Each month, through our partnership with Harvard Business Review, we refresh our resource library with five new HBR articles we believe CIOs and IT leaders will value highly. Check out the curated pieces below, available to readers through the end of the month.

Don’t Let Hybrid Work Set Back Your DEI Efforts 

Hybrid work has changed the way we tackle diversity and equity challenges. It’s crucial for leaders to know how hybrid work is playing out for various groups within their organizations. By measuring five aspects of the hybrid workplace — 1) who’s spending time working at the office versus at home; 2) who gets to choose when to be in the office; 3) who gets promoted; 4) how remote management tactics are used; and 5) who is engaged — talent managers can ensure that career advancements and employee benefits accrue equitably. Diversity experts Alexandra Samuel and Tara Robertson have a front-row seat to the way organizations handle these challenges. Read this report to find out more about supporting marginalized groups within hybrid work. 

Download: Don’t Let Hybrid Work Set Back Your DEI Efforts

3 Areas Where AI Will Boost Your Competitive Advantage 

At this point, most companies realize using AI offers an advantage over the competition. There are three areas where AI has now shifted from a “nice-to-have” to a “must-have” technology. Data and analytics expert Sian Townsend knows that companies pushing the boundaries of AI to sharpen predictions, boost efficiencies, and optimize the real-time pricing or stock control of their products are moving faster and further than rivals still conservatively wavering over the wisdom of using AI for these purposes. Find out why AI is no longer optional in this report. 

Download: 3 Areas Where AI Will Boost Your Competitive Advantage

It’s Time to Rethink Job Descriptions for the Digital Era 

Job descriptions can be tricky. Many conventional job titles have become outdated in certain workplace contexts. The modern workplace doesn’t represent the rigid professional boundaries between coworkers and their respective responsibilities seen in job descriptions. Today’s employees are often required to collaborate across the board. And given the rapid pace of tech advancements, engaged employees are also constantly acquiring new skills and crossing previously well-defined lines to boost productivity and work quality. Download this report to find out how to approach a re-imagining of job titles and expand descriptions to include flexibility and a broader scope. Author Tyrone Smith’s scholarly research gives him insight into the future of work. 

Download: It’s Time to Rethink Job Descriptions for the Digital Era

Making a Big Pivot — While Staying True to Your Original Mission 

Mission statements are key to starting a new business. Defining what your company does and how it does it is important. In this report, Michael Schlein, the President and CEO of Accion, a global microfinance and impact investment nonprofit, shares how — and why — the organization was able to make major changes to its approach while remaining firmly grounded in its mission. In his case, Accion’s identity was bound up with its role as a leader in its field, but when new technology made it possible to achieve its mission through different means, it needed to figure out how to pivot – would its history as a microfinance innovator prevent it from investing in fintech? Find out how he navigated this strategic shift by reading this report.

Download: Making a Big Pivot — While Staying True to Your Original Mission

Effective Digital Transformation Depends on a Shared Language 

Typically, sales, marketing, and finance departments have their own unique language, i.e., “customers” might mean something very different to each of these groups. These language barriers might present a problem for companies embarking on a digital transformation, leading to a problem known as “Technical Debt.”  As departments adopt increasingly disparate business language and embed that language in their systems, technical debt grows. The best way to reduce technical debt and embark on a successful digital transformation is to create a common, shared language, and to be sure everyone is adhering to it. Download this report to discover how to make sure your data is speaking the same language.

Download: Effective Digital Transformation Depends on a Shared Language

Also read:

Maintaining momentum on digital transformation 

CIOs have led the acceleration of digital transformation at a pace that was unthinkable pre-pandemic. Now, IT leaders have a powerful role to play in rethinking the nature of work, enabling hybrid teams to thrive, and setting a new precedent for digital innovation across their organizations. This new research from Harvard Business Review Analytic Services identifies four focus areas for CIOs and IT leaders as they work toward enabling greater flexibility, resilience, and momentum for digital transformation. From reimagining work to building digital acumen across the enterprise to creating more agile operating models, discover what leading CIOs say they’re prioritizing. Download this report to learn what’s required for leading IT in the year ahead. 

Download: Maintaining momentum on digital transformation