The Great Workplace: How to Build It, How to Keep It, and Why it Matters

The Great Workplace: How to Build It, How to Keep It, and Why it Matters

by Michael Burchell, Jennifer Robin
Released January 2011
Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 9780470596265

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Book description

Trust, Pride and Camaraderie-transform your company into a "Great place to Work"

The Great Place to Work Institute develops the annual ranking of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For. In this book, the authors explore the model of a Great Place to Work For-one which fosters employee trust, pride in what they do, and enjoyment in the people they work with. They answer the fundamental question, "What is the business value of creating a great workplace?" and brings the definition of a Great Place to work alive with anecdotes, best practices, and quotes from employees working at the best workplaces in the U.S.

  • Reveals the essential ingredients in and the trends of the best places to work

  • Explores Great Place to Work model developed in 1984 and validated through its enduring resonance in both the United States and in over 40 countries around the world

  • Written by Michael Burchell and Jennifer Robin two Great Place to Work Institute Insiders

If you organization is struggling with the challenges of leveraging human capital, discover why some companies have what it takes to be great.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. FOREWORD
  3. PREFACE
  4. 1. INTRODUCTION: THE VALUE OF CREATING GREAT WORKPLACES
    1. 1.1. THE KNOWLEDGE BASE
    2. 1.2. THE THREE RELATIONSHIPS
      1. 1.2.1. Trust
      2. 1.2.2. Pride
      3. 1.2.3. Camaraderie
    3. 1.3. THE ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT
      1. 1.3.1. Who Has the Time?
      2. 1.3.2. I Really Don't Think Trust Is My Problem. If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
      3. 1.3.3. Shouldn't I Be Focusing on the Business Instead?
    4. 1.4. BEGINNING THE JOURNEY
  5. 2. CREDIBILITY
    1. 2.1. TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION
      1. 2.1.1. Informative Communication
      2. 2.1.2. Accessible Communication
    2. 2.2. COMPETENCE
      1. 2.2.1. Coordination
      2. 2.2.2. Oversight
      3. 2.2.3. Vision
    3. 2.3. INTEGRITY
      1. 2.3.1. Reliability
      2. 2.3.2. Honesty
    4. 2.4. LEADER IMPERATIVES
      1. 2.4.1. Function Before Form
      2. 2.4.2. Prepare for Persistence
      3. 2.4.3. Take It from the Top
      4. 2.4.4. The Buck Stops Here
      5. 2.4.5. Walk the Talk
      6. 2.4.6. Be Predictable
    5. 2.5. CREDIBILITY BEHAVIORAL CHECKLIST
      1. 2.5.1. Two-Way Communication
      2. 2.5.2. Competence
      3. 2.5.3. Integrity
  6. 3. RESPECT
    1. 3.1. SUPPORT
      1. 3.1.1. Supporting Professional Worth
      2. 3.1.2. Supporting Individual Effort
    2. 3.2. COLLABORATING WITH EMPLOYEES
    3. 3.3. CARING FOR EMPLOYEES
      1. 3.3.1. Work Environment
      2. 3.3.2. Work-Life Balance
      3. 3.3.3. Sincere Interest
      4. 3.3.4. Special and Unique Benefits
    4. 3.4. LEADER IMPERATIVES
      1. 3.4.1. Create a Climate of Mutual Respect
      2. 3.4.2. Get Real
      3. 3.4.3. Take the Employee Perspective
      4. 3.4.4. Be Mindful That People Bring Their "Whole Being" to Work
      5. 3.4.5. Be a Role Model
    5. 3.5. RESPECT BEHAVIORAL CHECKLIST
      1. 3.5.1. Support
      2. 3.5.2. Collaboration
      3. 3.5.3. Caring
  7. 4. FAIRNESS
    1. 4.1. EQUITY
      1. 4.1.1. Pay
      2. 4.1.2. Membership
    2. 4.2. IMPARTIALITY
    3. 4.3. JUSTICE
      1. 4.3.1. Treatment
      2. 4.3.2. Appeals
    4. 4.4. LEADER IMPERATIVES
      1. 4.4.1. Keep Fairness Top of Mind
      2. 4.4.2. Take a Zero-Tolerance Attitude Toward Unfairness
      3. 4.4.3. Send Strong Messages
      4. 4.4.4. Get Involved
    5. 4.5. FAIRNESS BEHAVIORAL CHECKLIST
      1. 4.5.1. Equity
      2. 4.5.2. Impartiality
      3. 4.5.3. Justice
  8. 5. PRIDE
    1. 5.1. PERSONAL PRIDE IN ONE'S JOB
      1. 5.1.1. Making a Difference
      2. 5.1.2. Meaningful Work
    2. 5.2. PRIDE IN THE TEAM
      1. 5.2.1. Pride in the Team's Accomplishments
      2. 5.2.2. Giving Extra to Get the Job Done
    3. 5.3. PRIDE IN THE COMPANY
    4. 5.4. LEADER IMPERATIVES
      1. 5.4.1. Build Pride at Every Turn
      2. 5.4.2. Support a Boundary-Less Organization
      3. 5.4.3. Learn from Failures, Too
      4. 5.4.4. Set the Tone
    5. 5.5. PRIDE BEHAVIORAL CHECKLIST
      1. 5.5.1. Job
      2. 5.5.2. Team
      3. 5.5.3. Organization
  9. 6. CAMARADERIE
    1. 6.1. INTIMACY
    2. 6.2. HOSPITALITY
      1. 6.2.1. Enjoyment
      2. 6.2.2. Welcoming
    3. 6.3. COMMUNITY
    4. 6.4. LEADER IMPERATIVES
      1. 6.4.1. Hire Connectors
      2. 6.4.2. Create a Context
      3. 6.4.3. Role Model
      4. 6.4.4. Build Trust
    5. 6.5. CAMARADERIE BEHAVIORAL CHECKLIST
      1. 6.5.1. Intimacy
      2. 6.5.2. Hospitality
      3. 6.5.3. Community
  10. 7. GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
    1. 7.1. ARE THE BUSINESS BENEFITS OF THE MODEL THE SAME ACROSS THE WORLD?
    2. 7.2. HOW DO YOU CREATE A CONSISTENT CULTURE ACROSS A MULTINATIONAL COMPANY?
      1. 7.2.1. Ensure a Core Experience
      2. 7.2.2. Balance Corporate Strategy with Local Customs
    3. 7.3. NEITHER MY COUNTRY NOR MY COMPANY IS VERY BIG. IS IT STILL POSSIBLE TO CREATE A GREAT WORKPLACE, AND IF SO, HOW?
      1. 7.3.1. Piscines Ideales
      2. 7.3.2. Reaktor Innovations
    4. 7.4. HOW CAN I ADDRESS CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION?
    5. 7.5. I'VE LIKED HEARING WHAT COMPANIES HAVE DONE TO INCORPORATE THE MODEL, BUT I'M CONCERNED THE SAME THINGS WON'T WORK IN MY COUNTRY OR IN SOME OF THE COUNTRIES WHERE MY BUSINESS HAS OFFICES.
      1. 7.5.1. Credibility in the Netherlands
      2. 7.5.2. Respect Throughout Europe
      3. 7.5.3. Fairness in Canada
      4. 7.5.4. Pride in the United States
      5. 7.5.5. Camaraderie in France
    6. 7.6. LEADERSHIP IMPERATIVES AND NEXT STEPS
      1. 7.6.1. Develop an Inclusive Mindset
      2. 7.6.2. Balance Global Consistency with Local Creativity
      3. 7.6.3. Learn from Best Practices in Your Organization
  11. 8. TAKING ACTION: CREATING YOUR GREAT WORKPLACE
    1. 8.1. THE PERSPECTIVE OF A GREAT LEADER
      1. 8.1.1. The First Balance: Responsibility and Humility
      2. 8.1.2. The Second Balance: Passion and Patience
      3. 8.1.3. The Third Balance: People and Results
    2. 8.2. HOW TO MOVE FORWARD
      1. 8.2.1. Using Best Practices
      2. 8.2.2. Action Planning
      3. 8.2.3. A Step-by-Step Guide
  12. REFERENCES AND RESOURCES
    1. References
    2. Online Resources
  13. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  14. ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Product information

  • Title: The Great Workplace: How to Build It, How to Keep It, and Why it Matters
  • Author(s): Michael Burchell, Jennifer Robin
  • Release date: January 2011
  • Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
  • ISBN: 9780470596265