Do motivated employees create good work and higher productivity?  Yes!

But this is a ‘What came first? Chicken or egg?’ scenario.

I would argue that giving employees good work motivates them and leads to higher productivity.

An effective business leader creates good jobs – and engages employees with regard to their role in the organisation.  The engaged employee now works for an organisation that seems to value them – and they respond by engaging more fully with their role.

The organisation (via higher productivity) and the employee (via greater job satisfaction) both win.