Employee motivation is arguably one of the most important factors in a productive workplace. Not only the success but the very survival of any organization in difficult times depends on how motivated its employees are.
Furthermore, if employees are not motivated, their engagement and productivity are likely to remain low. and as a result, it is not possible for a company to get ahead.
You are reading: Books on motivating employees
So the role that motivation can play in getting the most out of your workforce is the pivot.
however, what we often forget is that without top management being motivated first, it is difficult to expect it from the rest of the employees.
Furthermore, being motivated and understanding the importance of motivation alone is not enough.
You need to get to the right places that will empower employees to work hard and do wonders. but how can this be achieved? Simply by studying and better understanding employee motivation.
There are many articles that can be found on the internet about employee motivation. however, they are not the best substitutes for books written specifically on how to motivate employees.
So, for you to better understand how you can motivate your employees, we bring you the five books we think you should read to have a motivated workforce working for you.
1. Flip the Boat!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders
author: he. David Marquet
David Marquet was one of the most experienced officers in the United States Navy. he was later transferred as a captain on a nuclear-powered submarine.
the fleet had problems such as poor performance and poorer retention.
On one of his days as captain, Marquet unknowingly gave an order that was impossible to carry out.
This task was not only impossible but also very dangerous to attempt.
however, the team did their best to successfully follow through on the order.
marquet found out about this later. and he asked his team why they didn’t tell him that the task involved considerable risk.
The team replied that they were ordered to do so.
That led the author, then an officer in the US Navy. uu., to realize.
marquet realized that the marine force was in grave danger due to the traditional leader-follower culture.
This book is based on the true story of David Marquet. the story of how he went from holding power to distributing it among all ranks.
See Also: The Velveteen Rabbit
This model makes everyone develop a sense of responsibility. and that results in motivating people to work better.
2. drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us
author: daniel h. pink
In contrast to this belief that money as a reward is the most important motivating factor, daniel h. pink writes the opposite.
In this book, the author references research on employee motivation. however, pink reveals that organizational practices have been in stark contrast.
The author concludes three elements for the motivation of research: autonomy, domain and purpose.
This book contains the results of scientific research on employee motivation. and draw inferences from it.
However, the author in this book also suggests the actions that are necessary to achieve employee motivation.
read: the best advice you could receive on employee motivation
3. leaders eat last: why some teams join and others don’t
author: simón sinek
Not everyone loves their job. many of us don’t.
It’s similar to winning a lottery or hitting the jackpot, where only a few get lucky. and so only a few can claim to love the job. while others just can’t.
a world where people love and are passionate about their work is not a eutopia as many organizations have succeeded in achieving it, as the book says.
These organizations make work quite fun by making working together more enjoyable. therefore, the book suggests that if you can’t make your employees’ job roles enjoyable, then make group work exciting.
The author of the book strongly links employees’ motivation for work with their ability to work as a team.
So, to conclude, for people to love their work, they must first love working with their peers.
In addition to this, the author goes on to provide a reference to the marine forces, where officers always eat last, hence the name of the book.
In many organizations, the culture of self-interest is very common.
Employees rarely care about the interests of their employer, let alone those of their peers. however, in successful organizations, the workplace culture is a polar opposite of that mindset.
In successful organizations, leaders tend to sacrifice their interests. they bring others to the front. They let others take center stage. and they put themselves before others when necessary.
Not only does it make people love their jobs, but it also takes employee motivation to new levels.
See Also: All About Me Books for Preschool and Kindergarten – Pre-K Pages
then, we can also conclude that leaders/managers also have a crucial role to play in designing a motivated workforce. and that it is not entirely the responsibility of an employee or the company itself.
4. the enemy of engagement: put an end to workplace frustration and get the most out of your employees
author: mark royal and tom agnew
The author of this book makes use of the latest research on employee motivation by Hay Group.
As the name suggests, the book looks at the factors that hinder performance and thus the motivation of employees. These factors are excessive procedures, lack of resources, roles that are too limited, etc.
In addition, the book also proposes the necessary practices that can be used to eliminate these factors.
The author in this book reveals the results of the studies carried out by the Hay group. and in one of the studies it was found that due to unfavorable working conditions, employees become unproductive.
This book also provides its readers with research-backed tools and practices. to find and overcome the factors that lead to lower employee motivation.
5. why we do what we do
author: edward l. decide
Arguing against the system of rewards and punishments, the author writes that it is autonomy that matters most, for the motivation of employees.
The author further writes that it is by virtue of autonomy that motivation is instilled in employees.
This book is a complete guide not only for managers but also for parents and teachers.
It is for anyone who wants to promote efficiency and motivation by making people autonomous in their course of action.
read: 7 ways to completely ruin the motivation of your employees
end result
Employee motivation is at the heart of organizational success. tends to make employees more engaged, which translates into increased productivity and performance levels.
In general, motivating your employees should be a priority.
Lastly, but importantly, rewards and recognition play an important role in terms of motivating employees. therefore, you can also take advantage of employee recognition and rewards to increase the motivation of your employees.
That said, rewarding employees for their recognition of good work doesn’t get any easier.
But, a relevant platform like bravo makes it easy for you to appreciate and reward your employees for their hard work. and consequently, motivating employees also becomes easier.
So the rewards and recognition platform, bravo, leads you to develop a motivated workforce as well, which adds to its advantages.
You can book here to have a hands-on demo of bravo! on employee motivation.
hey, did you like our content? Let’s share it with your friends and family!
See Also: 30 Easy DIY Bookends Ideas in 2022