1. Definition Empowerment is creating a work environment in which people are productive, contributing and happy. For example, in the workplace, you need lots of signatures before getting approval to make a change. Is that employee empowerment? NO Employee empowerment is -­‐ Trust them and give them the authority to stand on their own two feet -­‐ Help the employees to discover their unique potential -­‐ Sharing your leadership vision, goals and direction BUT Employee empowerment doesn’t mean that -­‐ Throwing out the rules -­‐ Bypassing everyone who says No The reason will be presented on Disadvantage part.

2. How to enhance the empowerment After understanding the definition, I would like to move to the first question

HOW CAN YOU EMPOWER YOUR EMPLOYEES?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONeeBPWaXm0 Based on the clip, we can realize that the easy way to enhance employee empowerment is -­‐ Move from telling them WHAT TO DO to asking WHAT THEY THINK THE BEST WAY TO TAKE IS

-­‐ Moreover, managers can provide an environment in which empowerment can take place. That is an environment where employees understand what is expected of them on the job, know how their job contributes to the company's success and feel free to make choices and decisions about their work without having to ask for management permission. Then they will fell more in control, more empowered and more in their unique potential power. However, employee empowerment also has advantages and disadvantages. I will come up with the disadvantage first.

3. Disadvantages -­‐ Confidentiality and Security Risks: one way that employers empower their employees is by sharing important information with them. This free exchange of ideas and information makes the employees feel appreciated and important, which ends up empowering them. However, when information is freely exchanged with people throughout the company, there is an increased risk of confidential and security-­‐related data being leaked to parties that shouldn't have access to that type of information.

-­‐ Lack of Experience: a benefit of having empowered employees is that they take on more responsibility within the company. As they take on more responsibility, they begin working independently with little to no supervision. Businesses like this because it saves them money by decreasing their managerial workforce. However, unlike managers and supervisors who are educated and trained in making sound decisions, empowered employees often lack this type of experience and can create situations in which they are working on intuition rather than following company policy. This lack of experience lends to an increase in mistakes and unnecessary company risks.

-­‐ Message Disconnect: while empowering a workforce encourages employees to think on their own, it also can create chaos by developing different messages from various employees. For example, when two customers with the same issue get two different resolutions from different empowered employees, this can lead to a disconnect between the company and the customer. -­‐ Increased Arrogance: as employees gain more confidence in an empowered environment, they begin to feel they can take on more crucial decisions. In some situations, confidence levels can be taken too far and end up crossing the line into arrogance. Thus, managers need to create clear guidelines for empowerment to ensure the stability of organization. Based on your opinion, I would like to ask a question:

ON THE WORKFORCE ARTICLE, THE SUM OF CEO’S VIEW SHOWED THAT “EMPLOYEES WERE JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF THE ORGANIZATION’S FINANCIAL PICTURE, JUST LIKE BUILDING LEASES AND MONTHLY RECEIVABLES, AND NOT SOMETHING TO GET PARTICULARLY EMOTIONAL ABOUT” WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS STATEMENT?

Another study shows that 27% of CEO’s within organization state that they “need to put a greater emphasis on maintaining employee morale”. The question is come to my mind is empowered employees: Love them, treat them well or lose them? The answer will be released after going through the benefits of empowerment below.

4. Advantages -­‐ Improved morale: When employees are treated as an asset and their input is given consideration, the confidence and loyalty will increase among every team member. Moreover, improved morale can raise employee longevity with the company. The longer the employee is associated with the company, the more experienced they become, making them mentors to new employees. -­‐ Increased productivity: employee empowerment translates directly into increased productivity. Employees are given independence and have the interest in the company will do their best role, foster a stronger work ethic. -­‐ Innovation: employee empowerment helps to cultivate innovation. Employees that have benefit based on the growth of company will offer more ideas and problem-­‐solving solutions when obstacles arise. Employees may see a particular issue differently than a manager and be able to think of a creative solution, which may not be considered in a closed circle of managerial staff. -­‐ Better Ideas: customers also benefit when companies seek employee input. Front-­‐line employees that interact directly with customers or clients often have more insight into customer concerns and feedback. When company leaders create an environment that encourages employees to share ideas and to get involved in decisions, they often get more informed perspectives with regard to what customers want. When top managers make all critical decisions on their own without employee involvement, their ideas are limited to their perception and past experiences. -­‐ Empowered employees spread the word: word-­‐of-­‐mouth information raises awareness among potential employees. Incorporating employee empowerment in an organizational development and change program boosts employee pride in the company. The more empowered employees are, the more satisfied they are-­‐-­‐ and the more likely they will spread the word to others about how great the company is and why they like working there.

Example: Google The key to success of Google, Inc. is simple: work process. These are the intrinsic rewards Google offers: no real hierarchy, tiny work groups, and purpose. Their structure is flat to maximize creativity. There are no official channels, so ideas can flow within groups. Instead, they focus on multiple smaller workgroups that may have a project manager overseen by committees. They are very independent. If a Googler wants to work with another team, he or she can switch teams anytime they want without asking permission or having to go through any human resource channels. Another unusual perk is the allowance of time. Google, Inc. allows employees to spend twenty percent of their time to work on their own project, independent of their workgroup. Google, Inc. believes that no one should leave in order to pursue their personal passions. Letting employees do this results in over twenty percent of product launches stemming from these personal projects. With Google’s tiny work groups comes responsibility. Creativity is encouraged along with a large dose of independent time to initiate the creative process. The fact that the Googler feels the freedom to explore is one of the biggest perks that keeps them excited and on purpose in their work. Google, Inc. believes that they are attracting top talent because they empower employees to change the world. More than the intrinsic rewards and the cool lava lamps, employees believe they have the sense they are changing the world by organizing the world’s information, making people smarter, and teaching people to learn in a different way—they feel they have purpose. As the success of Google with its motto is “Do not do something because someone told you to do so”; my answer for the question above about empowered employees is completely “Love them, don’t leave them” Do you agree?