A satisfied and happy staff contributes greatly to business growth. Your investment in employee empowerment to enhance the employee experience will pay off tenfold.
Source: Syda Productions / shutterstock
Rigidity Leads to Division
Many businesses impose rigid conditions on the amount of freedom staff is allowed. Employees are often bound by inflexible do’s and don’ts. In most cases, the larger the organization, the stricter the rules and the more removed its management is from the staff.
From the management perspective, this is understandable. Employers tend to believe that giving employees freedom increases the risk of their becoming lax or taking their autonomy too far. While it’s true that some employees will abuse their freedom and flexibility, it’s more likely there will be greater benefits in lengthening employees’ leashes rather than confining them.
Empowering employees remains the foremost consideration for any savvy employer hoping to reach business targets—at the very core of business growth. Even amid excellent products and services, catchy ads, and marketing techniques, an empowered, satisfied, and happy staff can balance the business equation.
Companies can enhance the employee experience through empowering their employees in these ways:
Allow Employees to Become Problem-Solvers
Employee empowerment entails giving employees the freedom and authority to make independent decisions to solve problems without consulting management. Oftentimes, employees are expected to follow hierarchical protocols and are given no authority to offer solutions to problems. But by empowering employees to exercise their natural problem-solving skills, their actions will most likely take into account the organization’s best interests.
Here’s an example. I went to a store to purchase a charger for my device. The charger had two parts: One was to plug into a power supply and the other directly to the device. I only needed to purchase one part, but I didn’t know which part was bad. I asked the salesperson to help me determine which part needed to be replaced—a simple request. Instead of helping me do so, he explained that all sales reps needed the boss’s approval before they could take such action. I then had to wait while he looked for and consulted his boss. The salesperson was given permission to help me, but I left the store annoyed that I was victim of its restrictive chain of command.
By not empowering employees, relationships with clients and customers, as well as staff, can be harmed. Granting employees decision-making power is better because it relates directly to customer experience. Give staff the freedom to act in situations when it best serves the organization’s interests.
Tap into Employee Passion
It’s likely that people want to work for your organization because they have a passion for its mission. People prefer environments where they don’t just punch in at a job but rather can apply their passion and make an impact. When employees have a high degree of passion for and commitment to their company’s mission, they’ll deliver greatness.
Empowering your employees to pursue their passion within their jobs leads to satisfied and happy staff members, who will gladly give their full effort. It can elevate employees’ relationships with clients and customers, which is certainly a great quality for business!
Unleash Employee Creativity
Employees who are placed in limited roles will feel stifled and deflated. But instead, when staff members feel that they can contribute ideas, make recommendations, or have a say in decision-making, it encourages them to become inventive and motivated.
All organizations thrive on innovations and ideas. Creativity shouldn’t be delegated to only one section of the company. Extraordinary possibilities can spring from ordinary people. By empowering all employees to share in possibilities, you release positive energy that’s much needed for business growth.
Show Trust
An employer must show its employees that they have its trust and confidence, which further frees them from the shackles of too many do’s and don’ts. They should feel they have the company’s backup and go-ahead, which will increase their productivity and commitment. If, for example, an employee fails in a project or undertaking, make him or her understand that failures occur at some point and are to be expected.
Failure can work to your advantage in business. People learn lessons from their failures that can inform and improve future attempts. Also, if team members are free from the fear of failure, they will feel empowered to take risks that may eventually pay off.
Increase Responsibilities
Assigning employees new, broader, and more challenging responsibilities empowers them to grow and add to the value they bring, also building their confidence and commitment.
Naturally, employees gauge their standing in the company by the importance of their assigned tasks. When empowered to take on new tasks, employees commit to the mission and feel they are making useful contributions.
Encourage Communication
Staff members should feel confident enough to share information among each other and with management. Doing so increases trust within the organization and shows that all ideas are welcome. It also increases operational efficiency, as information becomes more accessible, travels faster, and reaches further.
Cultivate an organizational culture that gives your employees the freedom and authority to decide, explore, create, and share to the company’s advantage.
Brandon Seigel is an internationally known business coach and president of Wellness Works Management Partners. He currently manages multiple private practices and consults with entrepreneurs and private practices throughout the world. A recognized leader in today’s private practice environment, Seigel is a frequent keynote speaker and trainer for organizations, associations, and universities. His new book, The Private Practice Survival Guide: A Journey to Unlock Your Freedom to Success (Rebel Press, February 5, 2019), covers the essential how-to questions of opening a successful private practice.