As a leader in the workplace, you have many responsibilities. From stocking the break room to supporting your team, your schedule is pretty full! But one of the biggest responsibilities of them all is empowering, motivating, and encouraging your team.
Empowering Your Workplace
- E – Encouragement of growth and development
- M – Make communication a priority
- P – Provide opportunities for leadership
- O – Offer recognition and rewards
- W – Work together to set goals
- E – Encourage innovation and creativity
- R – Respect and value diversity
Here are seven great ways to EMPOWER employees in your office and get them feeling their best!
See Related: 7 Types Of Leadership Explained
#1. E – Encourage Growth And Development
In the office, many of us can find a safe haven. It’s a place where we can escape and explore our passions and interests. We can put 110% into our projects and be around like-minded individuals.
For some, the office can be a great place of personal achievement. However, others can feel the stress of the office wearing them down.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t improve the workplace culture to help your team feel more comfortable and supported. Because that’s what a great workplace is all about!
You can’t be idle when helping your team. You need to be active when empowering them.
Keep in mind that employee empowerment has amazing benefits not only for your employees but for the entire organization as well.
The Benefits Of Employee Empowerment
When your team is empowered, it can mean great things for everyone. I know when I feel supported, I sure feel like I can take on the world!
Here are some major benefits of employee empowerment that you can’t overlook. It’s the driving force behind any company and a great way to ensure your team is happy and content with where they are.
- Increased productivity. When employees feel empowered, they are more likely to apply themselves in their roles and work harder.
- Better reputation. It’s probably best if your company didn’t make a name for itself as a terrible place to work. Empowering employees helps establish your business as one worth working for!
- Trust in leadership. Empowerment comes from the leaders that help their employees feel that power. It creates better trust and connections between everyone.
- Higher job satisfaction. Employees are more likely to be content and happy at their jobs if they feel empowered.
- Increased motivation. This is the foundation of engaged employees. When empowerment is present, so is motivation.
Employee empowerment’s benefits are endless, but knowing how to get there can be challenging!
A Great Way To Empower Employees
Employee empowerment comes from a place of understanding and caring. As a workplace leader, there are certain things you can do to help your employees reach their full potential.
Empowerment is all about giving people the responsibilities and authority needed to make bigger and better decisions. No one gets anywhere in life by having their hand held. And it can even be detrimental to your employees and to the company if you create a culture of hand-holding.
Give Your Team The Tools To Be Empowered
Empowered employees have the power and support needed to make independent decisions. For this to happen, leaders must actively work to create a culture that supports and encourages empowerment.
To do this, you need to supply your team with plenty of resources, support, and training to be successful. Even hosting a corporate event can be a great way to give back to your employees!
In addition, prioritizing growth and providing development opportunities is essential.
This can help employees feel valued and like they are being invested in. It can also help them to develop new skills that they can use to benefit the team.
#2. M – Make Communication A Priority
Communication must be at the forefront of your mind to ensure your team has the tools they need for success. Everything will fall apart without it.
Empowerment is about improved decision-making in the office. But if employees aren’t properly communicated with, it can be challenging for any sort of empowerment to take hold.
For example, an employee can take on new responsibilities and roles if it’s not communicated to them that they even can. It’s up to you as a leader to communicate what is expected of them and how they can become more independent workers.
Amid this newfound decision-making, your employees need to know that they have to be open to communication with each other and leadership to thrive. Ensure that there are open lines of communication between employees and management, and motivate employees to speak up and share their ideas and feedback.
#3. P – Provide Leadership Opportunities
Empowerment and leadership go hand-in-hand.
Giving employees the power to make more decisions on their own instills in them a new level of personal leadership. Even if their choices aren’t impacting others, it is still improving their leadership skills over themselves.
Empower employees by giving them opportunities to take ownership of their work and make decisions independently. Provide opportunities for autonomy. This is critical!
Not only will this increase their feelings of confidence and responsibility, but it will also truly help them be more empowered and make better decisions.
Bonus: 6 Conference Activities That Will Engage Your Audience
#4. O – Offer Plenty Of Employee Recognition
Many aspects go into creating a great place to work. For starters, you need to be able to support your team when they need it and show them empathy. As a leader, you need to be a light in any darkness!
A big part of any workplace is employee recognition. It’s the foundation of happy and engaged employees and helps retain team members. People like to work in an environment where they are recognized and rewarded for their hard work!
As a corporate emcee, my reward each time I step on stage is the applause afterward. It brings meaning and purpose to what I’m doing. And it helps motivate me to keep improving and doing better each day!
The Power Of A Simple Reward
Your employees need to feel recognized for their efforts. Even something simple like a genuine “thank you” or a company shout-out can greatly improve morale and empower employees.
Anything like bonuses or other incentives can also be used to reward your team. But you can also get creative with it!
Recognition shows your team that you see their brave efforts. And it encourages them to keep going!
#5. W – Work Together When Setting Goals
Goal-setting can be a valuable tool for empowering employees. It can establish clear expectations of what is to be done. And when employees know what they are working for, it can help them get there faster!
Involve employees in any goal-setting process and inspire them to work together when creating goals. Work collaboratively to establish clear, measurable goals that align with the company’s vision and mission.
This is a great way to build a sense of shared purpose and commitment for your employees. It gives them the power and drive to make decisions on their own. Plus goal-setting helps hold people accountable when others know their objectives!
#6. E – Encourage Innovation And Creativity
Empowerment is about employees feeling a newfound sense of responsibility and purpose in the workplace. And a great way to help them start thinking this way is by encouraging creative work in the office.
Creativity and innovation are all about new ideas. And that’s the foundation of excellent decision-making.
Empowered employees can think outside the box and experiment with new ideas and approaches. It can even lead to new and improved products, services, and processes. It’s endlessly beneficial for any company!
To prioritize empowerment in the workplace, you need to ensure that creative thinking has a home. These two qualities go hand-in-hand.
#7. R – Respect And Value Diversity
The workplace is somewhere where people of different backgrounds, experiences, and skills can come together to make something amazing happen. When moving pieces all come together for one great product, the results can be outstanding!
In the workplace, it’s critical to celebrate and value the diversity that is present. It’s what makes for a great place to work and a comfortable atmosphere for so many people.
When you make an effort to respect and celebrate workplace diversity, it can inspire people to bring forth their unique perspectives or creative ideas. In addition, it creates a workplace where it is safe to share thoughts and contemplations.
And when people freely communicate new ideas, any business can thrive!
So, embrace diversity and create a culture that values and respects different perspectives and ideas.
This is essential for building an inclusive and supportive workplace where employees feel valued and respected. And that’s a great way to promote empowerment!
Wrapping Up
Creating a workplace where employees can comfortably feel empowered and responsible is not an easy task. But either way, it’s critical for building a workplace that is worth working in!
Your team needs support and guidance to find their inner power and strength. As a leader, you are the driving force behind their empowerment. So, be their light in this journey!
Keep Reading: The Difference Between Inspiration & Motivation In Public Speaking
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Adam Christing has been called “The Tom Brady of emcees.” He has hosted more than 1,000 company meetings, special events, gala celebrations, and more. He is the author of several books and founder of CleanComedians.com. For more event tips, follow Adam Christing on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
