Employees' attitude follows them to work. It is the filter through which they view their job and their sense of how fair the workplace is. A good manager knows that attitude and performance are intricately tied and that part of motivation addresses attitude. The trick is to motivate people without them feeling manipulated. People tend to react in kind, meaning that they find it easier to have a good attitude when they\'re exposed to one. One miserable employee can make an entire department unhappy. Finding a way to motivate that employee can be the first step in helping the entire company. Motivation in the workplace Motivating people is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. The finesse behind motivation is in knowing what drives a person and addressing that factor. It may not be realistic to become intimately acquainted with everyone who works for your company, but you can give workers a say in what they do by allowing them to set goals and to chart a course for their department. By being part of the process, a worker is able to customize their role a bit and to acknowledge that they play an important role in the company\'s success. A manager can\'t just walk into the workplace and begin gushing compliments. Employees can see right through that. What employees want is to to feel heard on the job and to have their talents fully utilized. A high-performing employee is frequently trapped in a particular routine because so many people count on him to handle his tasks quickly and accurately. A savvy manager will offer this employee new, greater responsibilities as a way of recognizing his achievements.