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In the fall of 2021, US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, became parents overnight.
After adopting infant twins, Buttegieg became the first out gay parent in the US cabinet. Because of the unique circumstances, Buttigieg was also the first US cabinet secretary ever to take parental leave.
On GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, Buttigieg spoke about the lessons he’s learned since becoming a parent and the advice he has for other senior government officials and private sector executives who are planning to start families.
“You need to have time, not just for connecting with your child, but also for adjusting your life and supporting your spouse,” Buttigieg told Bremmer, “You should have the policy and the means to be able to take care of your family … and return to the office ready to do your job with a whole new perspective.”
The secretary also spoke about the decision to relocate his family to northern Michigan and whether he’s thinking about political life beyond his role in President Biden’s cabinet. Could the move have anything to do with Michigan’s possible open Senate seat going forward?
While the pandemic continues to ravage much of the world, the rich world is opening back for business and companies are preparing to bring their employees back to the office. But quite a few of those workers don't seem thrilled about a return to pre-COVID workplace norms. A recent survey of 30,000 Americans found that three in ten never want to return to the office again. Another poll found that one in three US workers wouldn't want to work for an employer who requires them to be on site full time. But Wall Street's impatience is starting to show. Take Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman, who effectively told his New York City employees that they should expect to be back in their cubicles by September, or else. If employers are going to require that their workers return to the office, what should those workers expect in return?
In our GZERO World "Lightning Round," organization psychologist Adam Grant shares his thoughts on how to disconnect from work, what is and isn't fun in the workplace, and why people use work jargon."There's some hilarious research which shows that people use that kind of jargon because they're insecure and they want to sound smart," observes Grant, author of "Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know."
Working used to mean long hours spent in an office and away from your family. 2020 brought the opposite--24/7 lockdowns with the kids. Parents were teachers and babysitters overnight, while many of them continued to work full-time jobs. How will the changes we've experienced in the pandemic impact our demand for time at home with the kids, and what will it take to make that feasible? Ian Bremmer looks at how other countries do it, and how the US stacks up.
Organizational psychologist Adam Grant discusses the "essential workers" who kept the world going throughout the pandemic and didn't get to work from home. According to Grant, the US should be rethinking its policy on essential work. "Where was hazard pay for all the teachers? For all the medical professionals? For all the warehouse workers who put their lives at risk to keep the world running, and to try to keep the economy alive as well?" asked Grant, in an interview with Ian Bremmer on GZERO World.
As the pandemic recedes in some parts of the world, many employers—from Fortune 500 CEOs to small business owners—are bringing their workers back to the office full time. The thing is, not all of those employees want to go back. On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer speaks with renowned organizational psychologist Adam Grant about how to reimagine "work" in a post-pandemic world. Plus, a look at how the paid family leave benefits in the United States stack up to other developed nations (hint: not so great).
In the wake of the pandemic, we're all trying to figure out what work-life balance even means anymore. Here's what a few of the most powerful people in the world have to say about it.
Kevin Sneader, Global Managing Partner at McKinsey, shares his perspective on corporate business leadership on Business In 60 Seconds:
What do we know now that we did not know four months ago when the coronavirus struck with vengeance?
I think there's a lot. First, we've learned about our economy. We know that we've now taken the elevator down and we're taking the stairs back up. We're seeing a return, as I observe what's happening across the world, but from a very low base. And the letter of choice is not an L, a V or a U, but I think it's a big question mark.
Secondly, we've learned about what we like in the workplace and what we do not. Indeed, much that has proven attractive about remote working has stuck. Time with family. The ability to source expertise wherever it may be located. But there's much that's not. After all, as many have said to me, there's a fine line between sleeping at the office and working from home.
Third, we've learned about leadership. As one CEO suggested, all the traditional stuff does matter. Being a good listener. Being aware of the details, able to see the big picture. But perhaps the most valuable capability is one that's not often associated with CEOs, it's being able to show some love, to show some love. We've learned that first and foremost, this is a humanitarian crisis and one where empathy and understanding have really proven to be the leadership qualities that matter.