Three Ways To Empower Employees

Employees who feel empowered will be more confident, and confidence goes a long way in the workplace. Confident employees will excel because they will feel capable of performing the job at hand and will be more inclined to speak up if they have a good idea or a better way of doing things. Here are three ways you can empower your employees so they can feel more satisfaction in their job and you can get more value out of them. 

1. Make Sure Employees Know Their Rights 

As part of your training, employees should have a clear understanding of their rights. If your team knows what their rights are, they will feel more confident to speak up if they have concerns that need addressing. This will also help in any discussions should team members feel inclined to insist on something they don't have a right to — for example, laws regarding work breaks will vary from state to state. 

Aside from talking about employee rights in personal training and as a team, hang labor law posters and encourage the team to review them occasionally. Make sure your team knows they can go to human resources or management if they have any questions about applicable labor laws. 

2. Ask Employees for Their Opinions

Every member of your team will have a point of view on something that nobody else does. By regularly checking with your employees, you’ll not only figure out who you should rely on in certain scenarios, but they will feel confident that their voice matters. When employees feel empowered, this will foster an environment of creative thinking that may lead to ways you can improve employee or customer satisfaction. Employees are more likely to stay with a job where they feel their contributions are important — nobody wants to work in an environment where they feel they don't have a voice. 

3. Allow Employees To Fail 

A crucial factor in employees underperforming or being dissatisfied with their work is a fear of failure. Of course, everyone wants to do well, but when people are allowed — better yet, even encouraged — to fail, they’ll learn better ways to do things. Of course, this must be encouraged within reason to avoid reckless behavior, but by removing the fear of failure, you’ll encourage innovation. 

If an employee makes a costly mistake, keep in mind that the lesson learned from the situation may be a worthwhile investment. Mistakes may be frustrating, but the experience gained can also actually create really valuable team members. Use your best judgment when determining whether an expensive mistake should be considered a learning opportunity and investment or should be grounds for discipline. 

By empowering your employees to know their rights and to speak up if they have a concern or an idea, you'll create a thriving work environment. Employees want to contribute, but if they feel powerless, they'll shrink back and their work will suffer as a result. Do what you can to make sure your employees know they are in fact a team, and teams do best when each member feels valued.