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If a manager could do one thing to make his employees happy, what would it be?

Well, since employees want to be seen as individuals, it’s essential that managers meet with their employees on a regular basis and promote individuality. For instance, the Make-a-Wish foundation encourages its employees to come up with personalized titles for themselves to be used within the organization.

Which would you prefer: a boss who gives you the money you need to reach your goals or one who takes an interest in your personal financial ambitions, helping you reach them over time?

Well, while many people would prefer a cash payout, it’s actually more beneficial for companies to invest in their employees’ long-term financial goals. In fact, money doesn’t actually incentivize employees in the long run – all it does is make them want more money.

Anyone who went to high school knows that cool people are the most popular. The same goes for businesses: attractive companies are cool companies.

For instance, according to the author’s research, just six out of ten employees think their workplace is “cool,” which is unfortunate because people who work for companies that they consider cool are 13 times more creative than those who don’t. In addition, employees who maintain a positive view of their companies take pride in their work and recommend the company to people on the job hunt.

When you’re working, do you find some tasks more fulfilling and enjoyable than others?

Most people do, and making all tasks more meaningful to employees is a sure-fire way to get them to work more efficiently. For instance, an experiment conducted at Harvard University found that nobody enjoys working on tasks they consider meaningless.

For most people, having a boss recognize your contributions is a pretty great feeling. Being acknowledged for doing a good job is a great motivator and this recognition can be used to stimulate employee success.

When a person accomplishes something, the neurotransmitter dopamine is released in their brain, producing a pleasurable sensation. But dopamine isn’t just released when you succeed – you also get a dose of the chemical when your success is recognized by others.

Most parents know that giving their kids responsibilities is essential to helping them grow and feel good about themselves. Similarly, in the working world, good management is all about letting employees lead.

When employees have a voice in how their work is accomplished, they tend to be more motivated. For instance, the American online retailer Zappos runs on a holacracy, a company structure that swaps a top-to-bottom power division for a broadly distributed one. As a result, Zappos is renowned for its highly engaged employees.

The key message in this book:

Employers have more influence over their workers than they might realize. If managers start seeing employees as individuals with personal needs, they can substantially boost the energy, motivation, productivity and creativity of their workforce, thereby making their companies more profitable.