Working Relationships: Crisis and Resilience at the Heart of Employee Experience
“Like turtles endlessly stacked on top of turtles to support the world, our experience of work is relationships all the way down. When these relationships are stable and rewarding, we—and the communities in and for which we live and work—are resilient. When these relationships fail, so do we all.”
"[Aaron's] book profoundly captures the quintessential human elements that forge the resilience and continuity in our professional lives. In an age where uncertainty is often the only certainty, Delgaty's insights are not just illuminating; they're a clarion call for a more humane and interconnected approach to our work. His narration weaves the intricate dance of relationships within the fabric of our careers, reminding us that our shared journey through the crises and triumphs of work-life is underpinned by the bonds we forge and the resilience we cultivate."
Dr. Keith Keating, BDO Chief Learning Officer, author of The Trusted Learning Advisor: The Tools, Techniques and Skills You Need to Make L&D a Business Priority.
“Working Relationships is a brilliant dive into the world of work that truly unlocks how and why our relationship with work can change our lives for better or worse. Through storytelling and practical guidance, Delgaty explores the concepts of continuity, reciprocity, purpose, and hope in a workplace still reeling from the whiplash of changes experienced over the past four years. If you've ever wondered why you've felt disengaged for no reason, had struggling coworkers wonder how they can make a difference, or led a team that can't seem to put the pieces together to perform under pressure, this book is for you. Most importantly, it has clear answers to help navigate the journey to a healthier perspective and approach to work as a whole.”
Lance Haun, Vice President, Market Insights, The Starr Conspiracy
“This book is more than a collection of insights; it’s a call to action. As I turned the final page, I was left with a sense of empowerment and a deep appreciation for the complexity and beauty in our working relationships. It is a must-read for the modern worker, leader, and anyone in between.”
Loren Sanders, Author of Empathy is Not a Weakness and Other Stories from the Edge
This book is for you if…
You are chronically dissatisfied with your work experience and you don’t know why.
You are a leader who believes in the importance of employee experience to shape business outcomes and you need a framework to make sense of what’s happening in your organization.
You are an anthropologist or other social scientist interested in why people work.
Why this book matters
The modern world of work is a tension between crisis and resilience. Change is the only constant; those who can adapt thrive, and those who get rolled ultimately fail. This book offers…
A practical framework for understanding - and impacting - the heart of employee experience through our working relationships.
Case studies that illustrate how continuity, reciprocity, purpose, and hope - the building blocks of working relationships, shape our experience of and success at work.
An accessible field guide for conducting your own research and analysis of the working relationships in your life and organization.
About Aaron Delgaty
Aaron Delgaty is an anthropologist of work and crisis. He received his PhD in cultural anthropology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He has conducted fieldwork on work experience in Japan and the US over the past decade. He likes coffee and dogs and his greatest fear is jellyfish.
