6 Tips for Empowering Your Employees Through HR
Hitting a wall is one of the worst feelings in the world, especially at work. Employees can tell when they have the potential to do more but lack the authority or resources to make it happen ー or a voice to ask for them. Working in this state is highly frustrating, which leads to demoralisation, reduced productivity, and disengagement from one’s work.
Thankfully, with the right approach and tools, any organisation can empower its employees. Human Resource (HR) Departments are often equipped to implement programs to empower employees. However, they may require additional tools and resources to develop the processes and best practices effectively, which we will discuss in this article.
If you would like more direct assistance with boosting your workforce, the MASA HR division is here to help. We provide specialist HR and industrial relations solutions to support and empower your business. Contact us to learn more.
First, let’s understand what an empowered employee is?
Empowered employees are confident, productive, motivated and engaged. They typically complete their tasks with little to no supervision and are confident to make their own decisions and generate new ideas because they feel trusted by their manager. They are also often willing to go the extra mile for their team and take ownership of their work.
Above all, empowered employees find meaning and purpose in their work, and this commitment helps them perform well in their roles.
What are the benefits of empowering employees and HR?
When your human resources department feels empowered to do their jobs more effectively, they can manage tasks better, giving them more time to brainstorm, research and develop programs that empower employees. To make your human resources department feel more empowered to complete their daily work, it may be necessary to invest in technology that helps the HR team automate routine tasks to focus their efforts on employee performance.
Empowering employees in the workplace can lead to:
- Increased dedication to performing daily duties
- Motivation to take on extra work and leadership opportunities
- Increased productivity and efficiency
- Improved customer service and communication
- Being more flexible and adaptable to the team, departmental or company changes
- Better adherence to company policies and practices
- Positive company culture
The last and arguably most important benefit is a greater trust in leadership.
A meta-analysis published in Harvard Business Review states that leaders who empower their employees are more likely to be trusted by their subordinates than leaders who do not empower their employees. This is not to say that empowering employees involves pushing work onto underlings that managers don’t feel like doing themselves.
Leaders who empower their employees act as coaches, pushing their employees to do their best work and supporting them along the way. Empowered employees felt that their leaders would not take advantage of their hard work ー. Instead, they would recognise and celebrate their wins.
There’s definitely enough evidence to show the benefits of an empowered workforce, but what can you start doing to ingrain empowerment within your organisation or business? Here are six tips below:
1. Encourage employee input and feedback.
One of the best ways to empower your employees is to encourage their input and feedback. This shows that you value their opinions and want to hear what they have to say. Furthermore, it gives them a chance to share their ideas and suggestions for improving things within the company.
2. Promote a healthy work-life balance.
It’s essential that employees feel like they have a proper work-life balance. This means they don’t feel like they’re continuously working and have time for other aspects of their life, such as their family and hobbies. When employees feel like they have a solid work-life balance, they’re more likely to be productive and motivated at work.
3. Offer flexible working arrangements.
Another way to empower your employees is to offer them flexible working arrangements. This could involve flexible hours, the ability to work from home, or part-time working. Flexible working arrangements show that you trust your employees to get the job done in their own time and in their way.
4. Encourage professional development.
Investing in your employees’ professional development is a great way to empower them. It shows that you value their skills and want to help them progress in their career. Additionally, it can make them feel more engaged and motivated at work.
5. Recognise and reward good work.
Recognising and rewarding good work is another excellent way to empower your employees. This could involve giving them verbal praise, bonuses, or awards. When employees feel like their good work is being recognised, they’re more likely to be motivated and engaged in their job.
6. Support employees’ mental health.
Mental health is a vital issue for all employees, and it’s something that the company should support. There are multiple ways to do this, such as offering counselling services or promoting a healthy lifestyle. When employees feel like their mental health is being supported, they’re more likely to be productive and motivated at work.
The role of HR in employee morale, health and productivity is essential. By taking steps to empower your employees, you can create a more positive and productive work environment.
Now that you have got the tips and outline on creating an empowered workforce, you need the steps you can follow. Here are five steps you can use to create a more empowered workforce that can better contribute to your organisation’s success.
- Encourage employees to take the initiative and be proactive in their roles.
- Support employees in taking on new challenges and responsibilities.
- Help employees develop their skills and abilities.
- Promote a culture of open communication and collaboration.
- Encourage employee involvement in decision-making processes.
Empowering employees starts with listening and recognition
It’s quite simple, and companies and human resource departments often don’t get it right. A more detailed focus needs to be put on empowering employees if you want to get the best out of them as individuals and employees to help drive your business forward.
One of the most impactful ways to influence positive change in your workforce is specialist human resources and industrial relations solutions. MASA excels at managing and streamlining your HR so that your employees can focus on more high-level tasks. Contact MASA today to learn more.
We hope this article was insightful and brought value to you whilst reading it. You can visit our blog page for more articles like this one.
