How to Empower Your Team to Reach Their Full Potential in the Workplace

 

Employee development differs from employee training in that it focuses on the long-term development of employees. While training focuses on improving specific task performance, development programs are more broad. Employee development programs go deeper with emphasis on personal and professional growth in an effort to help employees reach their full potential. Development is about helping your employee think ahead to, and prepare for, their and the company’s long-term goals. The benefits of employee empowerment are well documented, but here’s a few that usually land at the top of the list:

Improved creativity and out-of-the-box thinking

Increased trust in managers and the company as a whole

Higher employee retention rates

Better alignment between an employee’s values and the company mission, vision and values

Who wouldn't want empowered employees on their team? They are more confident and committed to meaningful goals.

We'll look at features of development programs that enhance employee empowerment in this article. These factors, while not exhaustive, can assist set the correct tone as your team members begin their development and reinforce the message that you trust their abilities.

Communicate your company's vision and mission.

Employees must understand where they fit into the company's goals in order to get behind them. Managers must be able to effectively convey the company's vision and mission, as well as how their employees contribute to these goals.

Creating a Vision Statement or a Mission Statement

Simon Sinek's method to establishing a vision or mission statement is one I admire. Vision statements should express what you think and be concise enough to convey that belief in a few lines. Leave out what you make, sell, or do. A vision statement is a statement about what you want to do in the future, not what you're doing today. Your mission statement is made up of the "what" and "how" that describe how you plan to achieve your goals. What are you doing to make a difference?

Clearly state your expectations

"If you never expect anything from anyone, you'll never be disappointed," says the adage. This fatalistic outlook is frequently expressed in personal relationships, but it has no place in business. The reason for this is that in business, we have strong reasons to expect something.

Good Expectations

When we're looking for someone to hire, we look at their talents, background, and experience. It takes a lot of time and money to make sure the right person is in the right role at the right time. We have excellent cause to anticipate them to execute to a given quality based on that know1ledge.

Similarly, your coworkers expect you to communicate the degree of output you expect from them.

Communication is essential.

Include the following in your expectations communication:

1) Define the goals for the projects you've assigned, as well as the metrics you'll use to assess their progress. These are tangible instruments that both of you can use to see if they're meeting your expectations.

2) Define how and when you'd like to update them on their progress, as well as what will happen if they don't. They can come to the table prepared for the topic if they know the frequency of these check-ins.

3) To hold staff accountable, set milestone dates. Employees can learn how to strategize and prioritize in a way that matches their working style by using deadlines.

This understanding gives your staff real power since it allows them to create boundaries based on your expectations. Boundaries assist us in focusing and keeping our energies in check. The most obvious way we do this is by creating goals. The SMART technique (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound) is one of the most effective ways of defining goals. This structure enables you to keep your objectives clear and straightforward to track. More information on how to set up SMART goals can be found here.

Delegate

One of the simplest methods to empower your team members is to delegate responsibilities or projects. Giving them responsibility for the work of the team allows them to improve their time management, prioritization, and leadership abilities. You can start simple by assigning tasks to your team members.

To guarantee they can meet expectations, assign reports or smaller repetitious chores to them, but don't stop there. Allowing team members to try something they're interested in and/or that's important to your company leads to true progress. Giving them a larger slice of the pie demonstrates that you trust them to take responsibility for it, and if you set expectations, they will have the boundaries they need to set the correct goals to meet or surpass them.

Autonomy is a good thing to have. . .

Employees that are micromanaged are unable to acquire a feeling of self-governance, assertiveness, or trust their instincts. They must be given the freedom or space to mold their working style in order to function at their best.Give your team members the information they need to make excellent decisions, but then step back and let them make them.

But don't isolate yourself.

It's crucial to remember that autonomy does not imply that employees should work alone. The importance of feedback and conversation in molding and confirming their views cannot be overstated. Allow them to voice their opinions and put their theories to the test.

As well as providing a safety net

Employee autonomy does not imply that they should work without a safety net. Your team members may be apprehensive about making decisions. They should be aware that you will be there to assist them if they make a mistake.Even if they fail, they should be given the opportunity to reflect on their mistakes, learn from them, and improve in the future.

Give them something to chew on in the form of feedback.

Feedback can be given in a variety of ways, but how you do it can make a big difference. Because each employee is unique, the technique you take must adapt to match their demands. Here are some ideas for making your input more valuable to your team member's development:

1) Don't put it off. Don't hesitate to give praise or discipline if you notice a need. This makes it easier for the recipient to remember and relate to the situation that prompted the criticism in the first place.

2) Be as precise as possible. "You're doing a great job," isn't enough. So they understand what your definition of "good" is, point to the things that met or exceeded their expectations. If you're dealing with a behavior problem, make a precise observation of the conduct and its influence on others.

3) Be truthful in your words. Your feedback should be motivated by a genuine desire to see the employee thrive. They'll be able to tell if you're lying.

4) Consistency is key. Meet on a regular basis to establish a feedback loop through which your team can improve.Members of the team may rely on each other. If you don't communicate for weeks, you risk losing the thread that keeps your performance on track.

Make Use of Development Resources

It's not just about giving them what they need to get by on a daily basis when it comes to realizing resources. It also entails studying their behavior and speaking with them to determine what resources could be available to help them advance to the next stage of their development. Let's have a look at some options.

Continual Education

If your organization offers self-improvement or career-building courses, assist your employees in determining which ones will benefit them the most. Allow them to fit the courses within their usual job schedule to maximize the likelihood of them finishing them. If you don't have any in-house programs, set aside money in your budget for professional training. That can support employees learning 

Take a walk outside

Encourage employees to participate in extracurricular activities and voluntary work. Some companies set aside a certain number of hours of VTO (volunteer time off), or paid time off, for voluntary work. Others have rules in place that allow employees to take a sabbatical or leave of absence without having to resign.

Reimbursement for tuition

Another excellent development resource is tuition reimbursement plans. For some employees, the expense of schooling is prohibitive, preventing them from gaining the skills and information they need to advance in your firm. Providing assistance with that cost demonstrates that you believe in investing in your staff and are prepared to assist them in putting what they learn on the job into practice. Think about how you're going to set up your plan.However, if done correctly, you can strengthen your ties with your employees.

Mentorship

Assist your employees in locating a mentor. A mentor is someone who may act as both a confidante and a teacher to assist an employee in their career path. Mentors assist employees in navigating their company's culture, pursuing skill-building opportunities, and encouraging networking both inside and beyond the organization. Mentorships can naturally form between employees and their immediate supervisors, but they can also form across departments. Even if you don't have a structured mentorship program, encourage your staff to seek out help from people they trust when they need it.

Incentivize

Motivation is key to ensuring employees are willing to give their best effort and be productive on the job. Clearly though, not every person is motivated in the same manner. Consider a broad range of incentives that can speak to each employee’s “motivation language” to keep them knocking it out of the park!

Rewards

This can include everything from merit salary increases, promotions, stock awards or other tangible gifts given for high performance. Consider short-term awards too – smaller but still significant motivators that help keep momentum.

Recognition

Pats on the back are always appreciated, but you can take it a step farther. Try using company forums such as newsletters, town halls, or social media to make announcements. Request that your CEO or senior leadership team send a personal message to team members who go above and beyond. If your sector awards certifications for completing certain levels of service, make sure your employee is aware of these ceremonies and participates in them.

Security

Many employees simply want to know that they can take care of themselves no matter what. A company-matched 401k account, life insurance policy, or access to financial consultants who can help them plan for the future may provide that sense of security.Others may benefit from a comprehensive health benefits package that includes medical and mental health tools to help them feel their best.

Observing and engaging with your workers to truly get to know them is crucial to finding the perfect incentive. Remember that keeping some team members motivated may require more than one strategy.

As you create your development strategy, keep your approach to empowerment in mind. If you don't pay attention to or direct your team members, empowerment can rapidly turn into neglect. Similarly, if you don't check in frequently enough to see if your team members can handle their workload, delegation can lead to feelings of being overworked. Work hard to establish and develop a relationship with your staff.