Professor’s new book aims to improve workplace culture

02/21/2011 4:09 PM

While all authors aspire to create page-turners, a Bradley professor also hopes her latest book will be a leaf turner for readers.

Dr. Jennifer Robin, who teaches business management in the Foster College of Business Administration (FCBA), co-authored the business trade book “A Great Place to Work: How to Build It, How to Keep It, and Why It Matters.”

The book focuses on the keys to creating a work environment in which the employees trust their leaders, enjoy their colleagues, and have pride in what they do.

While Robin is a full-time faculty member at Bradley, she is also a Research Fellow at Great Place to Work ® Institute, the producer of the “Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For” list.

“In my continuing work with them, it became clear that a book would help our clients reach their goals of becoming a great workplace even faster,” Robin said.

The book currently ranks in the top 10 of its category on Amazon.com.

“I am a writer by nature, but working closely with an editor on this book was incredibly rewarding,” Robin said. “I became a better writer through guidance and rising to simple challenges like to ‘use at least five, three-word sentences in this chapter’ as a way to break up my otherwise dense drafting style.”

Robin worked on the book with Michael Burchell, the vice president of Global Business Development at Great Place to Work ® Institute.

“My coauthor lives in Washington, D.C., so one of the challenging things was coordinating with him on the project,” Robin said. “We spent a lot of time flying back and forth to be sure we were in alignment on the project.”

Tim Felt, CEO of Colonial Pipeline found the book inspiring, according to his review.

“Burchell and Robin present a compelling case for improving workplace culture,” Felt said. “This book is ideal for any leader who wishes to improve team effectiveness and make a difference in the organization.”

To learn more about Robin’s book, visit http://www.thegreatworkplaceonline.com/index.html