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Reciprocity Is Key

Understanding the principle of reciprocity is pivotal for leaders who want to engage their employees. Employees will work harder and be more loyal if they believe their employer is investing in their well-being. Absent that encouragement, resentful employees will underperform and eventually seek other professional options. The recession permanently tilted the playing field. Employees who felt betrayed by threats of layoffs can no longer count on financial security from their employers; they need other reasons to stay motivated and find fulfillment. These “12 new rules” provide a map employers can follow to inculcate honest, effective engagement.

1. “Get Inside Their Heads”

In this egocentric age of Facebook and Instagram, employees expect employers and colleagues to treat them as unique individuals. Everyone has different needs and abilities. The employer’s job is to lead and manage people according to their distinct qualities. In the best-case scenario, every employee should be “recognized as a category of one.”

Direct supervisors must ensure that their staffers have a meaningful, pleasant work experience. Employees invariably say ...