EMPOWERING OTHERS POWERS ALL

What does empowering others mean?

When business leaders empower their employees, they encourage and enable them to perform their tasks confidently and, as far as possible and appropriate, independently. This involves providing the tools and resources necessary to achieve their objectives, incorporating employees in internal decision-making processes, and delivering an environment in which support and guidance is always available.

Empowered individuals have greater control over their own work and are allowed to function in a way that develops self-confidence. As a result of this, they are often more committed to their goals and teams.

Why is it important to empower others in the workplace?

Empowering others is a key ingredient of any successful office, as it motivates employees to take charge while also freeing up the time of leaders to take on greater challenges. Delegating certain aspects of authority or decision-making to others can likewise build trust throughout an organisation, particularly if employees are given the room and support to make mistakes and learn from them.

The benefits of a focus on employee empowerment in the workplace are evident in countless studies. A meta-analysis of 105 studies conducted by the Harvard Business Review found that, broadly speaking, those who had been empowered were “more likely to be powerful, confident individuals […] committed to meaningful goals and demonstrate initiative and creativity to achieve them”. Meanwhile, data collected by Forbes from more than 7,000 employees found that employees given a low level of empowerment ranked at the 24th percentile for employee engagement, compared to the 79th percentile for those with a high level of empowerment.

Of course, to successfully empower employees does not mean that they should be left alone entirely. In this type of situation, an employee may see the delegating of tasks as their manager’s way of quietly offloading their own tasks, which can lead to resentment and negativity. This is why it is crucial that business leaders are able to clearly understand empowerment and provide a supportive environment in which employee development and trust can prosper.