Workplace culture expert and best-selling author Gregg Lederman in his new book “Crave” presents a perfect amalgamation of 80-plus years of research and concrete workable steps to build an engaged workforce. The book introduces the audience to the power of strategic recognition of employees as a way to reduce stress and fuel the work environment with what employees crave. It makes use of real-life case studies that have financial implications and highlights compelling realities to which managers can relate.

Lederman argues that when three cravings are fulfilled organisations can begin to experience real change in employee engagement. He also shares the science and the secret of how managers can give employees what they crave. Lederman spent fifteen years consulting business leaders on what it takes to make real, sustainable culture transformation happen within their organisations, and Crave is the end result of such assiduous work. The Crave Framework states that people are disengaged because they are not getting enough of what they crave at work - Respect, Purpose, and Relationship.

The author reveals that strategically recognising employees is the number one skill for fuelling the environment with more of what people crave - a greater understanding of their purpose and meaning, the importance of their work, and showing respect for what they do. The book comes as a refreshing change since it does not look at recognition as a feel-good factor, but as a management discipline that should garner a significant ROI.

Lederman is a proponent of the fact that managers get people to do something while leaders get people to become something. In his book, he talks of managers and leaders interchangeably, and anyone who has the right to lead and manage people is also responsible for rewarding them appropriately.

The book is divided into three parts, the first one providing an overwhelming evidence of 80 years of research that proves that human beings have three cravings, which when fulfilled makes them happier, motivated, and productive at work. The second part talks of recognition as the accelerator model, and provides real life examples of how organisations are achieving measurable ROI. The third part provides a guided step by step process to master the ultimate habit of strategic recognition.

The Crave framework can be used to deliver the respect, purpose, and relationships employees need most. The power to make an even better place to work by showing people that they and what they do matters. This is best accomplished by fuelling the work environment with more of what people crave!

The Crave method instantly turns a manager into a better leader. The book builds on habits that need no more than just 10 Minutes by Friday™ to feed employees what they crave, leading to greater engagement, a better work environment, higher customer satisfaction, and ultimately improved business outcomes. It is an easy-to-read, scientifically backed, and action-oriented book. A great one for any manager, leader, or aspirant looking to creating a habit building process that will give employees what they crave for, and in turn build better employee engagement and great customer experiences.