Search
1 interview · 9 quotes
Conversations
Professor Zeynep Ton is the driving force behind the Good Jobs movement. She's a leading advocate for excellence in leadership and the creation of 'good jobs' - those that offer a decent…
From the archive
Often, companies struggling with high turnover rates tend to overemphasise standardisation and neglect the vital role of empowerment. Standardisation devoid of empowerment can rob individuals of their dignity and prove counterproductive. It's the balance between the two that brings about optimal results.
— Zeynep TonMIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work
Cross-training stands as a key mechanism to balance mastery and specialisation with flexibility and motivation. However, this doesn't mean that you should cross-train every employee in every task. Such an approach would invariably lead to mediocrity.
— Zeynep TonMIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work
Top-tier companies, Toyota being a prime example known for its operational excellence, are well-acquainted with the value of slack. A fundamental lesson taught to MIT Sloan students in operations classes is that in any system with variability, it's not ideal to operate at 100% capacity utilisation.
— Zeynep TonMIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work
Firstly, pay has to be high enough to give people agency in their own lives and secondly, humans have to be treated like humans. Those are the minimum conditions for good jobs – there also needs to be a career path that enables people to learn and grow in their jobs.
— Zeynep TonMIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work
For four decades, real wages for Americans haven't experienced any significant growth. Prior to the pandemic, it was reported by the Brookings Institute that 53 million Americans were trapped in low wage jobs, where their earnings failed to adequately cover their needs. This cyclical deprivation extends beyond monetary constraints, manifesting in heightened levels of stress, health concerns, and impaired cognitive functioning.
— Zeynep TonMIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work
This pattern of thinking, unfortunately, has bred a considerable amount of mediocrity within businesses. It's time to reassess these beliefs to fully leverage human potential, transforming not only our businesses but also the lives of those who contribute to their success.
— Zeynep TonMIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work
My research over the years has made it clear that companies pay a high price for maintaining low wages, primarily in the form of employee turnover. This turnover can account for 10-25% of a company's total expenses, in relation to payroll in a common setup, with some cases even witnessing figures as high as 45%.
— Zeynep TonMIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work
Firstly, pay has to be high enough to give people agency in their own lives and secondly, humans have to be treated like humans. Those are the minimum conditions for good jobs – there also needs to be a career path that enables people to learn and grow in their jobs.
— Zeynep TonMIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work
For four decades, real wages for Americans haven't experienced any significant growth. Prior to the pandemic, it was reported by the Brookings Institute that 53 million Americans were trapped in low wage jobs, where their earnings failed to adequately cover their needs.
— Zeynep TonMIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work
More conversations
