Introduction
One of the most studied and researched areas of
modern management technique includes staff or
employee empowerment which duly allows the employees
to take on independent tasks and stand by their
decisions, though the same may call for a certain
set of guidelines, as also the subject of the
following paper. Various researches and studies
have found that employee empowerment leads to
a truly nurturing environment where the employees
can 'learn, grow, improve and enhance their functioning
or performance abilities. Staff or employee empowerment
also provides for a creating an environment of
trust, importance in the eyes of the employers,
and since it enhances the capability of the respective
employee; the same also leads to the creation
of a positive work environment within the organizational
set up.
In the different researches and studies of employee
empowerment, such as one carried out by Erickson
et al, revealed that employee empowerment is said
to occur when the management and employers pursue
goals of both personal as well as professional
growth for their employees. For example the senior
managers and leaders within the organizations
can assist their employees in enhancing their
capabilities, in turn enhancing their potential
to fully utilize their capabilities.
The following paper takes on the example of the
employee empowerment in an health care setting
where employees at all the levels are put through
a number of processes and operations, resulting
in the creation and conversion of the same staff
into one that was more committed and was observed
to use his or her full capabilities within the
same settings. The employee empowerment also resulted
in the provision of an enhanced nature of services
for the clients/patients, as well as make better
use of the functional system provided thereon.
The Different Methods Applied to Enhance Staff
Empowerment
Making the Employees More Responsible
One of the first aspects noted in a number of
organizations was the inactive or negligible nature
of employee involvement in the actual nature of
the work. This non-involvement on the part of
the management and senior managers not only resulted
in the increased feelings of frustrations, but
also lead to the rise in the stress levels of
the employee’s, as well as lack of productivity
for the respective organization.
In allowing the employees to 'own' the problem
or operation at hand, the employees were duly
encouraged to not only identify the problem, but
also come forward and provide his or her 'own'
solution to the same problem, or set of problems.
Indeed, the initiative of 'owning' on the part
of the employees lead to a positive working environment,
as well as the same provided for nurturing, creation,
maintenance of a cohesive working environment.
The same also lead to the reduction of the otherwise
'job-induced' stress factor which was observed
amongst employees, when the same employees were
restricted from directly participating in the
work at hand.
The Importance of Teamwork Another important method
for employee empowerment is the emphasis on teamwork.
Since, this initiative also emerges on the part
of the management, it is imperative that irrespective
of the structure and technology of the organization,
emphasis on teamwork more often leads to enhanced
performance as well as an increase in the quality
of the output or work of the respective organization.
A prime example of utilizing and effectively using
the method of teamwork is through a workshop duly
created for the purpose of enhancing skills of
the employees, creating a spirit of team building,
showing how to address conflict management, teaching
problem solving skills, and enhancing quality
management techniques. Other benefits that accrue
through the participation of a teamwork includes
a better understanding of the different leadership
styles, as well as facilitating and empowering
employees.
These are aside from the commonly observed factors
of enhanced cooperation, collaboration and cohesion
amongst the employees within the organization.
The Vitally Important Method of Communications
As a Means of Enhancing Staff Empowerment
Communication being one of the most vital and
important methods of any relationship, let alone
that within an organization has been observed
to lead to a truly cohesive and effective means
of accomplishing the goals of any organization.
One of the prime examples practiced by a number
of organizations includes a morning chat, before
commencing actual work. This morning exchange
of ideas, experiences, and suggestions not only
give impetus to the overall objectives of the
organization, they also provide a sense of motivation
and empowerment for the numerous tasks and activities
that will face the employees during the course
of the long working day ahead of them.
Though the duration of this morning exchange of
ideas and sharing of information may not exceed
15 t0 30 minutes, yet the same little time together
provides a sense of responsibility amongst the
team members and leads each member of the team
to bring out new ideas that may assist other team
members in the course of their day's normal routine
work. The morning session also allows employees
to reinforce grounds rules that have already been
established by the organization, as well as lead
to a truly satisfying and enjoyable working environment.
The Concept of Demand Based Scheduling As a Method
of Employee Empowerment Taking the example of
a health care clinic, where patients have to first
take appointments and in response the assistance
of the respective physician or health care provider
then assigns each patient with a date and time,
irrespective of the nature or severity of the
ailment, sickness, or health condition of the
patient.
In contrast to the said average system of taking
and providing appointments, the concept of demand
based scheduling works on the principles of taking
into the account the severity of the health condition
of the patient, and providing them first priority
followed by those patients whose conditions can
allow them time for visiting the next day, or
on any other working day according to the needs
of the patient. The system of demand based scheduling
thus not only gives ample priority to the patients
in need of urgent and immediate care and health
advice; the same system also fulfills the requirement
of other patients who can choose their own day
and timings for the visit.
Leadership
Yet another vitally important method of enhancing
employee empowerment is that of enhancing the
leadership skills amongst the employees. It is
normally said that good leadership qualities are
very similar to good parenting. The object is
thus to create an environment where employees
not only enjoy to utilize their own strengths,
but as members of a team also ensure that they
become effective and contributing members of the
respective organization.
The above briefly described methods of enhancing
employee empowerment provide for a truly functioning
workplace that is run by empowered staff, who
in utilizes some of the most effective and client/customer
focused system in enhancing the productivity of
the organization, as well as well as their own
human potential.
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