The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace
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Now in paperback: A groundbreaking, practical guide for fueling workplace happiness, creativity, and success based on the latest research from the behavioral sciences. For readers of Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Pink, and Stephen Dubner, a captivating and surprising journey through the science of workplace excellence. Why do successful companies reward failure? What can casinos teach us about building a happy workplace? How do you design an office that enhances both attention to detail and creativity? In The Best Place to Work, award- winning psychologist Ron Friedman, Ph.D., uses the latest research from the fields of motivation, creativity, behavioral economics, neuroscience, and management to reveal what really makes us successful at work. Combining powerful stories with cutting-edge findings, Friedman shows leaders at every level how they can promote smarter thinking, greater innovation, and stronger performance. Among the many surprising insights, Friedman explains how learning to think like a hostage negotiator can help you defuse a workplace argument, why placing a fish bowl near your desk can elevate your thinking, and how incorporating strategic distractions into your schedule can help you make smarter decisions. The book introduces the inventor who created the cubicle, the president who brought down the world's most dangerous criminal, and the teenager who single-handedly transformed professional tennis--vivid stories that offer unexpected revelations on achieving workplace excellence. The Best Place to Work offers employees and executives alike game-changing advice for working smarter and turning any organization--regardless of its size, budget, or ambitions--into an extraordinary workplace. Read more
Publisher : Tarcher
Publication date : December 1, 2015
Edition : Reprint
Language : English
Print length : 352 pages
ISBN-10 : 0399165606
ISBN-13 : 03
Item Weight : 10.6 ounces
Dimensions : 5.47 x 0.87 x 8.23 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #446,997 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #76 in Occupational & Organizational Popular Psychology #645 in Workplace Culture (Books) #864 in Human Resources & Personnel Management (Books)
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Hardcover
I haven't sat down and read a book in a while, but as a student, the way this book was written and the content definitely caught my attention. The way Dr. Friedman introduced different ideas for a better workplace, followed by scientific proof for why those ideas work by using the most relevant and recent real-life examples, really kept me engaged throughout the book. You can really tell that the author has something useful and important to share and wants to share it not only with managers, but also emerging leaders such as myself to improve working conditions and optimize performance from employees. While I was reading the chapters, his way of writing was so engaging that I kept picturing myself in those certain situations and seeing how his ideas really can help workplace performance through many different perspectives. Other ideas and examples that I didn't agree on 100% just made me think even harder about certain aspects and made me ask provocative questions addressing my doubts, which is always a healthy thing to do. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who struggles at work, both due to psychological and physiological factors. Remember, failure should be an option, and in fact is recommended. Think I'm crazy? Read this book to understand why it makes sense!
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Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2015 by Ahmed J.
Format: Kindle
Is a company a great place to work because it is wealthy, or is it wealthy because it is a great place to work? Ron Friedman has gathered a vast array of quality research to answer this question. As you work your way through this exceptionally valuable book, the answer will become increasingly clear and compelling. Fortune magazine has ranked Google the world’s best place to work, 7 times in 10 years. Employees can have massages, haircuts, foreign language courses, doctor appointments and more, all on the campus, and free of charge. More instructive is Wegmans, a U.S. grocery chain that has been high on the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ list for the past 14 years. During this period, annual sales have nearly tripled! Many retailers try growing by squeezing labour costs, Wegmans did the opposite: they invested more in their people. The conclusion Friedman has drawn from wide research, is that “the more invested and enthusiastic people are about their work, the more successful their organization is on a variety of metrics.” Happy employees are more productive, more creative, and provide better client service, and are less likely to call in sick. They also act as brand ambassadors outside the office. Focusing on workplace happiness doesn’t cost the company money in the long run: it ensures the company’s revenues grow. Those on the Best Companies to Work For list outperform the market as a whole, by a factor of 2 to 1. Friedman demonstrates across the 11 chapters of this book, that very little wealth is required. All of the advantages can be achieved by any company, irrespective of the staff or balance-sheet size. In a chapter entitled “Success Is Overrated - Why Great Workplaces Reward Failure,” Friedman shows that accepting failure is not only a way of making it easier for employees to be risk-takers, but often proves to be the only reliable path to success. Shakespeare, Beethoven, and da Vinci were all far more productive than their contemporaries. Their most interesting common denominator is the volume of attempts they made to produce great work. Thomas Edison’s hundreds of failures led to his successfully inventing the lightbulb. Prior to the huge successes of the iPhone and iPad, Steve Jobs racked up a remarkably long list of failures that includes the Apple I, the Apple II, the Lisa, the Newton personal digital assistant, and NeXT hardware. As Larry Page of Google points out, “Even if you fail at your ambitious thing, it’s very hard to fail completely. That’s the thing that people don’t get.” But failure alone won’t add to success unless the failure is interrogated for insights that can help the next attempt. I was particularly intrigued by chapter five: “How to Turn a Group of Strangers into a Community.” Dr Donald Clifton, founder of the Gallup organization, developed the Q12 survey to identify employee engagement. One of the items measured is whether employees have workplace friendships - one of the strongest predictors of productivity. Employees with a best friend at work tend to be more focused and more loyal to their organizations. They are sick less often, suffer fewer accidents, change jobs less frequently and have more satisfied customers. In a variety of clinical studies, friends outperformed acquaintances. Friends were more committed at the start of a project, communicated better, and offered teammates positive encouragement. Acquaintances preferred to work alone and did not help others to avoid mistakes. They engaged others only when absolutely necessary, and were less comfortable seeking help. The reduction of staff churn is particularly important in contexts where there is a shortage of talent. If co-workers are friends, it is harder to leave. The opposite is also true. Workplace friendships, however, do not have to be left to chance. What can organizations possibly do about employee’s friendships, since friendships are voluntary and people can’t be persuaded to become friends. There are three ingredients in building friendships and they are all surprisingly straightforward. All have been verified by research. The first ingredient for friendship is physical proximity. Co-workers who work nearby increase the chances of forging friendships more than if they worked in different departments. The second ingredient is familiarity. Psychologists call this the ‘mere exposure effect’ and argue that our minds are designed to distrust the unfamiliar. Studies show that the mere exposure effect doesn’t just affect our impressions of people: it also applies to paintings, songs, and consumer products. The third and strongest contributor to friendship is similarity. The writer C.S. Lewis once observed, “Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’” Similarity is reaffirming. If I like what you like, your opinion validates mine and increases my self-liking. Even if all the ingredients are present, friendships might still not blossom. Research by Art Aron shows that factual exchanges aren’t enough to create friendships. People need to reveal intimate information about themselves in a reciprocal fashion; both partners need to self-disclose. This self-disclosure needs to progress because without deeper revelations a relationship can stall. Is mutual self-disclosure with co-workers really wise? Research conducted by professor Patricia Sias suggests it is, at least if your goal is to make friends. How can you tell if coworkers are friends? By the amount of time they spend discussing nonworkplace topics. When talk is only about work, you might develop a reputation for being competent, but you’re not likely to develop many friendships. While we know a lot about the formation of friendships, we seem to apply very little of that knowledge to cultivating relationships in the workplace, despite their proven work value. “Surprisingly little thought is given to the way onboarding can contribute (or undermine) a sense of connection between team members.” Most company introductions to newcomers consist of little more than being shown your workspace and going through the corporate equivalent of speed dating - back-to-back meetings with key people, at breakneck speed. Intelligent onboarding must reflect the reality of both the needs of the employees as well as those of their companies, and must accomplish two major concerns: demonstrating competence and connecting with their colleagues. Introducing new employees by more than just their professional background, such as their hobbies, their favourite entertainments or an unusual talent, is valuable. The Great Place to Work Institute’s Best Companies to Work For award in 2011, has made personal interests a key feature of their onboarding practices. Providing a colourful introduction, makes it easy for teammates to have nonworkplace topics to talk about the first time they meet, a short cut to possible workplace friendships. There are so many superb insights and so much practical advice for anyone who recognizes the value of creating a great place to work. Such a place is unlikely to happen by chance. Friedman offers advice across too wide a range of issues to cover in this column. The book should be read by all HR professionals and managers with organizational responsibility. Readability Light ---+- Serious Insights High +---- Low Practical High +---- Low *Ian Mann of Gateways consults internationally on leadership and strategy and is the author of Strategy that Works. .
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Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2017 by Ian Mann
Format: Paperback
As a CEO, you may not have the time to read this book, but it addresses several important topics that could benefit your organization. From the layout of your office to effective recruitment strategies and compensation offerings, it covers a wide range of valuable insights. Additionally, it discusses the benefits of promoting a healthy workplace environment, such as supporting employees who bike to work and considering the implementation of standing desks. I highly recommend exploring these concepts for their potential positive impact on employee well-being and productivity.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2025 by Sam R
Format: Paperback
I am a Human Resource student. I felt that this book was very informative and a great overview of different techniques that leaders can use to change their offices. The author would explain a concept, go into the science behind it, and give one or two examples of the technique at work. At the end of each chapter, he would sum up ways that the reader could implement these strategies in the workplace. This book is excellent for HR students and anyone who wants to explore ways to be a more effective leader. I am involved in some student organizations where I wish that the executive board would read this book! It has a simple, easy to follow tone, which along with the examples made the book a quick, enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book. It is not too long, so it is not incredibly in depth (for this reason I would give it 4.5 stars), but it is an excellent introduction to many motivation and management concepts.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2017 by Cary Hall Titus
Format: Hardcover
This is my favorite book of the year! It's packed with science-based guidance on how to be a better employee, a better manager, and a better business owner. I'm the founder and CEO of a relatively new company, and this book is now my go-to guide for how to build my business in the most effective way possible. I'm a behavioral scientist myself, with a Ph.D. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, so I certainly appreciate the value of applied research, but the truth is that I honestly don't have the time to stay current on all the studies that are published on how to motivate employees, how to hire, how to design effective office spaces, and how to gain a competitive advantage in the knowledge-based economy. This book compiles over 1000 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles, saving me years of time and effort. The best part of the book is the tools guide at the end of each chapter--a little checklist of action items for managers, business owners, and up-and-coming employees. I don't have to reread the book to make sure that I'm applying its lessons; I can just refer to the end of each chapter to make sure I'm on track. I can't say enough good things about this book. It's totally riveting and fun to read. FIVE STARS!
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Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2014 by David T.
Format: Paperback
Healthy organizations are also best places to work. In fact, creating a best place to work is one of the three main reasons for starting a worksite wellness/wellbeing program. As the vernacular in worksite wellness shifts to wellbeing (even though there is no real difference between the two!), increasing recognition is being paid to how the other dimensions of wellness/wellbeing contribute to organizational health, besides just the physical health of the employee. These dimensions also contribute to the creation of a best place to work. The nature of the workplace is changing. This creates the need for the organization to not only be more efficient, but to also create the conditions that create the opportunity for both the workplace and its employees to thrive. Dr. Friedman put it this way: “Creating the conditions that allow employees to do their best work.” Dr. Friedman makes the point that today’s workplaces need to “harness intelligence, creativity and interpersonal skill.” The book is divided into three parts: 1. Workplace design 2. Motivation 3. Employee recruitment and retention I found the book easy to read despite the significant reference to the published research literature. In addition to reporting on the research literature, the book contains a nice mix of stories and suggestions about how to apply the research learnings. I also appreciated the action items for managers and emerging leaders at the end of each chapter. If you are interested in or involved in or desire to create healthy, best places to work, this book should be on your reading list.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2016 by William McPeck
Format: Hardcover
I am a nurse. I was promoted to a hospital management position over a year ago. A litany of tasks will be required of my team regardless of the way that I decide to lead. A few months back I began searching for ways in which to strengthen my team, improve employee morale, and strengthen the support that we deliver to clinicians who are our end users and customer equivalent. I have read many leadership books at this point and a colleague recommended Ron Friedman's The Best Place To Work. I purchased it immediately and so should you. I take a sheet of paper and use it for both taking notes and saving my place in the book. I have compiled a list of over fifty specific strategies that I can use to increase my effectiveness as a leader, but to also create a culture of both happiness and success. Specifically I have changed the way that I structure my staff meetings, onboard team members, plan activities, give praise, and delegate to my team among other things. I have a list of new year's resolutions specifically regarding the way that I listen, give feedback, and interact with other leaders. It's amazing how much room we all have to grow. I got more from the book than I did from my graduate studies.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2016 by William Watts
Format: Kindle
Only 30% of people are fully engaged at work. To get the rest more engaged, provide opportunities in the following three areas. 1. Meet psychological needs of employees (autonomy, competency, and connectedness). Autonomy: Give people flexibility on how, where, when to perform tasks. Competency: Give plenty of feedback, recognition (public), and opportunities for growth (including failure). Connectedness: Close relationships come with proximity, familiarity, similarity, and self-disclosure. 2. Address the limits of the body and mind. We must refresh our brains, or they wear down. People need regular breaks from work, even if to just get up and walk around every hour. Great employers provide opportunities to exercise, play, nap, get sunlight and access to nature, and healthy snacks. 3. Integrate work and family life: Work-life integration makes more sense than trying to balance it. So blend, don’t separate work and family life. Allow people to leave work for kids’ activities and invite families to visit work to understand where parents work and how. Great workplaces require thought and participation of everyone.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2018 by Steve Gladis