global theme

McKinsey Global Surveys
Conducting research with global executives on the pressing business, economic, and management issues they face

Sustainability and climate

Collection

The net-zero transition: What it would cost, what it could bring

– This McKinsey report offers a detailed look at the economic and societal impact of the transition to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Article

Building a green business: Lessons from sustainability start-ups
– Green tech and climate technology companies are rapidly altering the competitive landscape. With sustainability now a business... imperative, incumbents need to move quickly—or risk being left behind.
Article

Delivering the climate technologies needed for net zero
– Developing and deploying climate technologies is critical for the world’s net-zero agenda. Growth could await businesses willing... to innovate quickly and to collaborate across value chains.
Podcast

The path to sustainable and inclusive growth
– Can collaboration between business, government, and society spur economic growth that benefits everyone without destroying the... planet?
Article

Charting net zero: Insights on what the transition could look like
– See the opportunities and risks of the net-zero transition through eight of our recent data visualizations.

The McKinsey Crossword
Sharpen your problem-solving skills the McKinsey way, with our weekly crossword.

McKinsey themes

Blog Post

How to lead with laughter

– Why was the consultant late to his meeting with the ice cream company? He was stuck on a rocky road. OK, we may not be in the business of telling funny jokes, but we do know that humor is one of the most powerful tools organizations can use to build genuine connections, well-being, and intellectual safety among colleagues.
Blog Post

Are you on a dream team?
– Sixteen skilled teams are going head-to-head for a shot at the basketball league championship this weekend. You might not be a... pro on the court, but there’s a lot to learn from the game in the workplace.
Blog Post

Your guide to being more productive
– Do you often find yourself falling behind on work? Do fruitless meetings and daily distractions prevent you from getting anything... done?
Blog Post

How to manage in uncertainty
– In normal times, organizations face numerous uncertainties of varying consequence; during periods of extreme uncertainty, however,... the normal way of working becomes overstrained. Leaders must be equipped with the tools to plan, adapt, and respond to unprecedented crises.
Blog Post

Your guide to personal and professional development
– The first month of the year is almost over, but it’s never too late to start setting your personal and professional goals.... Whatever those may be, making a plan and getting intentional is an essential first step.
Blog Post

What’s your next career move?
– There’s no time like the end of a tumultuous year to reflect on where you’ve been in your career and whether the professional... path you’re on is the right one. Whether you’re eager to switch jobs, grow in your current role, or take a career break, these insights can help you make sense of what’s next in your journey.
Blog Post

Your guide to delivering feedback
– It’s that time of year again: Managers are gearing up to conduct annual performance evaluations, and employees are itching... to see how they did. But delivering—and receiving—feedback isn’t always easy.
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