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Empower to Engage

Tap the potential of the number one driver of employee engagement.

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Your Challenge

Recent rounds of downsizing have dramatically cut middle management ranks. Fewer managers now oversee more employees than they did twenty, ten, or even five years ago.
Fewer management-level decision makers means more critical decision delays and hurried decision-making if front line staff don’t have the ability and authority to make those decisions.
Extrinsic motivators like money and rewards no longer motivate employees. Intrinsic motivators like autonomy, professional pride, and trust are the true drivers of individual and business performance and can be reached through empowerment of employees.
Although many individuals recognize the importance of empowering employees, a lot of organizations are still of the “command and control” style of management, and it is intimidating to go against a culture that is reinforced by the senior management team.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Effective employee empowerment is the biggest driver of employee engagement, a current hot topic in the HR world. Only 3% of disengaged employees are empowered.
In addition to their engagement levels, empowered employees provide stronger customer service, are more productive, and are likely to stay at the organization for much longer than disempowered employees.
Despite this, many managers are reluctant to give up control due to low trust in employees’ abilities to make the right decisions. On the other hand, many managers delegate all responsibilities with few boundaries in an attempt to empower.
Although more organizations are beginning to recognize the impact of employee empowerment, on average only 34% of employees are empowered.
As a manager, you are responsible for fostering an environment in which an employee can be empowered, and you must provide them with appropriate opportunities. However, empowerment is not something you give employees – they must take the initiative and be willing.

Impact and Result

Recognize and demonstrate the organizational and individual benefits that come with empowering employees.
Understand how organizational support of empowerment and employee capacity affect the degree to which you can empower each of your employees.
Start successfully empowering employees while offering them the support they need to reach their goals and the organization’s objectives.

Get to Action

Recognize how empowering employees can impact the bottom line and employee engagement levels
Start empowering your employees effectively and appropriately.
Provide employees with an authority matrix
Set boundaries that employees have the freedom to work within.
- Authority Matrix

Optimize Employee Engagement Surveys

The best way to keep employees engaged? Implement change based on survey feedback.

Identify & Select Employee Engagement Initiatives

Move beyond measuring employee engagement – start improving it.

Identify & Reengage the Disengaged

Engagement can lead to marriage or ultimately divorce. Recognize disengagement in your employees or risk paying high alimony fees.

Optimize Rewards and Recognition

Don't revamp – refine! Make minor tweaks for a major employee engagement impact.

Get the Complete Storyboard

See how all the steps you need to take come together, with tools and advice to help with each task on your list.

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