Zeynep Ton's guest appearances

Zeynep Ton

Lean Blog Interviews - Healthcare, Manufacturing, Business, and Leadership

Read to Lead Podcast

The Gartner Talent Angle

Servant Leadership Sessions

Disrupt Yourself Podcast with Whitney Johnson

Business of Being Awesome

Work that Matters by WorqIQ

Shiftdisturbers

Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And"

CultureLab with Aga Bajer

Cairnway - Servant Leadership Sessions

Your Working Life

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer

Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Dave Ulrich

Chris Fussell

Dorie Clark

Roger Martin

Michael Bungay Stanier

Patty McCord

Adam Grant

Amy Edmondson

Jennifer Moss

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

Richard Barrett

Dan Pink

Erin Meyer

Safi Bahcall

Tom Peters

OwlTail

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR  &lt;p&gt; Zeynep Ton is a  Practice in the Operations Management group at MIT Sloan School of Management. She is also president of the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute, where she works with companies to improve their operations in a way that satisfies employees, customers, and investors alike. Before joining MIT Sloan, Ton spent seven years on the faculty at Harvard Business School. She is the author of  The Good Jobs Strategy: How the Smartest Companies Invest in Employees to Lower Costs and Boost Profits and  The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay and Meaning to Everyone’s Work.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;From healthcare facilities to call centers, fulfillment centers to factories, and restaurants to retail stores, companies are struggling to find or keep workers, because the jobs they offer are low-paying, stressful, and provide little chance for growth and success.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p&gt;In  THE CASE FOR GOOD JOBS: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work, Zeynep Ton, MIT professor and pre-eminent voice on the good jobs strategy and co- founder of the nonprofit, Good Jobs Institute, lays out plainly what most companies and leaders are doing wrong—and provides a blueprint for how to get it right.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;While many leaders want to provide good jobs—that pay more, provide dignity and meaning in people’s work, and offer opportunities for growth—most don’t know how to start, or they don’t think it can be done without hurting the bottom line. Most want to win with customers but are hobbled by a host of service and operational problems largely driven by high employee turnover—which is partly driven by the low pay.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;It is indeed a vicious cycle. In  THE CASE FOR GOOD JOBS, Ton provides a way out: why good jobs&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p&gt;combined with strong operations lead to higher productivity and increased competitiveness for the business, positioning organizations for future success.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p&gt;In this follow-up to her previous book,  The Good Jobs Strategy, Ton examines the “why” and “how” of the good jobs system—to help leaders and managers overcome the disconnect between recognizing a better model, and having the courage to implement it. Now more than ever— in a post-pandemic world, where baby boomers are retiring, people are having fewer children, and immigration is on the decline— employees and job seekers may have the cards in their favor for a while, a trend that will lead to rising wages.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why market wages aren’t enough and the case for raising frontline worker pay&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Employee turnover: what drives it and how it costs companies more than most executives&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;think. Various aspects of a high-turnover system including lack of trust between workers and&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;executives, work overload and understaffing, lack of autonomy, and low expectations&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why higher pay for workers doesn’t mean higher prices for customers. How H-E-B, Costco,&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;Sam’s Club, Quest Diagnostics and others have embraced the good jobs system to drive&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;competitiveness.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       The good jobs system with two mutually dependent components: (1) heavy investment in&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;people, (2) an operational model that helps workers be more productive and serve customer&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;better&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Differences in mindsets between good jobs and bad jobs systems&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why involvement of upstream functions such as product design, marketing, and logistics are&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;necessary to adopting a good jobs system&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       The biggest obstacles to adopting a good jobs system and how courageous leaders have&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;overcome them&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       How to make large investments in labor in stages so that they begin to pay for themselves&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why system change is less risky than what company leaders think&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why automation and trends in labor markets including rising minimum wage, fair scheduling,&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;an aging workforce, rise of employee voice make the good jobs system more attractive _____________________________________________________________________________&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="background: white;"&gt;Given this, organizations that stay with the status quo—which is expensive financially, competitively, and ethically— will see labor costs rise with the market, but employee turnover won’t improve, and employees output will remain the same, since the job is the same.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="background: white;"&gt;With practical advice and case studies from companies that are doing this right,  THE CASE FOR GOOD JOBS provides leaders with the blueprint they need to choose excellence by providing good jobs that offer a living wage, dignity, and opportunities for growth both for their employees and their organization.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

ABOUT THE AUTHOR <code> &lt;p&gt; Zeynep Ton is a Practice in the Operations Management group at MIT Sloan School of Management. She is also president of the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute, where she works with companies to improve their operations in a way that satisfies employees, customers, and investors alike. Before joining MIT Sloan, Ton spent seven years on the faculty at Harvard Business School. She is the author of The Good Jobs Strategy: How the Smartest Companies Invest in Employees to Lower Costs and Boost Profits and The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay and Meaning to Everyone’s Work.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;From healthcare facilities to call centers, fulfillment centers to factories, and restaurants to retail stores, companies are struggling to find or keep workers, because the jobs they offer are low-paying, stressful, and provide little chance for growth and success.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In THE CASE FOR GOOD JOBS: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work, Zeynep Ton, MIT professor and pre-eminent voice on the good jobs strategy and co- founder of the nonprofit, Good Jobs Institute, lays out plainly what most companies and leaders are doing wrong—and provides a blueprint for how to get it right.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;While many leaders want to provide good jobs—that pay more, provide dignity and meaning in people’s work, and offer opportunities for growth—most don’t know how to start, or they don’t think it can be done without hurting the bottom line. Most want to win with customers but are hobbled by a host of service and operational problems largely driven by high employee turnover—which is partly driven by the low pay.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;It is indeed a vicious cycle. In THE CASE FOR GOOD JOBS, Ton provides a way out: why good jobs&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;combined with strong operations lead to higher productivity and increased competitiveness for the business, positioning organizations for future success.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this follow-up to her previous book, The Good Jobs Strategy, Ton examines the “why” and “how” of the good jobs system—to help leaders and managers overcome the disconnect between recognizing a better model, and having the courage to implement it. Now more than ever— in a post-pandemic world, where baby boomers are retiring, people are having fewer children, and immigration is on the decline— employees and job seekers may have the cards in their favor for a while, a trend that will lead to rising wages.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why market wages aren’t enough and the case for raising frontline worker pay&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Employee turnover: what drives it and how it costs companies more than most executives&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;think. Various aspects of a high-turnover system including lack of trust between workers and&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;executives, work overload and understaffing, lack of autonomy, and low expectations&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why higher pay for workers doesn’t mean higher prices for customers. How H-E-B, Costco,&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;Sam’s Club, Quest Diagnostics and others have embraced the good jobs system to drive&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;competitiveness.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       The good jobs system with two mutually dependent components: (1) heavy investment in&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;people, (2) an operational model that helps workers be more productive and serve customer&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;better&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Differences in mindsets between good jobs and bad jobs systems&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why involvement of upstream functions such as product design, marketing, and logistics are&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;necessary to adopting a good jobs system&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       The biggest obstacles to adopting a good jobs system and how courageous leaders have&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;overcome them&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       How to make large investments in labor in stages so that they begin to pay for themselves&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why system change is less risky than what company leaders think&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style= "margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt; ·       Why automation and trends in labor markets including rising minimum wage, fair scheduling,&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-left: .5in;"&gt;an aging workforce, rise of employee voice make the good jobs system more attractive _____________________________________________________________________________&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="background: white;"&gt;Given this, organizations that stay with the status quo—which is expensive financially, competitively, and ethically— will see labor costs rise with the market, but employee turnover won’t improve, and employees output will remain the same, since the job is the same.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="background: white;"&gt;With practical advice and case studies from companies that are doing this right, THE CASE FOR GOOD JOBS provides leaders with the blueprint they need to choose excellence by providing good jobs that offer a living wage, dignity, and opportunities for growth both for their employees and their organization.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; </code>

The Case for Good Jobs with Zeynep Ton

Low pay is obviously terrible for workers, but a growing body of research proves that it’s bad for businesses, too. Smaller paychecks lead to higher turnover, decreased productivity, and poor sales. Will low-wage employers in the grocery, retail, and restaurant industries ever understand that their employees are their most important asset? Zeynep Ton hopes so. She’s written a book explaining how labor investments can pay for themselves, and she joins us today to explain why better-paying jobs are good for everyone in the long run.Zeynep Ton is a Professor of the Practice in the Operations Management group at MIT Sloan School of Management. She is also president of the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute, where she works with companies to improve their operations in a way that satisfies employees, customers, and investors alike.Twitter: @zeyneptonGood Jobs are Good Business https://time.com/6285516/good-jobs-good-businessThe Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work https://store.hbr.org/product/the-case-for-good-jobs-how-great-companies-bring-dignity-pay-and-meaning-to-everyone-s-work/10579Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.comTwitter: @PitchforkEconInstagram: @pitchforkeconomicsNick’s twitter: @NickHanauer

Low pay is obviously terrible for workers, but a growing body of research proves that it’s bad for businesses, too. Smaller paychecks lead to higher turnover, decreased productivity, and poor sales. Will low-wage employers in the grocery, retail, and restaurant industries ever understand that their employees are their most important asset? Zeynep Ton hopes so. She’s written a book explaining how labor investments can pay for themselves, and she joins us today to explain why better-paying jobs are good for everyone in the long run. Zeynep Ton is a Professor of the Practice in the Operations Management group at MIT Sloan School of Management. She is also president of the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute, where she works with companies to improve their operations in a way that satisfies employees, customers, and investors alike. Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/zeynepton" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@zeynepton</a> Good Jobs are Good Business <a href="https://time.com/6285516/good-jobs-good-business" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://time.com/6285516/good-jobs-good-business</a> The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work <a href="https://store.hbr.org/product/the-case-for-good-jobs-how-great-companies-bring-dignity-pay-and-meaning-to-everyone-s-work/10579" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://store.hbr.org/product/the-case-for-good-jobs-how-great-companies-bring-dignity-pay-and-meaning-to-everyone-s-work/10579</a> Website: <a href="http://pitchforkeconomics.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://pitchforkeconomics.com</a>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/PitchforkEcon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@PitchforkEcon</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pitchforkeconomics/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pitchforkeconomics</a>Nick’s twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/nickhanauer?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@NickHanauer</a>

Why good jobs are good for business (with Zeynep Ton)

Kelly sits down with Zeynep Ton, Professor of the Practice in the Operations Management group at MIT Sloan School of Management, to discuss her new book  “The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work.”  https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4136194/_A_jockey_on_an_injured_horse_isn_t_going_to_win_just_because_you_doubled_his_pay_Bad_jobs_go_a_long_way_to_creating_bad_workers_Having_multiple_jobs_makes_life_stressful__2023-07-04-042134.64kmono.mp3 “A jockey on an injured horse isn’t going to win just because you doubled his pay.”  “Bad jobs go a long way to creating bad workers.”  “Having multiple jobs makes life stressful.” 

Kelly sits down with Zeynep Ton, Professor of the Practice in the Operations Management group at MIT Sloan School of Management, to discuss her new book  “The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work.”  <a href="https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4136194/_A_jockey_on_an_injured_horse_isn_t_going_to_win_just_because_you_doubled_his_pay_Bad_jobs_go_a_long_way_to_creating_bad_workers_Having_multiple_jobs_makes_life_stressful__2023-07-04-042134.64kmono.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4136194/_A_jockey_on_an_injured_horse_isn_t_going_to_win_just_because_you_doubled_his_pay_Bad_jobs_go_a_long_way_to_creating_bad_workers_Having_multiple_jobs_makes_life_stressful__2023-07-04-042134.64kmono.mp3</a> “A jockey on an injured horse isn’t going to win just because you doubled his pay.”  “Bad jobs go a long way to creating bad workers.”  “Having multiple jobs makes life stressful.”

Getting to Yes, And… | Zeynep Ton – ‘The Case for Good Jobs’

Rita McGrath

It is staggering how many truly awful jobs Americans hold. Low pay, unpredictable hours, no opportunity for advancement and no chances of development. Little surprise then is that what we get as a result is high turnover, poor customer service and even higher risks in our everyday lives. In this masterful and entirely readable book, Zeynep Ton systematically dismantles the argument that bad jobs are the price we pay for profitable companies. If you combine operational excellence with good jobs, you can create a competitive advantage - and that's something competitors with the wrong mindset won't be able to match!   ---   Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thoughtsparksritamcgrath/message

Thought Sparks

It is staggering how many truly awful jobs Americans hold. Low pay, unpredictable hours, no opportunity for advancement and no chances of development. Little surprise then is that what we get as a result is high turnover, poor customer service and even higher risks in our everyday lives. In this masterful and entirely readable book, Zeynep Ton systematically dismantles the argument that bad jobs are the price we pay for profitable companies. If you combine operational excellence with good jobs, you can create a competitive advantage - and that's something competitors with the wrong mindset won't be able to match! --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thoughtsparksritamcgrath/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thoughtsparksritamcgrath/message</a>

Rita McGrath & Zeynep Ton - Thought Sparks

When sales are down and overhead costs are skyrocketing, what’s the instinct? Cut costs, maybe? Fire some folks? Trim down, get leaner? Zeynep Ton says that instinct is shortsighted. It’s outdated. More than just old, it’s a deadly cycle, because cutting costs continues to come at the expense of the foundational unit – the employee. Zeynep is a professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Business, and her new book – The Case for Good Jobs – is out next month. By turning almost 40 years of Jack Welch-ian thinking on its head, Zeynep builds the argument that the only way to grow in those crucible moments is to spend more – on the employee. Shortsightedness will kill us, Zeynep says. Nothing beats a good job.

When sales are down and overhead costs are skyrocketing, what’s the instinct? Cut costs, maybe? Fire some folks? Trim down, get leaner? Zeynep Ton says that instinct is shortsighted. It’s outdated. More than just old, it’s a deadly cycle, because cutting costs continues to come at the expense of the foundational unit – the employee. Zeynep is a professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Business, and her new book – The Case for Good Jobs – is out next month. By turning almost 40 years of Jack Welch-ian thinking on its head, Zeynep builds the argument that the only way to grow in those crucible moments is to spend more – on the employee. Shortsightedness will kill us, Zeynep says. Nothing beats a good job.

326 Zeynep Ton: Figure It Out

The Case for Good Jobs provides leaders with the blueprint they need to choose excellence by providing good jobs that offer a living wage, dignity, and opportunities for growth both for their employees and their organization.

480: The Case for Good Jobs with Zeynep Ton

In this second installment of our Good Jobs series, Jessi sits down with Zeynep Ton, founder of MIT’s Good Jobs Institute and author of the new research-driven book, The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone's Work. Zeynep argues that a good job should provide sufficient pay to give individuals agency in their personal and professional lives. She dives into the importance of stable schedules and adequate hours, as well as the need for companies to consider the entire system of a good job, not just isolated aspects. She emphasizes the need for businesses to break the cycle of mistrust and invest in their workforce to drive success. This conversation provides valuable insights into what constitutes a good job and how businesses can transform their approach to benefit both employees and the bottom line.Follow Zeynep Ton on LinkedIn, and check out her new book.Follow Jessi Hempel on LinkedIn and order her debut memoir. Join the Hello Monday community: Subscribe to the Hello Monday newsletter, and join us on the LinkedIn News page for Hello Monday Office Hours, Wednesdays at 3p ET. Join our new LinkedIn group for Hello Monday listeners and continue this week’s conversation here: https://lnkd.in/hellomondaygroup

In this second installment of our Good Jobs series, Jessi sits down with Zeynep Ton, founder of MIT’s Good Jobs Institute and author of the new research-driven book, The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone's Work. Zeynep argues that a good job should provide sufficient pay to give individuals agency in their personal and professional lives. She dives into the importance of stable schedules and adequate hours, as well as the need for companies to consider the entire system of a good job, not just isolated aspects. She emphasizes the need for businesses to break the cycle of mistrust and invest in their workforce to drive success. This conversation provides valuable insights into what constitutes a good job and how businesses can transform their approach to benefit both employees and the bottom line.Follow <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeynep-ton-935174/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Zeynep Ton</a> on LinkedIn, and check out her<a href="https://www.zeynepton.com/the-case-for-good-jobs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> new book</a>.Follow<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessihempel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Jessi Hempel</a> on LinkedIn and order her <a href="https://www.jessijhempel.com/book" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">debut memoir</a>. Join the Hello Monday community: Subscribe to the<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/hello-monday-6473269869361057792/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Hello Monday newsletter</a>, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/events/7073029761505079296/comments/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">join us on the LinkedIn News page </a>for Hello Monday Office Hours, Wednesdays at 3p ET. Join our new LinkedIn group for Hello Monday listeners and continue this week’s conversation here: <a href="https://lnkd.in/hellomondaygroup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://lnkd.in/hellomondaygroup</a>

What Makes a Good Job, part 2, featuring Zeynep Ton

Episode page with video, transcript, and more Joining us for Episode #477 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Zeynep Ton. She is a professor of the practice at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Previously, she was on the faculty of the Har­vard Business School. Ton received numerous awards for teaching excellence at both schools. She was previously a guest in Episode 228 in 2015, discussing her first book The Good Jobs Strategy. Her new book, released in June, is The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone's Work. In today's episode, we discuss what's meant by “good jobs” — and how it's not just about compensation. What are good jobs and what's the case for them, in both human and financial terms? Among other topics, we discuss how it's a system, the “good jobs system,” and there is risk in trying to just copy a piece or two that sounds good (which reminds us both of issues around adoption of the Toyota Production System).Questions, Notes, and Highlights:What are “good jobs”?  Has this definition evolved at all? “Operate with slack” Nursing shortages — the effect of not operating with slack Improving call center jobs — reducing the need for calls to begin with  HBR piece — mental models of customer-centric vs. financial-centric The new book — “the case” for good jobs? Benefits of lower turnover Simple thinking vs. systems thinking — 2% margin business “can't afford” higher wages… or can't afford NOT to? 5 Corporate Disabilities when you have high turnover Tight labor markets — a greater need for companies to adopt “the good jobs strategy” or at least some practices?  Sam's Club — competitive pressure to catch up or emulate Costco? The good jobs SYSTEM — risk of copying just one piece, such as higher pay? Cost of Poor Quality vs. Cost of Bad Jobs — not on the financial statements Operational Indifference… vs operational excellence “There's a grave disconnect between what's happening on the front lines and what executives think is happening.” Finding balance? “standardizing processes when that makes sense and empowering employees to help customers” Obstacles to creating good jobs? The logical evidence-based case to be made vs. habits and beliefs of executives (mental models)? “Many leaders don't even consider frontline work critical to company performance.” Cost-benefit analysis — easy to calculate the cost of higher pay… predicting the benefits is seen as a leap of faith?   The podcast is sponsored by Stiles Associates, now in its 30th year of business. They are the go-to Lean recruiting firm serving the manufacturing, private equity, and healthcare industries. Learn more. This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network. 

<a href="https://leanblog.org/477" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode page with video, transcript, and more</a> Joining us for Episode #477 of the <a href="http://leancast.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lean Blog Interviews Podcast</a> is <a href="https://www.zeynepton.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Zeynep Ton</a>. She is a professor of the practice at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Previously, she was on the faculty of the Har­vard Business School. Ton received numerous awards for teaching excellence at both schools. She was previously a guest in <a href="https://www.leanblog.org/2015/09/podcast-228-zeynep-ton-the-good-jobs-strategy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 228</a> in 2015, discussing her first book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DZQE31I/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00DZQE31I&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=leanmanufac02-20&amp;linkId=UPLAAT2WUKAQ6IQD" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Good Jobs Strategy. Her new book</a>, released in June, is <a href="https://amzn.to/42nVv5v" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone's Work</a>. In today's episode, we discuss what's meant by “good jobs” — and how it's not just about compensation. What are good jobs and what's the case for them, in both human and financial terms? Among other topics, we discuss how it's a system, the “good jobs system,” and there is risk in trying to just copy a piece or two that sounds good (which reminds us both of issues around adoption of the Toyota Production System).Questions, Notes, and Highlights: <ul><li>What are “good jobs”? </li> <li>Has this definition evolved at all?</li> <li>“Operate with slack”</li> <li>Nursing shortages — the effect of not operating with slack</li> <li>Improving call center jobs — reducing the need for calls to begin with </li> <li><a href="https://hbr.org/2023/05/the-obstacles-to-creating-good-jobs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HBR piece </a>— mental models of customer-centric vs. financial-centric</li> <li>The new book — “the case” for good jobs?</li> <li>Benefits of lower turnover</li> <li>Simple thinking vs. systems thinking — 2% margin business “can't afford” higher wages… or can't afford NOT to?</li> <li>5 Corporate Disabilities when you have high turnover</li> <li>Tight labor markets — a greater need for companies to adopt “the good jobs strategy” or at least some practices? </li> <li>Sam's Club — competitive pressure to catch up or emulate Costco?</li> <li>The good jobs SYSTEM — risk of copying just one piece, such as higher pay?</li> <li>Cost of Poor Quality vs. Cost of Bad Jobs — not on the financial statements</li> <li>Operational Indifference… vs operational excellence</li> <li>“There's a grave disconnect between what's happening on the front lines and what executives think is happening.”</li> <li>Finding balance? “standardizing processes when that makes sense and empowering employees to help customers”</li> <li>Obstacles to creating good jobs? The logical evidence-based case to be made vs. habits and beliefs of executives (mental models)?</li> <li>“Many leaders don't even consider frontline work critical to company performance.”</li> <li>Cost-benefit analysis — easy to calculate the cost of higher pay… predicting the benefits is seen as a leap of faith? </li> </ul> The podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://leanexecs.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stiles Associates</a>, now in its 30th year of business. They are the go-to Lean recruiting firm serving the manufacturing, private equity, and healthcare industries. <a href="https://leanexecs.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Learn more</a>. This podcast is part of <a href="http://leancommunicators.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the #LeanCommunicators network</a>.

Interview with Prof. Zeynep Ton on ”The Case for Good Jobs”

From healthcare facilities to call centers, from fulfillment centers to factories, and from restaurants to retail stores, companies are struggling to find or keep workers — because the jobs they offer are low-paying, they’re stressful, and they provide little chance for growth and success. In “The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work,” Zeynep Ton, MIT professor and co-founder of the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute, lays out plainly what needs to be done to improve jobs and company performance. In this follow-up to her previous book, “The Good Jobs Strategy,” Ton examines the “why” and “how” of the good jobs system to help leaders and managers overcome the disconnect between recognizing a better model and having the courage to implement it. On May 10, the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program hosted a book talk with Ton to learn more about the disadvantages of low-paying and high-turnover jobs; the components of a good job system and the benefits this approach creates; how labor investments can pay for themselves; the obstacles to creating a good jobs system; and how leaders can break free and overcome these challenges to create good jobs that offer a living wage, dignity, and opportunities for growth to foster success for their employees and their organization. For more information about this event — including video, audio, transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources — visit our website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/the-case-for-good-jobs-how-great-companies-bring-dignity-pay-and-meaning-to-everyones-work/

From healthcare facilities to call centers, from fulfillment centers to factories, and from restaurants to retail stores, companies are struggling to find or keep workers — because the jobs they offer are low-paying, they’re stressful, and they provide little chance for growth and success. In “<a href="https://goodjobsinstitute.org/books-articles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work</a>,” Zeynep Ton, MIT professor and co-founder of the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute, lays out plainly what needs to be done to improve jobs and company performance. In this follow-up to her previous book, “The Good Jobs Strategy,” Ton examines the “why” and “how” of the good jobs system to help leaders and managers overcome the disconnect between recognizing a better model and having the courage to implement it. On May 10, the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program hosted a book talk with Ton to learn more about the disadvantages of low-paying and high-turnover jobs; the components of a good job system and the benefits this approach creates; how labor investments can pay for themselves; the obstacles to creating a good jobs system; and how leaders can break free and overcome these challenges to create good jobs that offer a living wage, dignity, and opportunities for growth to foster success for their employees and their organization. For more information about this event — including video, audio, transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources — visit our website: <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/the-case-for-good-jobs-how-great-companies-bring-dignity-pay-and-meaning-to-everyones-work/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/the-case-for-good-jobs-how-great-companies-bring-dignity-pay-and-meaning-to-everyones-work/</a>

The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work – A Book Talk with Zeynep Ton

Joan C. Williams

The way we work is in constant evolution. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, do we have a chance to redesign the workplace and workforce for the better? Or will we go back to the way things were before the world locked down? Zeynep Ton, president of the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute, and Joan C. Williams, director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law, join us to examine how we might improve the future of work.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

What Could Go Right?

The way we work is in constant evolution. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, do we have a chance to redesign the workplace and workforce for the better? Or will we go back to the way things were before the world locked down? Zeynep Ton, president of the nonprofit Good Jobs Institute, and Joan C. Williams, director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law, join us to examine how we might improve the future of work. What Could Go Right? is produced by <a href="https://theprogressnetwork.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Progress Network</a> and <a href="https://thepodglomerate.com/shows/what-could-go-right/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Podglomerate</a>.