What Makes a Job Good? episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 14, 2026 · 34 MIN

What Makes a Job Good?

from The Next Big Idea Daily · host Next Big Idea Club

What do we really want from work—a paycheck, a purpose, a community, a calling? Today, MIT Sloan professor Zeynep Ton makes the business case for treating workers better in The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work. Then UC Berkeley sociologist Carolyn Chen looks at the other side of work’s expanding role in our lives: what happens when the office starts replacing older sources of identity, belonging, and meaning? Her book is Work Pray Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley. Together, these books ask how work can matter deeply—without becoming everything. 🎁 Save 20% on a Next Big Idea Club membership when you used code PODCAST at⁠ ⁠nextbigideaclub.com ⁠⁠✉️ Get big ideas in your inbox with our daily newsletter. Subscribe at⁠ ⁠bookoftheday.nextbigideaclub.com⁠⁠ Sponsored By: Shopify — Nothing stands between your idea and a real business. So go make it one. Start your free trial at shopify.com/daily FODZYME — Finally, you can enjoy your favorite foods without the pain. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠icaneatagain.com/daily ⁠for 30% off your first order. Quince — Make your summer wardrobe easier. Go to quince.com/nbid for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 14, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

What Makes a Job Good?

0:00 34:52

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Next Big Idea Daily?

This episode is 34 minutes long.

When was this The Next Big Idea Daily episode published?

This episode was published on August 14, 2026.

Can I download this The Next Big Idea Daily episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!