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Books > Business & Economics > Business & management > Office & workplace
As technology erodes the impact of time and distance, more and more people live and work across cultures. This can be one of the most joyful experiences, as collaboration and diversity emerge as key drivers of innovation, yet there are also many challenges. Acknowledging that it is often the search for best practice, and the 'one right way', that creates prejudices, and even causes a disregard for diversity, this book brings an authentic and inclusive perspective to tackling the challenges of cultural diversity. Based on interviews with 145 individuals, it weaves together stories told in the voices of those who have experienced them, with key concepts, insights, and the expertise of each of the authors and editors, each of whom has lived and worked in at least 2 different countries. This book seeks sets out to inspire the reader, invite reflection, and nurture a curiosity and appreciation for those who are different from ourselves. Collectively, the authors and editors equip readers with the tools to embrace the richness and beauty brought by diversity, and ultimately engage with the key skills for thriving in today's fast-paced, highly interconnected and interdependent world. They envisage a mindset they call CulturAll Intelligentsia (c), which thrives on authenticity, embraces those who and that which is different, and thus creates a pathway to more sensitivity, and peace.
How do highly-successful people like Elon Musk and Bill Gates get so much done? The answer is time blocking; a time-management method that Cal Newport, productivity expert and bestselling author of Digital Minimalism, has been using for fifteen years. For the first time, this game-changing system has been captured in a daily planner that makes it easy for you to prioritise tasks and focus on the things that really matter. Using the time-block method you'll no longer be distracted by your inbox, social media and other peoples' demands for your time. The Time-Block Planner will help you push aside distractions and focus on the work that will make the difference to you.
Work, so fundamental to well-being, has its darker and more costly side. Work can adversely affect our health, well beyond the usual counts of injuries that we think of as 'occupational health'. The ways in which work is organized - its pace and intensity, degree of control over the work process, sense of justice, and employment security, among other things - can be as toxic to the health of workers as the chemicals in the air. These work characteristics can be detrimental not only to mental well-being but to physical health. Scientists refer to these features of work as 'hazards' of the 'psychosocial' work environment. One key pathway from the work environment to illness is through the mechanism of stress; thus we speak of 'stressors' in the work environment, or 'work stress'. This is in contrast to the popular psychological understandings of 'stress', which locate many of the problems with the individual rather than the environment. In this book we advance a social environmental understanding of the workplace and health. The book addresses this topic in three parts: the important changes taking place in the world of work in the context of the global economy (Part I); scientific findings on the effects of particular forms of work organization and work stressors on employees' health, 'unhealthy work' as a major public health problem, and estimates of costs to employers and society (Part II); and, case studies and various approaches to improve working conditions, prevent disease, and improve health (Part III).
WINNER: PA Voice Awards 2015 - Best Book for a PA (1st edition) With the world of work profoundly disrupted by artificial intelligence, machine learning and COVID-19, the role of the executive assistant is changed forever. Learn how to respond to these challenges and help create 'the better normal' while developing the leadership skills necessary to thrive in a senior administrative position. From bestselling author and expert Sue France, The Definitive Executive Assistant & Managerial Handbook is the ultimate guide to management in the context of an administrative role. Placing an emphasis on both personal leadership and practical skills, this new edition of the award-winning book teaches readers to manage a team, develop the emotional intelligence to understand their colleagues, negotiate effectively and confidently manage a project. Equipped with these tools, readers will be ready to steer their teams to organizational success in any situation. With new sections on best practice for managing remote workers and building a responsible relationship with new technologies, The Definitive Executive & Managerial Handbook is an indispensable guide for both ambitious PAs aiming for promotion and senior assistants who want to improve their skills.
Employers are increasingly recruiting their workers into politics to change elections and public policy - sometimes in coercive ways. Using a diverse array of evidence, including national surveys of workers and employers, as well as in-depth interviews with top corporate managers, Politics at Work explains why mobilization of workers has become an appealing corporate political strategy in recent decades. The book also assesses the effect of employer mobilization on the political process more broadly, including its consequences for electoral contests, policy debates, and political representation. In Politics at Work, Alexander Hertel-Fernandez shows that while employer political recruitment has some benefits for American democracy - for instance, getting more workers to the polls - it also has troubling implications for other aspects of political participation. Workers face considerable pressure to respond to their managers' political requests because of the economic power employers possess over workers. In spite of these worrisome patterns, corporate managers report that mobilization of workers is an important strategy for influencing politics. Politics at Work documents how companies consider mobilization of their workers to be even more effective at changing public policy than making campaign contributions or buying electoral ads. Hertel-Fernandez concludes by discussing when and why employer recruitment efforts represent problematic violations of workers' political rights. He then reviews policy proposals that could protect workers from employer political coercion and could also win the support of majorities of Americans. By carefully examining a growing yet underappreciated political practice, Politics at Work contributes to our understanding of the changing workplace, as well as the ways that businesses influence politics in the United States. The book offers fresh perspectives on debates over money in politics and will be valuable to anyone interested in the connections between inequality, public policy, and American democracy.
This book contains an Open Access chapter Scholarship in management and strategy is paying increasing attention to the domain of aesthetics. Companies routinely make aesthetic choices and there is growing recognition that aesthetic considerations are fundamental for successful performance in competitive markets. Stylistically sophisticated products may appeal to demanding customers, yielding higher profit margins. Style and beauty can also be applied toward enriching organizational cultures, informing leadership visions or motivating employees to defy conventions in designing new products. Aesthetics and Style in Strategy constitutes the first systematic survey of the interface between the aesthetic and strategic domains. Motivated by the rise of aestheticism in contemporary culture, it lays the foundations for an "aesthetic" turn in strategy, which interrogates the use of aesthetic features as a source of competitive advantage and provides examples of connecting design and engineering, style and technology. The "aesthetic turn" is not simply about creating value, but about sharing value among employees and infusing organizational activities with a purpose that transcends principles of efficiency. Volume 42 of Advances in Strategic Management documents the variety of ways in which the useful and the beautiful can be brought together, making a valuable contribution to the sustainability of business in the 21st century.
The key to advancing gender equality? Men. Women are at a disadvantage. At home, they often face an unequal division of household chores and childcare, and in the workplace, they deal with lower pay, lack of credit for their contributions, roadblocks to promotion, sexual harassment, and more. And while organizations are looking to address these issues, too many gender-inclusion initiatives focus on how women themselves should respond, reinforcing the perception that these are "women's issues" and that men—often the most influential stakeholders in an organization—don't need to be involved. Gender-in-the-workplace experts David G. Smith and W. Brad Johnson counter this perception. In this important book, they show that men have a crucial role to play in promoting gender equality at work. Research shows that when men are deliberately engaged in gender-inclusion programs, 96 percent of women in those organizations perceive real progress in gender equality, compared with only 30 percent of women in organizations without strong male engagement. Good Guys is the first practical, research-based guide for how to be a male ally to women in the workplace. Filled with firsthand accounts from both men and women, and tips for getting started, the book shows how men can partner with their female colleagues to advance women's leadership and equality by breaking ingrained gender stereotypes, overcoming unconscious biases, developing and supporting the talented women around them, and creating productive and respectful working relationships with women.
Austerity was presented as the antidote to sluggish economies, but it has had far-reaching effects on jobs and employment conditions. With an international team of editors and authors from Europe, North America and Australia, this illuminating collection goes beyond a sole focus on public sector work and uniquely covers the impact of austerity on work across the private, public and voluntary spheres. Drawing on a range of perspectives, the book engages with the major debates surrounding austerity and neoliberalism, providing grounded analysis of the everyday experience of work and employment.
Men Do It Too: Opting Out and In offers a timely and comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of men leaving mainstream careers models, adding to current debates on opting out. The book investigates how globalization, individualization, and this age of high modernity, in addition to issues of masculinity and what it means to be a man in contemporary society and organizational contexts, affect decisions to opt out. Throughout the book, social theory and relevant debates are interwoven with the narratives of 15 men who have left successful careers and mainstream career models to live and work on their own terms: six from the United States, five from Finland, and four from the UK. The narratives help illustrate the issues presented, as well as providing an insight into the men's identity work throughout their opting out processes. In addition, Biese explores what organizations can learn from the knowledge gathered in her research on men (and women) opting out. This is important in order to create sustainable work environments that not only attract but also retain employees.
In the modern age of remote working and flexible work hours, why have most office spaces remained relatively unchanged for decades? In Where is My Office?, Chris Kane draws upon his extensive knowledge and experience in commercial property to investigate the new-found significance of innovative corporate real estate thinking in the modern workplace. With the rise of agile working, hot-desking and new technological innovations, the traditional office space no longer serves the needs of the modern workforce. With a foreword from Mark Thompson, CEO of The New York Times, this fascinating book highlights the bold new solutions to workplace practices which have the potential to invigorate employee productivity while simultaneously trimming excess costs. Chris poses his ground-breaking 'Smart Value' formula which underpinned the success of his redevelopment of the property portfolio of the BBC, and which can be adapted to enact meaningful and lasting organizational change in any business. This formula is supported through in-depth case studies from Chris's prestigious career, while interviews with prolific industry insiders such as Ronen Journo, SVP of WeWork and Mark Dixon, founder of Regus, provide fascinating insights into the ground-breaking strategies that are transforming the commercial property sector. Where is My Office? is a must-read for any business leader looking to revitalise their workplace and develop a greater understanding of the beneficial impacts that innovative workplace strategies can have upon their organization's success.
Manufacturing and service related businesses are heavily dependent on office and administrative processes, which can add up to 60 percent to all the costs associated with meeting customer demand. Applying lean techniques to the office must begin with a new definition of waste, backed by a set of techniques designed to eliminate waste and streamline nonvalue-adding activities. In Creating the Ultimate Lean Office, the definition of waste in the office goes one step further than the lean manufacturing definition, because any office activity that adds value or is necessary to perpetuate the business is considered waste, if it is still manually performed when it can be cost-effectively automated. The technique employed to eliminate this waste of manually performing required activities is referred to as "administration automation," It permits users to design processes to meet the needs of their environments, which are then automated without, in the majority of cases, changing source code. This book, in the hands of a business process improvement team applying due diligence, can create a lean office that can compete vigorously against the best organizations in the world.
A practical, modern book for managers and leaders who need to know how to get the best from their teams in a 21st century business world. The world of work and the needs of people in the workplace have changed to the extent that the old models no longer work. Today's manager cannot rely on 'command-and-control' and a culture of compliance to get their job done. What is the answer? Much of what Millennials are asking for - development and growth; transparency and connection; work that has meaning and purpose; empowerment - a change in leadership style, that is fitting to today's business environment; that seeks to align rather than control, to enable rather than constrain, to coach rather than command. Leading business coach Myles Downey applies the concept of coaching to modern- day management, showing managers how to motivate and enable teams and team members to achieve their goals.
Information Risk and Security explains the complex and diverse sources of risk for any organization and provides clear guidance and strategies to address these threats before they happen, and to investigate them, if and when they do. Edward Wilding focuses particularly on internal IT risk, workplace crime, and the preservation of evidence, because it is these areas that are generally so mismanaged. There is advice on: c preventing computer fraud, IP theft and systems sabotage c adopting control and security measures that do not hinder business operations but which effectively block criminal access and misuse c securing information - in both electronic and hard copy form c understanding and countering the techniques by which employees are subverted or entrapped into giving access to systems and processes c dealing with catastrophic risk c best-practice for monitoring and securing office and wireless networks c responding to attempted extortion and malicious information leaks c conducting covert operations and forensic investigations c securing evidence where computer misuse occurs and presenting this evidence in court and much more. The author's clear and informative style mixes numerous case studies with practical, down-to-earth and easily implemented advice to help everyone with responsibility for this threat to manage it effectively. This is an essential guide for risk and security managers, computer auditors, investigators, IT managers, line managers and non-technical experts; all those who need to understand the threat to workplace computers and information systems.
Here's what you should know to manage data records efficiently With proper electronic data management, your business can lower costs, improve efficiency, eliminate duplication, and be protected in the event of a lawsuit. This book provides an overview of records management solutions and implementation strategies in plain, non-technical English. Step-by-step instructions show you how to begin managing records and information and how to maintain the program once you have it established. Sample forms for inventory, scheduling, and necessary documentation are also available on the companion website.Electronic records management offers cost savings, greater efficiency, and protection in case of legal action; this book gets you started on an effective data management systemThis plain-English guide helps you determine what constitutes a record, shows you how to inventory records and create an efficient way to file both electronic and paper copies, and explains how to create a retention scheduleWalks you through switching to electronic record-keeping, what to look for in a records management system, implementing best practices, ensuring that your system will stay current, and using the system effectivelyHelps you assure that the destruction of any sensitive information is conducted and documented correctly "Records Management For Dummies" helps your business save money and improve efficiency with effective electronic records management.
SHAPERS is the definitive guide to elevate the way you work and live. PRAISE FOR SHAPERS: "Do you wish you could throw yourself into your work, become energised and enriched by it, and leave the world a better place? Then SHAPERS is for you. Altman shows that your idiosyncrasies and unique skills are not the obstacles to achievement and purpose. They are the path." -Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of WHEN and DRIVE "With countless nuggets of timeless wisdom, SHAPERS gently nudges readers to envision new possibilities for them to build more meaningful, joyful work and lives." -Amy C. Edmondson, Professor, Harvard Business School, author of The Fearless Organisation and Teaming "Altman mixes together case studies, anecdotes and careful empirical research to offer wise and practical advice about how to make work better, and thus to get better work. If companies followed even a quarter of his suggestions they would foster a more productive and more satisfied workplace for everyone. And his engaging, informal style makes for effortless reading." -Barry Schwartz teaches at Haas School of Business, U.C. Berkeley and is the author of The Paradox of Choice and Why We Work We work in places, ways, and on things that were once the stuff of sci-fi flicks. Yet the reality is that most professionals are unhappy in their work. Whether you want to reset your career, strike out on your own, or just ignite more joy in what you do, this illuminating productivity book shows you how to create a working life that reveals meaning while rewriting our collective future. When we connect with something larger than ourselves, we enjoy the fruits of our labour as well as the journey -- the sweat and the struggle. It's the unyielding commitment to a purpose that gives shapers their shimmer. The benefits of this shine are plentiful: enhanced wellbeing, more community engagement, a healthier economy, better work for all, and a more beautiful world. Altman is a workologist who guides companies to leave politics and posturing behind in favour of transparent and trusting cultures. After decades facilitating culture-defining practices for leaders, you'll learn everything he knows: Adopt the mindset for creativity, innovation, and boundless growth Amplify your career and inspire others to do the same Help create engaged teams through building leadership skills Become a better leader through the five new modes of leadership ethics Learn what underpins the most resilient organisations in the world The stories and anecdotes in SHAPERS come from hundreds of interviews with innovators dedicated to improving our outdated system of work. These trailblazers include CEOs, organisational designers, social psychologists, workplace strategists, and start-up entrepreneurs. See your work from a whole new perspective and focus on what fulfils you. If you seek the freedom to approach work in your own unique way and become energised by what you do, then SHAPERS is your guide.
Controlling Risk-In A Dangerous World How do operators prevent the next accident that is inevitably trying to kill them? How do they improve performance? Can they do both simultaneously? On the front lines of danger, operators face hazards and make life-and-death decisions in dynamic, complex situations. They are the last line of defense trying to prevent death and destruction. What happens if they don't succeed? After accidents, organizations typically issue new rules. These will work-for a while-in preventing similar accidents. But accidents are rarely simple. Hardware does not "just break." A company may be blindsided by another accident that no one thought would occur. Investigators determine the latest catastrophe was tragically similar to a forgotten previous accident. Again, new rules are issued and procedures are updated-yet the cycle of accidents continues. Organizations, and operators, must need something more than rules and procedures. Since the beginning of the space program, astronauts have been developing techniques to help flight crews stay alive and accomplish dangerous missions in the unforgiving environment of space. Astronauts-and operators in every hazardous profession-have learned how to achieve better performance and accomplish more missions with higher quality. In Controlling Risk, you will learn how to operate better, work together, improve performance in your high-risk business, and accomplish much more in your dangerous world!
Jim Wetherbee, the only five-time Space Shuttle commander, presents thirty techniques that astronauts use-not only to stay alive in the unforgiving and deadly environment of space, but also to conduct high-quality operations and accomplish complex missions. These same techniques, based on the foundational principles of operating excellence, can help anyone be successful in high-hazard endeavors, ordinary business, and everyday life. Controlling Risk shows you how to embrace these techniques as a way of operating and living your life, so you can predict and prevent your next accident, while improving performance and productivity to take your company higher
This volume focuses on new ways of working, and explores implications of these new practices with a particular emphasis on the place occupied by technology, materiality and bodies within contemporary working configurations. It draws together an international range of scholars to examine diverse subjects such as: the gig economy, social media as a work space, the role of materiality in living labs, managerial techniques and organizational legitimacy. Drawing on global perspectives, from France to Nigeria, this book presents a fascinating examination of the many new ways people are working, and relating to their work. Part of the esteemed Technology, Work and Globalization series, this book is valuable reading for scholars working on organizational studies, ethnography, technology management, and management more generally.
Although most jobs are initially designed by managers, employees also play an important role in this phase through a proactive behavior called 'job crafting'. It describes a bottom-up approach that consists of customizing and modifying structural, relational, and cognitive aspects of one's job to match personal skills, attitudes, and inclinations. The literature on this subject has been developing for over 20 years but requires a recapitulation to bring together different and often disconnected contributions and provide a concise research agenda for scholars wishing to approach the study of these issues. This book provides a conceptual framework on job crafting by demonstrating how its practice results in a more meaningful and satisfying work experience. This book is the first to investigate this area of study in such a complete and exhaustive way: it takes a managerial perspective to identify the antecedent and outcome variables of job crafting and suggests behaviors which managers should steer clear from to avoid facing negative and unexpected consequences.
Are you an authentic leader? Too many companies are managed not by leaders but by mere role players and faceless bureaucrats. What would it take to replace these empty suits with real leaders--men and women who are confident in who they are and what they stand for and who truly inspire people to achieve extraordinary results? Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones argue that leaders don't become great by aspiring to a list of universal character traits. Rather, effective leaders are authentic: they deploy individual strengths to engage followers' hearts, minds, and souls. Authentic leaders are skillful at consistently being themselves, even as they alter their behavior to respond effectively to changing contexts. In short, the authors present a powerful case: that it takes "being yourself, in context, with skill" to be a successful, authentic leader--and they show you how to do exactly that. In this lively and practical book, Goffee and Jones draw from extensive research to reveal how to hone and deploy your unique leadership assets while managing the inherent tensions at the heart of successful leadership: when to show emotion and when to withhold it, how to get close to followers while maintaining an appropriate role distance, and maintaining your individuality while "conforming enough" to gain traction and lead change. Underscoring the inherently social nature of leadership, the book also explores how leaders can stay attuned to the needs and expectations of followers. Why Should Anyone Be Led by You? will forever change how we view, develop, and practice the art of leadership, wherever we live and work.
Colorfull provides a roadmap for creating a company culture that is truly inclusive, welcoming, and equitable. With actionable strategies supported by first-hand interviews with Fortune 500 CEOs and CHROs, Colorfull unlocks the secrets for creating workplaces that consistently attract, develop, and retain professionals of color. Rich in substance, candor, and reassurance, Colorfull cuts to the heart of why so many organizations struggle to make meaningful progress with DEI initiatives. Without blame or recrimination, the author articulates the unspoken fears that prevent most leaders from seeing the results they want-and need-in order to remain competitive in an evolving market. Colorfull shows leaders how to step outside comfort zones, lead DEI from the top down, and create corporate cultures that will truly attract and retain top talent of color. Any hiring manager, CEO, or DEI manager will benefit from the insights throughout, empowering them to bring truly transformative change to their organizations. This one-of-a-kind read is packed with real world scenarios, true stories from those who've tried, failed, tried again, and are still on the journey by using the leadership strategies presented here. Colorfull pulls back the curtain in a non-threatening, engaging way that makes success with DEI both accessible and attainable. |
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