Employee Empowerment

Does Empowerment exist in your workplace?

Empowerment = Responsibility

Is empowerment real? Does empowerment actually exist and is it all its cracked up to be?

First we must establish what empowerment actually means

What is Empowerment

True empowerment is based upon a belief, a belief that each and every employee, regardless of their role, has the potential to be innovative, solve problems and make a lasting contribution to the overall success of an organization.

To drill empowerment down to its most basic level, empowermnet enables managers to manage, it also allows both the employer and the employee to contribute in the most effective and productive way possible.

What do you need to empower people?

You need to know your own mind, you need to know what your assumptions are regarding empowerement, you need to understand the reasons why you beleive empowerment will work in your organization.

Is is to improve the consultative process of your company? Are you hoping to promote a more active approach to delegation? Or is your chief objective to extend responsibilities without expanding authority?

Whatever the reason, having a clear understanding of your own position will vastly improve your chances of implementation, it will also be beneficial when rolling out the policy within your organization.

Understand some of the possible barriers?

• Your organsiations culture, Is it a controlling culture? Is it a trusting culture? A beauracratic culture may prove difficult in terms of implementation.
• The psychological effect, Will your managers equate empowerment with a loss of control - Would your team be afraid of the extra responsibility.
• Routines - Are the routine processes set up in such a way that they would actively encourage people to take on extra responsibility.

These are just some of the possible barriers you may need to remove before implementing any such policy, the more you consult with your colleagues the more aware of the possible objections you will become.

Does empowerment work?

Yes, provided the implementation is consultative, fears and anxieties will need to be allayed, communicate, consult, reflect, then you will be ready to implement.

Conclusion

Empowerement is clearly a powerful tool, although empowerement can only flourish in the correct environment, unfortunately not every organization is ready and willing to implement such a powerfull tool. If you find that you are operating in such a culture, the best solution for you as an individual is to empower yourself, by being proactive in your development, no organization that is worth working for will object to their team members becoming more responsible, being more innovative and more creative.

If you are still unable to flourish, it may well be time to reconsider your position, having responsibility whilst at work is one of the major influences in your ability to cope with stress, having an element of control in your work helps you to combat stress related illness.

Take ownership of your own destiny, seek empowerment at every opportunity, positive mental attitude and positive mental action combined will support you in whatever direction you decide to take.

At this point it is crucial to offer a reminder....Empowerment equals Responsibility.....