Employee empowerment in the workplace 

is a great way to improve

employee engagement and retain your top talent. So, how can you support
your employees' personal and professional development? How does
employee empowerment impact the business's bottom line? 
In this blog, we will go over the importance of empowering employees
in the workplace, as well as how to do it right. 
Employee Empowerment: Definition
Empowerment is based on the idea that providing employees with
the resources, authority, opportunity, and motivation to do their work,
as well as holding them accountable for their actions, will make
employees happier and more proficient.
🎲Download the eBook "Building a Better Company with Internal
Communications" and learn how to effectively motivate and inspire
your employees! 
In other words, allowing employees to take leadership of their roles
results in high impact and positive long-term effects for the company
and its individuals.
When companies provide employees with enough support individually
and professionally, they also integrate employees more closely into
the company mission.
3 Levels of Employee Empowerment in
the Workplace
Employee empowerment can happen on different organizational
levels, and the most common segmentation includes:
 empowerment on the organizational level
 empowerment on the managerial level 
 empowerment on the individual level
Let's now take a look into each of them. 
1. Employee Empowerment on the Organizational
Level
An organization that cultivates employee empowerment can better:

 Embrace change such as digital transformation

 Recognize employees' contribution to the business
 Reward responsible ownership in the workplace
 Support collaboration, including cross-departmental collaboration
in the workplace
 Foster a culture of employee engagement 
 Retain top talent
2. Employee Empowerment on the Managerial Level 
Empowered team leaders can:

 Better support the team and help each team member reach their
targets
 Provide the information the teams need when they need it
 Inspire and motivate employees
 Help better connect employees, including the ones working
remotely
 Facilitate work processes
 Spread team spirit in the workplace
 Better communicate the business goals and long-term vision
 Make the teams more successful
3. Employee Empowerment on the Individual Level
When employees feel empowered and trusted, they:

 Are more willing to go the extra mile for the team and the
business
 Take ownership over their work 
 Generate ideas
 Know how to take prudent risks to take the business to the next
level
 Find meaning and purpose at work
 Feel proud of the company they're working at
 Feel more motivated and engaged

Empowerment on the organizational and managerial levels should exist

by default. However, achieving individual empowerment requires
much more work and effort and it involves several functions in the
organization.
That's why it is critical for HR and IC functions to work hand-in-hand
and align their strategies so they build a great IC strategy together.
Related: Who is Responsible for Internal Communication?
The Current State of Empowerment in
the Workplace 
Even though employee empowerment has become a top priority in
most industries, businesses are still struggling to successfully
empower their employees. 
We've compiled below workplace statistics that are quite alarming:
Shocking workplace stats that show the importance of
employee empowerment:
 53% of Americans are currently unhappy at work.
 79% of people who quit their jobs cite ‘lack of appreciation’ as
their reason for leaving.
 58% of managers said they didn’t receive any management
training. Empowering employees without any leadership training is
quite tricky, isn't it?
 Increasing employee engagement investments by 10% can
increase profits by $2,400 per employee per year.
 89% of HR leaders agree that ongoing peer feedback and check-
ins are key for successful outcomes.
 People who use their strengths every day are six times more
likely to be engaged on the job.
 Employees who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely
to feel empowered to perform their best work.
 96% of employees believe showing empathy is an important way
to advance employee retention.
 Work overload decreases productivity by 68%.
 A Gallup study found that 23% of respondents reported feeling
burnt out at work very often or always.
 89% of workers at companies that support well-being initiatives
are more likely to recommend their company as a good place to
work.
Why is Employee Empowerment in the
Workplace so Important?
Empowerment in the workplace has many benefits. According
to the Harvard Business Review, “when employees feel empowered at
work, it’s associated with stronger job performance, job satisfaction
and commitment to the organization".
Broadly speaking, when employees feel empowered at work, they are
more willing to:
 Go the extra mile to reach the company's goals
 Follow best practices for improving collaboration in the workplace
 Improve their performance
 Drive effective communication in the workplace
 Embrace changes such as digital transformation or mergers and
acquisitions
 Spread a positive attitude throughout the workplace
 Provide better customer service 
 Drive innovation
 Advocate for the brand
Therefore, many employers are trying to empower their employees.
However, many employers are still not sure about how to start with
employee empowerment. 
Why Should You Make Employee
Empowerment Your Priority 
It is no secret that employee empowerment has many benefits.
Moreover, organizations who's employees feel empowered see much
better business performance, outcomes, and stronger core company
values. 
Let's now take a look into the top 4 reasons why organizations should
drive empowerment in the workplace. 
1. It Impacts the Business's Bottom Line
Companies that empower employees experience better financial
rewards and outperform competitors.
According to HuffPost, more than 70 percent of executives believe
that employee engagement is key to organizational success, resulting
in 22 percent higher productivity and more than twice as much annual
net income.
Indeed, when it is made easy for employees to learn and improve as
easily as possible, employee productivity soars and organizations can
outperform the competition.
However, many businesses struggle to empower and engage their
employees. As a result, U.S. companies are losing a whopping $450
billion a year in productivity.
2. It Keeps Employees Inspired and Engaged
Engaged employees will impact the bottom line and give their best at
work.
Providing enough support and guidance, while listening to individual
needs and believing in everyone’s know-how, can help employees be
assured that they are being treated as individuals.
That's why employee empowerment is the key!
But keep in mind that empowering and engaging employees is all
about providing them with the information they need when they need it
so they have a great understanding of the business and can be
successful at their jobs.
Remember that employees spend on average 2.5 hours per day
searching for the information they need to do their jobs!
Therefore, improved business communication can go a long way in
driving and facilitating employee empowerment. 
This can mean having shared technology in place and providing
informative company and industry-related content that employees can
share either internally or externally.
Related: 8 Employee Engagement Statistics You Need to Know
[INFOGRAPHIC]
3. It Helps You Retain Top Talent
Helping your employees brand themselves and grow professionally
and personally is one of the best ways to retain your top talent and
encourage employees to have a positive bond with your brand. 
Think about it: TINYpulse found that employees who feel in control of
their career are 20% more likely to stay in their roles. What's more,
LinkedIn found that 93% of employees would stay at a company longer
if it invested in their careers.
And investing in employee empowerment is a win-win
situation. Supporting employees’ personal branding efforts by
encouraging them to network professionally, share professional
content, and build their thought leadership is good for both the
company and its individuals. 
4. It’s Good for Your Brand
Employees who feel empowered and in charge of their work will gladly
advocate for the brand to their social networks. And the benefits of
employee advocacy are significant!
Employees who share company-related content on social media and
spread the good word around can do wonders for your employer
brand.
Positive word-of-mouth marketing pays itself back in good online
reviews, job referrals and a stellar sentiment around your brand
online.
Related: Recruitment vs. Talent Acquisition [Infographic Included]
The Role of Company Culture in
Employee Empowerment 
Your company culture plays an essential role in employee
empowerment and building a better employee experience in the
workplace. 
Basically, if you want to support your employees' performance, help
them find meaning at work, and understand how their jobs impact the
business,  you need to foster the "right" company culture for that.
And by the "right" company culture, I mean a company culture that
supports innovation in the workplace, employees' well-being, and
helps them take initiatives at work. 
But keep in mind that building a company culture that supports
employee empowerment doesn't come overnight. First, you'll need to
include employee empowerment in your business goals.
Think about it: if you want to empower your employees, you'll need
first to make it one of your top priorities!
Making empowerment in the workplace one of your business goals is
one of the best ways to 1. commit to it 2. make sure that everyone
understands that employee empowerment is a top priority for the
company. 
 

Then, you'll need to build an internal communication that enhances

employee empowerment. And to reach this goal, you'll need to make
sure that your IC strategy involves HR and IC functions, but line
managers as well.
Indeed, the way you speak to your employees and the initiatives you
take to motive and inspire them has a direct impact on how employees
feel about their jobs, their managers and the company overall. 
When it comes to empowerment in the workplace, managers and
team leaders play an essential role. That's not surprising
that communication skills are some of the most in-demand soft skills. 
Related: 18 Leadership Communication Trends to Look For in 2020
The Key to Employee Empowerment is
Your Company Culture 
If you're still not convinced about the connection between the
company culture and employee empowerment, check out this video by
Great Place to Work.
In this short video, Executive Vice President Gary Peterson of O.C.
Tanner, a Fortune 100 Best Company to Work For, explains how
empowering employees supports the company's growth in so many
different ways and how they got there:
 
📚 Also read about how to build a great workplace culture. 
The Role of Communication in Driving
Employee Empowerment 
Your leadership and communication skills have a direct impact on
your ability to motivate, support and inspire your employees. This
is why transformational leadership has become so important. 
When it comes to empowerment in the workplace, it's all about
communicating the right messages to the right employees at the right
time and in the right way.
For example, you may be sharing the right messages with your
employees, but if you don't communicate it in the right way, you may
not get your message through!
Worse, you may even end up having your employees not trusting you
anymore because of poor or inadequate communication skills!
Indeed, according to Forbes, 63% of employees don't trust their
leader. And this situation may lead to frustration and disengagement in
the workplace. That's why you need to develop strong communication
skills.