Over the past five years, small business owners have continually been told that they need to empower their employees. This fact is often treated as sacrosanct, but ultimately, empowering employees is an overarching term that doesn’t actually mean very much at all. To provide some clarity and actionable objectives, below, we’ve looked deeper into this important subject.
What is employee empowerment?
The business-employee relationship is inherently unbalanced. The business has to operate in a certain way in order to succeed and grow, and employees thus have to produce work that facilitates this.
The concept of employee empowerment seeks to redress the balance somewhat. Empowerment is generally taken to mean that employees have more control over what they do, the systems they use to work, and the direction of the business.
What are the benefits of employee empowerment?
An empowered employee is, so the theory goes, a more productive employee. Often, employees are best-placed to identify the best way to do their job. For example, a small business owner may suggest a workflow pattern for customer-facing employees; a plan that makes perfect sense to them in theory, but is actually far from ideal in practice. In a conventional business setup, employees would be expected to follow the advice as directed. If seeking to empower employees, the employees’ input would be welcomed and – ideally – actioned, resulting in a smoother working environment and – ultimately – a better business performance.
In addition to improving business operations, it is thought that empowered employees are more likely to be engaged employees, and high levels of employee engagement are incredibly beneficial for businesses.
Does employee empowerment only relate to each individual role?
Not at all. Truly empowered employees are empowered in a number of different ways. Often, employees are involved in crucial business-making decisions, such as deciding which products to sell. Additionally, empowerment can also mean business owners ensuring that their employees are as knowledgeable as possible, and are confident about knowing employment law, staying on top of local industry trends, and even ways to manage their health and well-being while in the office.
Essentially, empowering employees means encouraging employees to do all they can to make good decisions, both for themselves and the company as a whole.
How do I start empowering my employees?
- Survey your employees about their role, ensuring that surveys are anonymous, so employees feel they can answer honestly.
- Consult with your employees when making business decisions, ensuring that any employee who will be impacted by a decision is able to have their say on the matter prior to implementation.
- Encourage your employees to deepen their knowledge on subjects such as health, their rights, and even forthcoming legislative changes, potentially holding regular workshops to ensure everyone is up to speed
- Listen to feedback from your employees, even if it isn’t what you want to hear.
- Action any changes that will align with employee preferences. If you cannot facilitate employee requests, take the time to explain why you have made this decision; this helps to ensure employees at least feel heard, and that their views are valid but difficult to put into practice at this time.
In conclusion
Hopefully, having read through the above, you will feel ready to begin to embrace the benefits of empowering your employees, which should, in turn, result in a happier workforce and – ultimately – greater success for your company in future.
