Meaning Power is a tool to pass on to those who work on organization’s behalf. “To empower,” means to enable, to allow or to permit, and can be conceived as both self-initiated and initiated by others. Empowerment is the process of enabling employees to set their own work-related goals, make decisions and solve problems within their spheres of responsibility and authority.
Empowerment To invest people with authority sharing varying degrees of power with lower-level employees to better serve the customer
Employee empowerment Three Levels 3 Levels Enabling the employees to make bigger decisions without having refer to a senior . Involving the employees to improve the ways things are done Encouraging employees to Play a more effective role in their work.
Benefits Improved employer satisfaction. By being shared, organizational power can grow. Employees to perform better. Increases trust in the organization
Complications Giving up control can be threatening to some managers. Managers may not want to share power with someone they look down upon. Managers fear losing their own place and special privileges in the system.
Process of Employee Empowerment
The Principle of an Empowering Manager 1. Demonstrate That You Value People 2. Share Leadership Vision 3. Share Goals and Direction 4. Trust People 5. Provide Information for Decision Making 6. Delegate Authority and Impact Opportunities, Not Just More Work 7. Provide Frequent Feedback
Continued…….. 8. Solve Problems: Don't Pinpoint Problem People 9. Listen to Learn and Ask Questions to Provide Guidance
Challenges of employee Empowerment 1. Message Disconnect 2. Insufficient Training 3. Reluctant Managers 4. Breakdown of Organizational Structure
Employee Empowerment Good Or Bad
Employee Empowerment Good Or Bad Pros of Employee Empowerment It leads to greater job satisfaction, motivation, increased productivity and reduces the costs. It also leads to creativity and innovation since the employees have the authority to act on their own. There is increased efficiency in employees because of increased ownership in their work. Lesser need of supervision and delegation.
Employee Empowerment Good Or Bad Employees when empowered become more entrepreneurial and start taking more risks. Greater the risk, greater are the chances to succeed. Focus on quality from the level of manufacturing till actual delivery and service of goods.
Employee Empowerment Good Or Bad Cons of Employee Empowerment Egotism / arrogance: Worker arrogance can create a big trouble for the supervisors and the managers. There can be problems in delegating. Employees avoid reporting about their work and feedback can be taken negatively. Risk: Creativity and innovation demands a greater risk bearing capacity and there are equal chances of success and failure. Workers often lack the expertise to execute are enterprise, which can cost big.
Employee Empowerment Good Or Bad Industrial Democracy: Labor unions and workers are empowered and they may misuse the same. Strikes and lock outs become more frequent. Also, labor unions gain insights into management and their functioning and they leak the same. Security: Since information comes and is shared by all, there are apprehensions about leakage of critical data
We can conclude that definitely employee empowerment is a positive element in an organization. However it depends on the demands & circumstances. Empowering employees develops self confidence & loyalty in them & leads also to improved customer satisfaction. Moreover everyone’s limit is to be defined when empowered.