Employee Empowerment Employee Empowerment is an environment in

Employee Empowerment

Employee Empowerment is an environment in which people have the ability, q The confidence and the commitment q To take the responsibility and ownership q To improve the process q Initiate the necessary steps to satisfy customer requirements within well-defined boundaries in order to achieve organizational values and goals. q It is Input that is heard and seriously considered. q Empowerment is the controlled transfer of authority to make decisions and take action q

Empowerment and motivation It is the key to motivation and productivity. An employee who feels he or she is valued and can contribute is ready to help and grow in the job. n Empowerment enables a person to develop personally and professionally so that his or her contribution in the work place are maximized. n It helps employees to develop a sense of ownership of their jobs and of the company. n

Resistance to Empowerment n It comes from three different groups q Resistance q from employees from unions: Adverse relationship B/W labor and management q. Resistance from management q Insecurity q Personal Values q Ego q Management Training q Personality Characteristics of manager

Management Role in Empowerment Three words that can describe it n Commitment n Leadership n Facilitation n Manger’s role in empowerment demonstrating the following support behavior n ¨ Supportive attitude ¨ Being a role model ¨ Being a trainer ¨ Being a facilitator ¨ taking quick action on recommendation

Implementation of Empowerment

Implementing Empowerment n Four steps of employee empowerment R ¨ Creating ¨ Target ¨ Put a supportive Environment and overcome inhibitors the vehicles in place ¨ Assess, Adjust and improve

Vehicles in place There are number of vehicles can be used n Brainstorming n n Quality Circles n Suggestion Box n Walking and Talking

Brainstorming n n n It is effective vehicle for collecting employee input and feedback In brainstorming members are encouraged to share any idea that comes to mind. Participants are not allowed to make judgmental comments or to evaluate the suggestions made. All ideas are recorded. Participants are asked to go through the list of items at a time than weighing the relative merits of each It is a Called Group think and Group shift

Nominal Group technique It is sophisticated form of Brainstorming n 1 st Step manager state the problem n 2 nd Step manger Silently record ideas without discussion among group members n 3 rd Step ideas are made public by asking members to share one idea with the group n 4 th Step recorded ideas are clarified n 5 th Step ideas are voted on silently

Quality Circles n n Is a group of employees that meet regularly for the purpose of identifying recommending and making workplace improvements They volunteers who assemble themselves and conduct their own meetings. Every quality circle has team leader who act as a facilitators Quality circles meet regularly before, during. After a shift to discuss their work, anticipate problems, propose workplace improvements set goals and make plans.

Suggestion Boxes This is the oldest method used for collecting employee input and feedback. n It consists of placing Box in convenient locations into which employees may put written suggestions. n Through this individual and teams may make explanation of current situation, proposed improvements and benefits expected from the improvements. n

Walking and Talking It is simply walking around the workplace and talking with employees. n This is useful when employee empowerment is new and not fully accepted by the employees. n These are mostly open-ended questions through such questions they can get their views quite clearly. n

Management Role in suggestion system

Management Role in suggestion System n Establishing Policy: Developing the policies that will guide the suggestions system n Such policies should clearly describes the company commitment regarding rewards, how suggestion will be evaluated. n n Setting up the system: It involves putting the system in place n Collect employee input n Acknowledge the suggestion n Monitor the suggestion n Implement or reject the suggestions n

n Promoting the suggestion System: Sharing company’s policies in open meetings and encourage question answer discussion. n Sponsoring suggestion competition n Asking employees how to increase participation n n Evaluating Suggestion and suggestion system n This step involves teaching supervisors and mangers how to evaluate individual suggestions Implementing Suggestions: n Rewarding employees: n n n It may be in cash form, public recognition, paid vacations. Refining and improving suggestion system:

Handling Poor Suggestion For rejecting any poor suggestions following strategies should be fallowed. n Listen Carefully n Express Appreciation n Carefully explain your position n Encourage feedback n Look for compromise n

Removing Hidden Barriers These vary from company to company and difficult to detect. n Barriers are n Negative behavior n Poor writing skills n Fear of rejection n Inconvenience n

End of Lecture 11