What's Wrong with Work: The 5 Frustrations of Work and How to Fix them for Good - Softcover

Palmer, Blaire

Softcover

ISBN 10: 047066097X ISBN 13: 9780470660973

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 2010

Synopsis

Work isn't working. We all love to hate our jobs. Everyone moans about the same things: we're not listened to; we're not trusted; we spend our time in pointless meetings; we're weighed down by bureaucracy; we hate our boss; we're overloaded and work saps time and energy from the rest of our lives. It shouldn't be like this. Work ought to be, and can be meaningful and fulfilling. In What's Wrong with Work? Blaire Palmer shows how work can change. Confronting all the big problems head-on, the book shows what you can do about each one, to make work better for you and those around you, now. Packed with case studies and tips, What's Wrong with Work? is essential reading for the modern office.

About this title

Review:

Ever since Douglas McGregor (The Human Side of Enterprise 1960) proposed that human beings fall into two broad categories, labelled `X' and `Y', I've had a problem with the reality of this desired state. I, like most managers, want to believe that a `Theory Y' approach is better, but the reality of my working life has been that a `Theory X' management style seems to produce better results. I think I have become resigned to accepting that it's an idea `out of time'.

However, Blaire Palmer argues that the workforce born between 1979 and 1994 are `Generation Y` - people who hold on to their values throughout their working life, and [seek] "work which has meaning for them". Now you could argue that this is an oft-repeated argument, which is "nice-to-have", but she presents powerful arguments and research to show that it makes financial sense too.

This willingness to objectively present the opposite, critical argument, and then try to overwhelm it with positive points, is a refreshing approach, and makes the book very readable. The key points (being true to yourself, changing yourself at work to stay consistent in your values, and so on) are consistently made through the deconstruction of the `5 Frustrations'. The book also focuses on the `rising manager', and this is refreshing, as most books tend to assume a higher status. In summary, you'll get a lot out of this book - even if you are a `Generation X'. --Manager Magazine, Oct 2010 Manager Magazine, Oct 2010

From the Author:

It's time work worked better. After all, you are probably reading this at work. And there is probably a good reason why you would rather read this than work through your to do list. What's Wrong With Work? explores why work is the way it is, why that is bad for people and bad for business and how you can do something about it. What's more, you don't have to be the Chief Executive or a Head of Department to make a massive difference. Anyone can make work work better.

About this edition

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 047066097X
• ISBN 13: 9780470660973
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304