When asked, the majority of managers will possibly confirm that they feel their employees feel empowered. Nevertheless, what’s the real meaning of that? Managers must share their own powers with the staff for them to feel empowered. ASQ says that outcomes are ‘better quality work life’ and ‘heightened productivity’ when, bosses give team members decision making powers and give them the tools for making the most perfect decisions. However, the question still remains how to truly empower employees. Conducting an HBDI test is one possibility. Here are the main concepts for doing so.
Information
You need to give your team members access to how real decisions are made when empowering them. This can comprise simply allowing them to be present in upper management meetings or offering a rundown of happenings of such meetings afterwards. This component offers the members with the insight and understanding of how policies are actually made in the organization, what could be the reasoning behind such policies and what the process for developing and executing them involve. They then are, given the ability to also participate in the process of making decisions themselves.
Training
You must ensure that staff are given the accurate training for doing it if, you actually desire them to take on more powers for making decisions. For example, you may consider allowing your client service representatives to make calls themselves if, they currently contact you for exchange and refund approvals before performing their phone answering duties. You must however, prior to doing that, get them well trained concerning company policies under which, exchanges and refunds will normally be issued. As an example, they can be taught that anything below $20 can be automatically refunded, but when above that, then further questions should be asked before arriving at a decision. The worst thing that can happen to your company is to give your employees the power for making decisions without first getting them equipped with the skills required for making the most accurate decisions. There are several training programs like key accounting management training programs you can enrol your employees to undertake.
Confidence
While the boss plays a central employee empowerment role, the staff must be willing and able to partake. Any employee that doesn’t trust his abilities for taking more responsibilities on will never have enough confidence for more power to make decisions. A manager can attempt instilling confidence in employees by showing how the firm values them and pointing out their strengths. When employees lack self confidence, no degree of persuasion will make them take more responsibilities. There are several effective tests like the HBDI test for testing their confidence.
Managers must therefore select motivated and self-assured individuals to empower. Empowering employees fosters more office efficiency because it develops workers that will be much more ready and willing to tackle extra responsibilities. Nevertheless, these listed major concepts must first be put in place if at all you desire that the empowerment should work.