Significance of Employee Empowerment

Not all the employers in Pakistan realize the importance of an employee satisfaction. They feel threatened by employee empowerment. In most of the cases, the relationship between an employer and an employee remains that of a leader and a follower. They are just expected to follow orders and are not expected to speak their mind, particularly in front of the bosses. However, only a boss with leadership qualities understands the importance of employee empowerment and let their employee grow and learns to work independently. 

Such employers are responsible for creating a competent workforce for the long run and in fact benefiting themselves more than anyone else.

Here are five basic rules of creating an empowered workforce.

1.     Share your vision with your employees: Bossy employers just pass on instructions; they never bother to discuss the company’s aim with them. However, those who want to empower their employees; they share their vision and plans with them. Research has proved the notion that if employers know what they are expected of, they perform better. Narrate the plan to them, give them the details of your vision and once you set the goal for them, give them a hand to move on to work with minimum direct supervision from you.

2.     Don’t get in the blame game: Putting the blame on others is not just an unprofessional attitude, but it cost the organization much more than that. For example, while I was working as a teacher in Islamabad, we had an issue regarding class performance. At that time our boss immediately terminates the teacher, however, even her termination didn’t affect the class as there was a fault in the system not with the few individuals. So if you blame individual employees and throw the blame on them without a proper investigation, your system failures will never be identified neither the confidence of employees on the system.  

3.     Take their opinion: Most employers in Pakistan consider the viewpoint of employees nothing as worthy and hence they don’t listen to them. Such an attitude kills the drive of career development in the employees as they want to be heard by their bosses. Therefore, listen to them to give their inspiration a boost after a small dose of modesty wouldn’t hurt you.  

4.     Encourage them: Employee’s productivity will be increased manifold if they think you are noticing their effort and value those. Express your satisfaction with their performance, though several ways you assume the best. For instance, if they did well at a presentation, let them know they did well. A little word of praise will boost their motivation to work with you and improve themselves for next time.

5.     Lastly, prize them: If your employees are poorly paid, un praised and underrate, you can never hold their loyalties with you for a longer time. Prominent world researches depict that unhappy employees can cost the excessive low productivity for companies. Therefore, set targets for them to chase and once they get it, get those rewards and incentives.      Such steps will motivate them to stay committed to your company.