7 Ways to Empower Your Employees

woman giving presentation to coworkers who are clapping

The #1 priority for a manager is to set their team up for success! Your staff can accomplish their goals if you devote time to training, share your expertise, and empower them to do their best. While you’re the boss and your words should carry a lot of weight, you don’t want your employees to feel micromanaged or hopelessly inferior. Instead, you want them to feel like their opinions, efforts, and work matters.

Here are seven ways to effectively empower your team.

1. Give employees the freedom to act independently

Instilling faith in a worker can go a long way. Giving them the freedom to make their own decisions – within reason – is a surefire sign that you trust and believe in them. That builds confidence, which leads to outstanding work. Get to know each team member’s strengths and leverage those.

Staff members don’t appreciate micromanaging because it makes them feel as if they’re constantly being monitored or that you’re waiting to pounce on any mistake. You might have to manage new hires closely, but once they’ve earned your trust, allow them to spread their wings and fly. That’s when you’ll get the most out of them.

Read also: Top 5 Leadership Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

2. Give employees shout outs for great efforts

Your team isn’t there just for show. It’s there to do an excellent job and help the company thrive. So, let members know when they’re doing great work. Tell them you appreciate their efforts, even if results aren’t quite where you want them. By praising your staff, you’re showing that you’re not overlooking their work and that you genuinely care. Your attitude and appreciation will lead to an employee holding their shoulders high.

3. Show employees a path to growth

Team members should always have something to strive for, whether it’s learning a new skill or moving to the next level. It’s your responsibility to show them how and where they can grow. By creating a path, you’re giving them the power to navigate it. If they follow the plan and you help them stay on course, they will learn a new skill and may get a promotion.

4. Empower employees through structured flexibility

More and more workplaces are shifting to environments with greater flexibility. This means allowing staff to work from home occasionally, take longer lunches, and plan their days independently. This flexibility can alleviate stress, build positive attitudes, and, enhance employee empowerment. The only caveat is ensuring everyone maintains their output. If they aren’t getting their work done, you can take away some of the flexibility.

5. Listen to employee ideas

You’re not the only intelligent one in the group. There’s a good chance your staff members have worthy ideas to offer, whether individually or during a group brainstorm session. Give them the floor and see what they have to say. In doing so, you’ll exhibit a genuine interest in your employees’ opinions. It’s important to realize that every one of your workers holds a different perspective, which can inspire new ideas that may have never crossed your mind.

6. Forgive employees if they make a mistake

Mistakes happen. While some may have greater consequences than others, be understanding when someone makes a mistake. Praise in public and correct in private. If you get visibly angry, it’ll shatter your worker’s confidence moving forward, and they may fear future retribution. Make it clear that you understand mistakes are going to happen, work with the person to fix the error, and ensure they have the skills and knowledge to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

7. Give employees control by giving them time

It may seem obvious, but your staff needs time to do their jobs properly. That’s why it’s important not to rush them by setting unreasonable or unattainable deadlines. Giving your team a chance to breathe will ultimately lead to more efficient work. Learn more about how to improve efficiency in your workforce.

You may also like...