Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Bring Your Human to Work summary
Erica Keswin
10 Surefire Ways to Design a Workplace That Is Good for People, Great for Business, and Just Might Change the World
23 mins
Brief summary
"Bring Your Human to Work" by Erica Keswin emphasizes the importance of creating a people-centric workplace where relationships, empathy, and communication are prioritized alongside productivity and profit. It offers practical solutions for businesses to build a more human-centered culture.
Topics
Table of Contents
Bring Your Human to Work
Summary of 7 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 7
Bringing your authentic self to work is good for both you and your company.
We’re often taught to keep our professional and personal lives separate. But it might be time to rethink this rule. That’s because when you try to keep a strict divide between your work and the rest of your life, you're missing out on a key opportunity – to bring your humanity to work with you and to be your authentic self all day, every day.
A study from Harvard Business School found that businesses which celebrate their employees’ authentic personalities enjoy higher employee retention and more satisfied customers than businesses that try to force a uniform “corporate identity” on their staff.
The key message here is: Bringing your authentic self to work is good for both you and your company.
So what does business authenticity look like in action? A company based around the humble kitchen apron can show us the way.
When Ellen Bennett began her apron company, Hedley & Bennett, she branded herself as a millennial who was wise beyond her years. She began telling people that she wanted to make the world a better place – one apron at a time. Her communication style was authentic, too, even if that meant dropping the occasional F-bomb. This may not have been strictly corporate behavior, but it did make her stand out from the crowd. These days, Hedley & Bennett is a global leader in fashionable kitchen aprons. Ellen credits her success to simply being “real” with everyone around her – from her employees to her clients to her investors.
So how can you make your company or brand feel more real? Well, one of the best ways is to embrace authenticity – and to start telling stories. After all, the stories that we tell about ourselves let others know who we are and who we want to become.
One company that uses storytelling to powerful effect is the airline JetBlue. At the onboarding ceremony for new hires, JetBlue employees take to the stage and tell stories that highlight the brand’s values. But JetBlue doesn’t just let employees tell the company’s stories; it also uses audio recordings of satisfied customers who talk about their positive experiences with the company.
One story, for instance, comes from a mother who describes how a JetBlue crew member helped her disabled son access a bathroom in an emergency. Through storytelling, JetBlue teaches its new recruits about the company’s values. But perhaps more importantly, the stories also showcase the warm, authentic face of the company.
Want to see all full key ideas from Bring Your Human to Work?
Key ideas in Bring Your Human to Work
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Bring Your Human to Work about?
Bring Your Human to Work (2018) explores how organizations can put human connection at the center of their business. It outlines the benefits, both financial and social, of encouraging better communication and deeper relationships between coworkers.
Bring Your Human to Work Review
Bring Your Human to Work (2018) by Erica Keswin is a valuable guide to creating a more human-centered workplace. Here's why this book is definitely worth reading:
- It offers practical strategies for fostering human connection and building a positive work culture that values relationships.
- Through compelling case studies and insightful interviews, the book shows how bringing humanity to work leads to increased productivity and employee satisfaction.
- With its engaging storytelling and actionable tips, it keeps readers engaged and provides a roadmap for creating a more fulfilling work environment.
Best quote from Bring Your Human to Work
The best give-back strategies are discovered, not designed.
—Erica Keswin
Who should read Bring Your Human to Work?
- Anyone seeking a greater connection with their coworkers
- Business leaders looking for fresh insights
- Managers wanting to inspire their direct reports
Categories with Bring Your Human to Work
Book summaries like Bring Your Human to Work
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
31 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Bring Your Human to Work FAQs
What is the main message of Bring Your Human to Work?
The main message of Bring Your Human to Work is that embracing humanity in the workplace improves productivity and happiness.
How long does it take to read Bring Your Human to Work?
The reading time for Bring Your Human to Work varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Bring Your Human to Work a good book? Is it worth reading?
Bring Your Human to Work is a valuable read for anyone interested in creating a more human-centric workplace. It provides practical insights and actionable strategies.
Who is the author of Bring Your Human to Work?
The author of Bring Your Human to Work is Erica Keswin.
What to read after Bring Your Human to Work?
If you're wondering what to read next after Bring Your Human to Work, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
- Before Happiness by Shawn Achor
- Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace by Gill Hasson
- Workplace Wellness that Works by Laura Putnam
- Four Seconds by Peter Bregman
- The Power of Bad by John Tierney and Roy Baumeister
- Best Self by Mike Bayer
- The No Asshole Rule by Robert I. Sutton
- The Body by Bill Bryson
- Zero Sugar / One Month by Becky Gillaspy