Employee Empowerment

For many, the animated series, ‘He-man and the Master of the Universe’ was just a fun way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. The popular show, many say even had an underlying message, that rings very true in today’s corporate scenario. He-man always followed a strategy that enabled him to make decisions pertaining to his actions. He was bestowed upon with the responsibility to own his work and take full accountability for the results. And above all, he was given the “power” to make change happen. You may not be a He-man at the workplace, but do you feel empowered enough? Employee empowerment, organizations say is the key to motivating employees.

So what does it take, for an employee, to perform his/her very best? Is it the project or the reward? While these are the factors that enable employee to work towards his/her goal, experts of India Inc. say that giving employees the liberty to perform their role to the best of their abilities is what drives them. Sheeresh Misra, head-operations, Orchid City Center Mall, a Future Group Initiative, explains that by giving employees the paradigm to make decisions pertaining to their team, the work environment and their customers who visit the mall, will help them execute their role better.

G A Krishna, assistant retail manager, Indus League Clothing Limited explains how he was empowered by his company, “Thanks to the management, I have been given a free hand to operate and take independent decisions in the interest of the company and its employees. This helps me work better in an environment that requires me to be on my feet and serve my customers and my employers better.”

Jayesh Kini, who works for the human capital department of Development Credit Bank (DCB) says, “These initiatives bring ownership while performing the task thus resulting in quick delivery. Clarity in role and objectives makes us more goal oriented and focused. Continuous feedback and customer centric approach help us in assuring 100 per cent accuracy resulting into job satisfaction and confidence building.”

However, there is always room for more. And these employees feel that there is a need for organizations to implement more such empowerment initiatives. The reason, they say, is that it helps them in being prepared for the future. Kini says that DCB helps him perform better at his job through skill development and upgradation, as he can learn newer modules of work and perform in more than one vertical.

From an organization’s perspective, employee empowerment adds to their productivity. B Venkataprasad, Head – HR, Indus League Clothing Limited explains, “An employee will be motivated by rewards, both monetary and emotional (read: recognition and appreciation) and with the practice of better methods provided in training, it will provide role clarity and help to channelize the energy in the right direction.”

 “In many organizations which do not empower their staff, employees often feel micro-managed; it is a proven fact that that two out of five employees feel that they don’t have the decision-making authority, that they need to do their jobs well. This leads to a slow-moving workforce that is minimally productive, lacks self-motivation and is unable to take prudent business risks or make innovative changes,” explains Romil Ratrageneral manager, InterContinental.

 So, if you ever feel disengaged or demotivated, remember, you have the power to make change happen and influence your own actions at the workplace. All you need to do is use it!

Republished from my earlier blog series in May 2008