Human Resource Management
Em p
loye
e
Empowerment
Employee Empowerment
What is Employee Empowerment
Need of Empowerment
Approaches to Empowerment
Randolph Empowerment Model
Process of Employee Empowerment
Significance of Empowerment
Characteristics of Empowered Employee
Definition
“Empowerment is the process of sharing
power with employees”.
What is Employee Empowerment ?
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.
Employee empowerment is generally a
management technique for improvement &
Motivation of productivity of employees
Need of empowerment
Powerlessness
Low self-efficacy
Five broad approaches to
empowerment
Helping employees achieve
job mastery
Allowing more control
Providing successful role
models
Using social reinforcement
and persuasion
Giving emotional support
Characteristics of empowered
employees
Trust
Mutual respect
Involvement in the decision
making
Building the corporation
Significance of Empowerment
Enhances trust among employees as they are
influential contributors to the organizational
success.
Employees perceive meaning of work.
Employees feel competent.
Employees derive a sense of
self-determination.
Employees believe that they have an impact
on important decisions.
Disadvantages
Increased arrogance
Confidential & security risk
Lack of experience
Process of Empowerment
Valuing employees
Sharing vision
Trust
Provision of decision making information
Feedback
Solving problem
Social reinforcement
Training
Emotional support
Benefits of Empowerment
All employees view themselves as "Owners" of
the business
Improved productivity
Creativity & Innovation
Customer-focus
Faster decision-making
Organizational learning
Making full use of Human resources-
“Engaging the mind of every employee”
Degrees of Empowerment
Total management control- No employee
discretion.
Participatory management- Management
generally controls the work & the context,but
allow EES to make some decisions (typically
minor ones).
Self-management- EES (Employee Efforts
Score) makes most decisions pertaining to their
work and work setting.
Organizational improvement through
employee empowerment
First, empowerment can strengthen motivation
by providing employees with the opportunity
to attain intrinsic rewards from their work,
such as a greater sense of accomplishment
and a feeling of importance.
Intrinsic rewards such as job satisfaction and
a sense of purposeful work can be more
powerful than extrinsic rewards such as
higher wages or bonuses.
Organizational improvement through
employee empowerment
The second means by which employee
empowerment can increase productivity is
through better decisions. Especially when
decisions require task-specific knowledge,
those on the front line can often better
identify problems.
Randolph’s Empowerment model
Remove
conditions of
powerlessness
(change leadership
reward system Perception of
job) empowerment performance
(competence,
high value job
meaning,
increased use
Enhance job
Enhance job self -
related of talent)
related self
efficacy
- efficacy
(job mastery control &
(job mastery
accountability role
control &
models reinforcement
accountability
role modelssupport)
reinforcemen
t support)
Issues with Empowerment
(Managers)
• Managers misunderstand it.
• Managers only pay it “Lip Service”.
• Organizations are not prepared in terms of structure,
culture & rewards.
• Managers are displeased when empowered workers
make decisions that differ from their expectations.
• Managers expect to see results without having to
make a strong commitment or taking risks.
Issues with Empowerment
(Employees)
• EES need the skills and training to manage
risks and decision-making.
• Many EES don‟t want the added
responsibility and accountable & are
uncomfortable with “putting their necks on
the line”.
• Not all people are conscientious
enough to be empowered.
EES- Employees Effort Score
On empowerment…..
“ A funny thing happens when you take the
time to educate your employees, pay them
well, and treat them as equals. You end up
with extremely motivated and enthusiastic
people.”
