The Best Place to Work summary

Imagine this scenario: Your boss expects you to come up with a creative solution by the end of the day. Working under pressure, you try as hard as you can, and yet the solution you’re looking for couldn’t be farther away.

Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common workplace dilemma. Because after all, it’s hard to be creative when you’re under pressure. That’s why as a manager you should establish an environment that promotes play; this will take the pressure off and relax your staff, ultimately encouraging creativity.

Try to recall a childhood experience you loved wholeheartedly. Maybe it was a vacation at the beach, maybe it was a sporting event. Whatever it was, you probably get a warm feeling when you remember it. And it probably makes you feel more energetic.

Well, companies should promote these kinds of positive emotions in their staff, as that will lead to increased productivity. There are many ways to do this: You can hold office events during holidays like Easter or Halloween, or you can organize sports teams and book clubs.

Although it’s common knowledge that effective teamwork is an essential component of any company’s success, many managers mistakenly believe that friendship isn’t necessarily conducive to this kind of collaboration. But in fact, truly high-performing teams are made up of friends, not mere acquaintances.

And there are many reasons that’s true. Friends are far less likely to let each other down, which means they support each other and deliver on their promises. From a business perspective, that means friendship-centric teams are less likely to fail.

Although looks aren’t everything, humans are visual creatures. So to that end, what does your workplace look like? Do you feel happy when you look around? Or do you feel depressed every time you step into the office?

These are important questions to ask, but few companies bother. Most managers assume that a good employee can do the same good work anywhere.

No matter how decisive and visionary you are as a leader, you also need to be a good communicator if you want to carry out your plans and ensure that your workplace operates smoothly.

So how do you ensure that you’re a good communicator? The key is to listen and be nonjudgmental.

How would you hire a new employee? Well, most of us create a job ad, wait for applications and then interview the candidates who have the best technical skills and experience.

That’s the traditional recruiting process, and it’s pretty popular. However, it’s hardly ideal.