Under New Management: How Leading Organizations Are Upending Business as Usual by David Burkus Summary

1. Replace open offices with focused workspaces to boost productivity and morale
2. Pay employees to quit during onboarding to filter low-commitment candidates
3. Make salaries transparent to reduce pay gaps and build team trust
4. Eliminate annual performance reviews in favor of real-time peer feedback
5. Let employees set unlimited vacation days to increase responsibility and retention
6. Prioritize employee well-being over customer demands for long-term loyalty gains
7. Ban noncompete clauses to encourage knowledge-sharing and industry innovation
8. Build self-managed teams like Morningstar Farms to eliminate bureaucratic overhead
9. Schedule email blackout hours to protect deep work and mental focus
10. Hire through team-based evaluations rather than manager-only decisions
11. Offer paid sabbaticals to prevent burnout and spark renewed creativity
12. Redraw organizational charts quarterly to adapt to evolving project needs

About the Author of Under New Management

David Burkus, the bestselling author of Under New Management, is a globally recognized leadership expert and organizational psychologist. A former business school professor and associate professor of leadership at Oral Roberts University, Burkus combines academic rigor with real-world insights to challenge traditional management practices. His work focuses on reimagining organizational structures, team dynamics, and workplace innovation, themes central to Under New Management’s exploration of modern business strategies.

Burkus has authored five award-winning books translated into dozens of languages, including Friend of a Friend, which examines the science of professional networks. A sought-after speaker, he has delivered keynotes for Fortune 500 companies like PepsiCo and NASA, and his TED Talk on workplace collaboration has garnered over 1.8 million views. His research-driven perspectives regularly appear in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, and he has been featured on CNN, BBC, and CBS This Morning.

Under New Management builds on Burkus’s reputation as one of the world’s top business thinkers, ranked consistently since 2017. His practical frameworks for leadership are utilized by executives and institutions worldwide, cementing his status as a trusted voice in organizational evolution.

FAQs About Under New Management

What is Under New Management by David Burkus about?

Under New Management explores innovative leadership strategies that challenge outdated business practices, offering research-backed alternatives tested by real organizations. David Burkus highlights radical ideas like eliminating email, ditching performance reviews, and offering employees “quit bonuses” – all proven to boost productivity and adaptability in modern workplaces.

Who should read Under New Management?

This book is ideal for business leaders, HR professionals, and managers seeking evidence-based methods to modernize workflows. Entrepreneurs and change-makers will also benefit from its actionable insights on fostering creativity, reducing turnover, and restructuring legacy systems.

Is Under New Management worth reading?

Yes – Burkus combines academic rigor with real-world case studies, providing a practical roadmap for organizations transitioning to flexible, human-centric management. It’s particularly valuable for companies struggling with remote work dynamics or generational shifts in workforce expectations.

What are the key management concepts in Under New Management?

Key concepts include:

• “Pay-to-Quit” programs (like Amazon’s offer to pay employees to leave) to retain truly committed teams
• Transparent salaries to reduce pay inequity and boost trust
• Abolishing non-compete clauses to encourage innovation
• Fluid organizational structures replacing rigid hierarchies

How does Under New Management critique traditional offices?

Burkus argues open-floor plans and mandatory meetings often hinder productivity. He advocates for hybrid models prioritizing deep work, citing companies that saw performance gains after reintroducing private spaces and asynchronous communication.

What unique frameworks does David Burkus introduce?

The book popularizes the “Self-Management” framework, where teams set their own goals and salaries. Burkus also champions “Reverse Mentoring” (junior employees training executives on tech/Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices) and “Idea Sharing” between competitors to accelerate industry-wide progress.

How does Under New Management address remote work challenges?

Burkus recommends outcome-based performance metrics over micromanagement, using tools like weekly self-reports instead of surveillance software. He highlights firms that improved retention by letting remote employees design their own schedules.

What criticisms exist about Under New Management?

Some HR experts note the strategies work best for tech-savvy or creative industries, lacking guidance for manufacturing/retail sectors. Others caution that radical transparency (e.g., public salaries) requires cultural groundwork to avoid employee backlash.

How does Under New Management compare to other leadership books?

Unlike theoretical works like The Innovator’s Dilemma, Burkus focuses exclusively on field-tested strategies. It complements Atomic Habits by providing organizational-level tactics for implementing individual behavioral changes.

Can Under New Management help with employee retention?

Yes – case studies show companies using its “stay interviews” (proactive check-ins about job satisfaction) reduced turnover by 25-40%. The “no vacation policy” approach (unlimited PTO with accountability metrics) also decreased burnout rates.

What 2025 workplace trends does Under New Management predict?

Burkus anticipated the rise of AI-augmented leadership (managers focusing on emotional intelligence while algorithms handle logistics) and “gig mindset” employees who prefer project-based contracts over traditional roles – trends accelerating in today’s labor market.

How can teams implement ideas from Under New Management?

Start with low-risk experiments:

1. Replace annual reviews with quarterly “growth talks”
2. Pilot a 4-day workweek in one department
3. Create an internal idea-sharing platform to crowdsource innovations

Track metrics like meeting frequency and employee net promoter scores to gauge impact.