Employee Empowerment: Benevolence or Good Business Sense?

Recent research shows that roughly half of Americans hate their job, and according to Gallup, fewer than three in 10 workers say they’re engaged at work.

EmployEES be like:

 EmployERS be like:

I have one word for you:  empowerment.  

When workers feel empowered, they are more engaged, dedicated, and innovative.

"Treat employees like they make a difference, and they will."  This is a quote from Jim Goodnight, co-founder and CEO of North Carolina-based business analytics software giant, SAS.  In the height of the 2009 recession, while other companies were cutting jobs like crazy, Goodnight stated publicly that SAS would absolutely not have any layoffs, and he kept his promise.  Can you imagine the collective sigh of relief at SAS that year?

Goodnight's company is known for treating employees well and offering perks such as flextime, childcare, and on-site medical care.  They're big on work-life balance and measuring productivity by what workers accomplish instead of how many hours they're chained to a desk.

Wondering if all the warm fuzzies get in the way of success?  In 2009, while other companies were tanking, SAS saw a 2.2 percent increase in revenues over the previous year's, and the company is regularly voted, "world's best place to work."  Additionally, since the 1970's, SAS has seen consecutive revenue growth every year.

Empowerment Begets Engagement

Everyone wants to feel like they matter.  Nobody wants to be micro-managed.  Here are some tips to increase employee empowerment:

• Let them do their job.  People need autonomy not babysitting.
• Support them.  Make sure they have all the resources they need to be successful.
• Give them time.  Flextime is a cheap way to keep employees happy.
• Insist on work-life balance.  
• Increase your wellness budget.  Help them take charge of their health.

How to Initiate Employee Empowerment

I believe offering and supporting meditation in the workplace is the place to start.  It's sort of like the "teach a man to fish" theory.  External incentives are great, but if you teach a person to go to the inner, reduce their own stress and tap their intuition, you are empowering them to make better personal and professional choices.  Studies show meditation not only reduces stress, it increases mental clarity, enhances compassion, and improves productivity and innovation.  This translates into better lifestyle choices, increased collaboration, better conflict resolution and more engaged employees.

We are stepping into the era of the individual. Companies who care about each employee will thrive.  Just ask Jim Goodnight, who oh by the way happens to be one of America's wealthiest people, with a net worth of over $7 billion.