This Week's Top Five Leadership Stories

Why is Google Changing its Work from Anywhere Policy?

Ahh, tech companies. Innovation, hyper-modern offices, ultra trendy uniforms a la Silicon Valley and checking into your laptop and working from anywhere. 

Well, sort of.  In reality, widespread layoffs, a slowing economy and a shift in power back to employers has cut some of the perks techies once enjoyed, including a move away from remote work. 

In September 2025 Microsoft announced that it was updating its flexible work expectations to three days a week in the office, switching from a policy where people could work from home as much as 50% of their time. 

Its reasoning being that people thrive when working together in person. 

Amazon took this shift further, requiring employees to work five days in the office from the start of 2025. 

Now Google is joining the party. The Sundar Pichai-led company is reportedly making changes to its Work from Anywhere policy, introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to allow employees greater flexibility to work from any location. 

What does Ford’s Exec Reshuffle Mean for its Ford+ Strategy?

Reshuffle, culture shift, reinvention – there are as many buzzwords for transformations as there are transformations themselves. 

But for good reason. Any significant change programme at a major business calls for decisive, and often sweeping action that brings about measurable change. 

And that action often starts at the top, whether it’s a shift in leadership priorities, taking the lead on a future operating model or bringing new execs into future-facing positions. 

Ford has gone with the latter, announcing a restructure of its global leadership team aimed at driving its Ford+ transformation strategy, centred around electrification and connected services. 

The changes, announced on 10 October, include appointing a new head to Ford’s Europe business, hiring a former leader from General Motors and bringing together several units under a new executive. 

Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley said in a statement: “These global leadership appointments underscore our relentless commitment to building a truly world-class team across Ford, united by a singular focus: delivering product excellence and quality for our customers globally.”

Why did PepsiCo Pick ex-Walmart Exec Steve Schmitt as CFO?

Former Walmart Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Vice President, Steve Schmitt, has been appointed as PepsiCo’s next CFO.

Effective 10 November 2025, Steve will take over from Jamie Caulfield, whose career at PepsiCo spans over three decades.

His decision to retire in 2026 means he will continue in the role until Steve takes over later in 2025.

At this time Jamie will assume an advisory role and assist with the exec transition until mid May 2026.

Ramon Laguarta, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, says: “Steve has a strong track record of proven results and brings critical expertise that aligns with PepsiCo’s growth strategy.

“Steve’s experience working with complex supply chains, adapting to the dynamic retail landscape and omnichannel consumers, and delivering operational excellence on a large scale will be impactful at PepsiCo.

“He will play a crucial role as we accelerate growth, optimise our cost structure and create greater value for our shareholders.”

Why has Microsoft Been Named the World’s Best Employer?

In a world of business uncertainty, from economic challenges to political unrest, leaders must balance growth strategies with ways of ensuring employee wellbeing more than ever before.

According to Forbes, to truly prioritise employees, internal company systems must establish a positive work-life balance every day.

Peter Duris, CEO and co-founder of Kickresume, tells the company: “Employers can promote a healthy work-life balance by encouraging managers to lead by example.

“Teams who see their manager logging off at the end of the working day, using their PTO and setting boundaries around their workload are more likely to model this behaviour themselves.”

Forbes has published its annual World’s Best Employers 2025 list in partnership with market research firm Statista. The ranking measures the world’s best employers in terms of employee wellbeing, surveying more than 300,000 employees in over 50 countries.

Deploy the National Guard, says Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff

Marc Benioff has certainly got people talking. 

The Salesforce CEO, known for generously spreading wealth around his native San Francisco and his previous support for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, has told the New York Times he “fully supported” President Donald Trump. 

In an interview published on 10 October, Benioff said he supports deploying the National Guard to San Francisco, arguing: “We don’t have enough cops, so if they can be cops, I’m all for it.”

Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to several cities across the US has been widely contested, drawing legal challenges by state and local officials. 

San Francisco has so far avoided federal incursions, although Trump has previously discussed the possibility in an August 2025 Oval Office meeting. 

“Look at what Democrats have done to San Francisco. They’ve destroyed it,” he said. “We would clean that up too. We’ll clean that one up, too.”