As business leaders ponder the key to success, they should focus on what is most important — their employees.
That's according to health and wellness guru Deepak Chopra. It's something he drills down on when he teaches CEOs and executives leadership practices.
"If your employees are faithful then your customers are happy. If your customers are happy then your investors are happy. So it's a full loop," the best-selling author said recently on CNBC's "Closing Bell." " Of all the people in an ecosystem of business, the employees are most important."
When it comes to who is getting it right, names like Intel and Google stand out, said Chopra, whose books include "The Soul of Leadership"and "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success."
In fact, Intel is the second "most just" company in the U.S., according to the non-profit Just Capital, which ranks businesses on what Americans say matters most to them. That could include things like fair pay, robust job creation and how the company values strong communities. Chopra is one of the founders of the organization and sits on the board.
When it comes employee treatment, Intel ranks No. 2 on Just Capital's list, and third in the semiconductor industry. Just Capital highlights the fact that nearly all of Intel's workers are paid a living wage, determined by Just Capital "based on crowd-sourced salary information, Bureau of Labor Statistics wage averages and MIT's Living Wage Calculator." The company achieved 100 percent pay parity for both women and underrepresented minorities. It also gives 21 weeks of fully paid maternity leave to new mothers and up to eight weeks of bonding leave for new fathers.
Alphabet, Google's parent, comes in right behind Intel as the No. 3 "most just company." It's No. 11 in how it treats its workers and second in the internet industry. It also pays nearly all of its workers a living wage and is one of the top three highest-paying companies, on average, in the industry — adjusted for job title and location, according to the non-profit. It also provides flexible work schedules and free, on-site day care services for its employees.
Chopra, founder of The Chopra Foundation and co-founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, is well-known for his work in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Now, he's expanding into podcasting. Earlier this week, he launched "Deepak Chopra's Infinite Potential," a weekly, 12-part conversation series, and "Daily Breath," a daily guide meant to help listeners find moments of calm.
"While the world is divided and in conflict and idiotic I think in many ways, it's time to start a new conversation with people who have creative solutions for just about everything," he said.
His guests include world renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, actor and comedian Russell Brand, author Jean Houston, and medical reporter Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
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