Engagement Technique: The Office Library
Some engagement ideas don’t need to be complicated. The Office Library is one of them.
It’s exactly what it sounds like – a shared space (physical or digital) where employees can browse, borrow, and recommend books that inspire them. It works because it’s simple, self-sustaining, and rooted in curiosity.
Start by curating a few company-relevant reads – titles that reflect your culture, values, or goals. You could have a list of your CEO’s favourite book, books relevant to each department, or something that shaped your leadership team’s thinking. Then invite people to contribute:
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Bring in a book they love.
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Leave a short review or note inside the cover.
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Pass it on to the next curious reader.
You can even turn it into a book club if someone’s happy to lead it – or you rotate leaders over a period of time. Hold people accountable to make it happen, but keep it light, and ‘optional’. The aim isn’t to create homework, and it’s not about adding to their schedules. This is about building shared learning and conversation, plus giving people other things to connect over.
Why it works
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Encourages personal growth and continuous learning.
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Creates informal connection across departments (“you liked that too?”).
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Builds culture through the ideas people value.
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Costs next to nothing — just a shelf and a bit of enthusiasm.
Related Engagement Technique Reads
If you’ve been following the Engagement Techniques series, these books tie directly to these techniques, and would look great in your library:
| Engagement Technique | Book | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 Hours | Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell – explores mastery and deliberate practice. | Buy |
| Will It Make the Boat Go Faster | Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? by Ben Hunt-Davis & Harriet Beveridge – lessons in focus and performance. | Buy |
| Marginal Gains | The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett – reflections on purpose, drive, and personal improvement. | Buy |
| Grit & 10,000 Hours | Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth – the science behind long-term effort. | Buy |
| Innovation Challenge | Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley & David Kelley – how everyone can innovate. | Buy |
| The Machine (Teamwork & Accountability) | The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni – a leadership fable about building cohesive teams. | Buy |
The takeaway
The Office Library is proof that engagement doesn’t always need workshops or tech platforms, it doesn’t need to mean complicated and time consuming initiatives. Sometimes all you need is a few good books, a place to share them, and a culture that encourages curiosity!
This post is part of our Engagement Techniques series of practical, low-cost ideas to bring more connection and meaning into work. Find the rest here
👉 Want to explore techniques like this in more depth? I run interactive employee engagement workshops where we bring these ideas to life.