Why employee empowerment matters (and how to make it happen)
It goes without saying that an employee feeling empowered in their work and in control of their career will be happier, more productive and far less likely to leave your organisation.
Employee empowerment involves giving individuals the resources, opportunity, authority and motivation to carry out their day-to-day, whilst holding them accountable for their actions. By allowing employees to take more ownership and responsibility in their roles, this demonstrates that your organisation values its workers and trusts in their abilities.
Taking the time to prioritise employee empowerment is a win-win situation, as ultimately, the success of any business depends on its people.
We explore this in more detail and share 6 actionable ways to put employee empowerment into practice.
Why is empowerment in the workplace important?
Aside from impacting your overall bottom line, there are a multitude of benefits to empowering your employees - from heightened job satisfaction and morale to a stronger commitment to your organisation.
In general, employees who feel empowered in the workplace are often more willing to:
- Go above and beyond to reach and exceed organisational objectives
- Advocate the brand and refer their social network
- Communicate openly and honestly with colleagues to enhance collaboration
- Continually improve their performance and knowledge base
- Be the driving force behind innovation
- Adapt to operational changes and embrace uncertainty
- Spread positivity throughout the workplace
The give and take nature of employee empowerment can also help to improve engagement, talent retention and it’s even good for your brand, especially as more organisations compete to be an employer of choice.
So, how can you bring these benefits to your workplace and instil a culture of empowerment?
6 simple ways to empower your employees
1. Strengthen the employee-manager relationship
People work harder when they feel both a sense of purpose and a sense of self-value. Achieving the right mindset across an organisation depends on the relationships between management and employees. Encourage managers to have regular open conversations with their team members around the shared long-term goals and opportunities for taking on additional responsibility.
2. Set a clear path for career progression
Employees feel highly engaged when they believe that their current job offers the progression they need to succeed. Openly explore future career aspirations to give your organisation the best chance of creating the conditions, tools and support (such as mentoring) which allow your workers to build their future career within your organisation.
3. Cultivate trust
A cornerstone of empowering your employees is to trust them. This can be shown in several ways, such as creating a space to discuss failures without repercussion, or even by trusting employees to remain productive whilst working remotely. More than that, it’s about believing in your employees to do what they do best – which, after all, is why you hired them.
4. Praise great work
There’s nothing like receiving recognition for a job well done to make you try even harder in future. Though rather than focusing solely on talent, look to acknowledge employees for the effort that they put in. Whether that’s going the extra mile to support a colleague or taking on a challenge related to something that doesn’t come easy to them, praising effort is a great way to help them learn and grow.
5. Ask employees for their valuable input
Instead of dictating how a task should be carried out or guessing at how employees are feeling in any given situation, take a step back for a moment and provide a platform for them to have their say. Managers could ask questions that allow team members to give input early on at the scoping stage of certain projects. Likewise, the wider business should be asking employees where improvements could be made and invite people to step up and take the lead on initiatives.
6. Give your employees time
In the modern working world, time is never exactly on our side, but as an employer you have the power to give your employees the time and leeway to bring their best each day. Whether it’s time to learn new skills, time to experiment with new ways of doing things or simply time to balance work with their personal lives – you might be surprised at the difference it makes to their performance in the long run.
Want more ideas on how to build a happier, more engaged and more productive workforce? Download our latest guide: Creating a positive employee experience in the new normal.
