Dying for a Paycheck audiobook cover - How Modern Management Harms Employee Health and Company Performance—and What We Can Do About It

Dying for a Paycheck

How Modern Management Harms Employee Health and Company Performance—and What We Can Do About It

Jeffrey Pfeffer

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Management & LeadershipCorporate Culture

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Dying for a Paycheck
The Crisis of Workplace Stress+
The Lose-Lose Nature of Layoffs+
The Flawed US Healthcare System+
Elements of a Healthy Workplace+
Fixing the System+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
According to the author's research, how many preventable deaths occur annually in the United States due to workplace-induced stress?
  • A. 50,000
  • B. 85,000
  • C. 120,000
  • D. 190,000
Question 2 of 8
How did Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini successfully decrease the company's healthcare costs while improving employee well-being?
  • A. By laying off underperforming employees to reduce the workload on top performers.
  • B. By instituting a minimum wage increase, better health insurance, and offering free meditation classes.
  • C. By replacing full-time employees with gig-economy contractors to provide more flexible schedules.
  • D. By introducing Silicon Valley-style perks like free alcohol and game rooms in the office.
Question 3 of 8
Of the 120,000 deaths attributed to workplace stress in the US, what does the author identify as the primary driver for the majority (at least 85,000) of these deaths?
  • A. Lack of health insurance due to unemployment, freelance work, or lack of employer coverage.
  • B. Heart attacks directly caused by working more than 60 hours per week.
  • C. Workplace accidents resulting from decreased safety protocols in the gig economy.
  • D. Severe depression caused by micromanagement and ranked performance reviews.
Question 4 of 8
Why does the author argue that layoffs are ultimately a 'lose-lose' situation for companies as well as employees?
  • A. Layoffs usually result in a company being publicly shamed by the government, leading to heavy fines.
  • B. The remaining employees are typically forced to unionize, which drives up long-term operating costs.
  • C. Competitors usually hire the laid-off workers immediately, giving them an unfair advantage in the marketplace.
  • D. Layoffs fail to address the underlying issue of low revenue, while incurring costs like severance, lawsuits, and decreased morale.
Question 5 of 8
In the absence of a shift toward universal healthcare, what alternative approach does the book suggest for companies struggling with the high costs of health insurance markets?
  • A. Encouraging employees to purchase short-term gig-economy insurance plans.
  • B. Providing on-site doctors to guarantee cheap, efficient coverage and reduce absenteeism.
  • C. Shifting all healthcare costs directly to the employees through higher deductibles.
  • D. Partnering with local hospitals to offer emergency room discounts for staff.
Question 6 of 8
What did British researchers in the 1970s discover about civil servants that highlights the importance of job control?
  • A. Higher-ranked civil servants were 50 percent less likely to report chest pain because they had more choice over their work.
  • B. Lower-ranked civil servants had better mental health because they had fewer responsibilities to worry about.
  • C. Civil servants who were given more vacation time reported higher levels of workplace collaboration.
  • D. Employees who participated in ranked performance reviews showed higher rates of heart disease.
Question 7 of 8
According to the text, why should companies avoid using ranked performance reviews for their employees?
  • A. They are too time-consuming for managers to complete accurately.
  • B. They force employees to compete with one another, increasing infighting and decreasing collaboration.
  • C. They inevitably lead to lawsuits from employees who are ranked in the bottom tier.
  • D. They focus too heavily on long-term relationships rather than short-term productivity.
Question 8 of 8
What was the result of San Francisco's 2007 legislation requiring employers to contribute a minimum hourly amount toward employee healthcare?
  • A. Many small businesses went bankrupt due to the increased financial burden.
  • B. Emergency room costs were hugely reduced because employees could access preventative primary care.
  • C. Companies began replacing full-time workers with gig-economy contractors to avoid the fee.
  • D. The city saw a massive influx of uninsured workers relocating from other states.

Dying for a Paycheck — Full Chapter Overview

Dying for a Paycheck Summary & Overview

Dying for a Paycheck (2018) reveals that 120,000 American die every year because of work-related health issues. This makes work the fifth leading cause of death in the United States – and as dangerous as second-hand smoke. But things could be different, as a number of companies have demonstrated. Backed up by hard facts and the author’s years of expertise, Dying for a Paycheck presents timely solutions for a pressing issue.

Who Should Listen to Dying for a Paycheck?

  • CEOs and managers looking to improve employees’ health
  • Employees looking to understand how work affects their well-being
  • Policymakers wanting to implement positive change in American workplaces

About the Author: Jeffrey Pfeffer

Jeffrey Pfeffer is an American business theorist and currently the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University. He is a recipient of the Richard D. Irwin Award for his contributions to management theory and is the author of numerous books, including The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First (1998) and Managing with Power: Politics and Influence in Organizations (1992).

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