Case for Good Jobs

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. 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.Connect with Zeynep Ton on Twitter @zeynepton and at Zeynepton.com.

Named one of the Top 50 Business Books of 2023 by The Next Big Idea ClubNamed one of the Top Management and Workplace Culture Books of 2023 by Porchlight BooksNamed one of the Best Books of 2023 by the Financial TimesNamed one of 5 best business and technology books of 2023 by the Times of London"In this thoughtful and well researched book, the author presents a convincing argument for improving the lot of employees." — Decision (Ireland's Business Review)"By making the work better and increasing pay, companies can better attract and keep their talent and enforce high standards, which improve execution and service, uplifting revenue. Few have examined this important topic more closely than Zeynep Ton." — Strategy & Leadership JournalNamed one of the "Best summer books of 2023" by the Financial Times"Persuasively argued and bolstered by astute case studies, this will be a boon to business leaders." — Publisher's WeeklyAdvance Praise for The Case for Good Jobs:"The Case for Good Jobs is essential business reading for executives and boards. Zeynep Ton doesn't just convince you that good jobs are the key to drive customer loyalty and company success, she gives you the courage to think and operate differently." — Indra Nooyi, former chairman and CEO, PepsiCo"Zeynep Ton cuts through the ESG noise and uses clear examples and hard data to show why companies that create good jobs can gain a competitive long-term advantage. This book should be required reading for CEOs in labor-intensive industries and their long-term shareholders." — Charlie Penner, activist investor"No matter what you thought you knew about the inevitability of lousy, low-wage jobs, this book will change your mind. Whether you're a CEO, a policy maker, or a cold-hearted economist like me, The Case for Good Jobs will show you how people are underrated, and how their demoralizing, low-productivity jobs are not only avoidable but downright wasteful—for the workers themselves, for their firms, and for their firms' customers." — David H. Autor, Ford Professor of Economics at MIT and Codirector, MIT Shaping the Future of Work Initiative"A magnificent and important book! Zeynep Ton compellingly shows what I experienced at Best Buy: good jobs drive success. I admire how clearly she makes the case for good jobs. Every leader needs to read this." — Hubert Joly, senior lecturer, Harvard Business School; former Chairman and CEO, Best Buy; and bestselling author, The Heart of Business"If you'd like to pay your employees decently, offer them decent schedules, and treat them with dignity and respect, but you worry that you can't afford it, this is the book for you. Drawing on years of research and in-depth work with dozens of companies, Ton shows you how to make the business case, develop the courage necessary to drive the change, and—most importantly—how to manage the implementation so that you reap the benefits." — Rebecca M. Henderson, John and Natty McArthur University Professor, Harvard Business School"Zeynep Ton lays out a strong case for investing in high-quality jobs, focusing not only on the 'why' but the 'how,' and highlights forward-thinking executives who are leading by example, proving that creating good jobs is good business." — Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation