How to Create a HR Function that Empowers Employees
Employee empowerment is the key to any successful business as it comes with a huge range of
benefits for both employees and the organization as a whole. An empowered workforce is likely to
be more productive, more satisfied within their roles, and they are more likely to be loyal to the or-
ganization. Some of the other key benefits that arise from employees who feel empowered include:
• Going the extra mile to reach their targets
• Communicating more effectively
• Increased creativity and innovation
• A more positive attitude in the workplace
• Better customer services
• Acting as a strong advocate for the brand
Of course, it’s obvious why all of these things are good news for organizations, and it’s therefore
clear that HR and managerial teams must do all they can to empower employees and facilitate this
kind of success. But the question still remains, what exactly do you need to do to create this kind of
environment?
Below, we’re going to look at six ways you can create a strong HR function that empowers employ-
ees and encourages people success within your organization.
1. Give employees autonomy over their workload
It’s important that employees don't feel like they're constantly being monitored or micromanaged,
as this can be extremely frustrating and demotivating. As such, it’s a good idea to give employees
autonomy over their own workload so they can manage their tasks in a way that works best for
them. This not only shows them that they are trusted to manage themselves, but it also means
they can choose the working style that allows them to be most productive. So it’s a win-win situa-
tion for both sides.
2. Create opportunities for training and learning
Career progression is hugely important. Nowadays, very few workers will join a company with the
hopes of breezing through each day doing the same monotonous tasks. Instead, professionals
want the chance to progress and take their career to the next level, and a big part of this is being
offered the opportunity to train, learn new skills and take on new responsibilities.
In order to create a HR function that empowers employees training and learning needs to be built-
in. Progressing your career doesn't just mean getting a promotion, it can mean learning to operate
new systems or taking on new, bigger accounts. Whatever it looks like for each individual role, be-
ing able to upskill or take on more responsibility can feel very empowering. Therefore, it’s a good
idea to create a corporate culture that encourages learning and sets out logical career paths for
each employee. This is usually done through monthly targets or goal setting.
3. Regularly ask for feedback
Knowing that you're being listened too, sharing your ideas, and seeing real changes being made
can be one of the most empowering things in the world. This is why feedback needs to play a key
role in your HR function. This can be done by way of employee engagement surveys and one-to-
one meetings with managers, just as long as all employees are being given their chance to raise
any issues or flag areas that they believe need some improvement.
By actively asking for feedback you're saying to your workforce ‘we want to know how we can
make things better for you’. This shows them that you really care about their wellbeing, working en-
vironment, and that you want them to succeed in their role. This can be extremely empowering.
Employee empowerment is the key to any successful business as it comes with a huge range of
benefits for both employees and the organization as a whole. An empowered workforce is likely to
be more productive, more satisfied within their roles, and they are more likely to be loyal to the or-
ganization. Some of the other key benefits that arise from employees who feel empowered include:
• Going the extra mile to reach their targets
• Communicating more effectively
• Increased creativity and innovation
• A more positive attitude in the workplace
• Better customer services
• Acting as a strong advocate for the brand
Of course, it’s obvious why all of these things are good news for organizations, and it’s therefore
clear that HR and managerial teams must do all they can to empower employees and facilitate this
kind of success. But the question still remains, what exactly do you need to do to create this kind of
environment?
Below, we’re going to look at six ways you can create a strong HR function that empowers employ-
ees and encourages people success within your organization.
1. Give employees autonomy over their workload
It’s important that employees don't feel like they're constantly being monitored or micromanaged,
as this can be extremely frustrating and demotivating. As such, it’s a good idea to give employees
autonomy over their own workload so they can manage their tasks in a way that works best for
them. This not only shows them that they are trusted to manage themselves, but it also means
they can choose the working style that allows them to be most productive. So it’s a win-win situa-
tion for both sides.
2. Create opportunities for training and learning
Career progression is hugely important. Nowadays, very few workers will join a company with the
hopes of breezing through each day doing the same monotonous tasks. Instead, professionals
want the chance to progress and take their career to the next level, and a big part of this is being
offered the opportunity to train, learn new skills and take on new responsibilities.
In order to create a HR function that empowers employees training and learning needs to be built-
in. Progressing your career doesn't just mean getting a promotion, it can mean learning to operate
new systems or taking on new, bigger accounts. Whatever it looks like for each individual role, be-
ing able to upskill or take on more responsibility can feel very empowering. Therefore, it’s a good
idea to create a corporate culture that encourages learning and sets out logical career paths for
each employee. This is usually done through monthly targets or goal setting.
3. Regularly ask for feedback
Knowing that you're being listened too, sharing your ideas, and seeing real changes being made
can be one of the most empowering things in the world. This is why feedback needs to play a key
role in your HR function. This can be done by way of employee engagement surveys and one-to-
one meetings with managers, just as long as all employees are being given their chance to raise
any issues or flag areas that they believe need some improvement.
By actively asking for feedback you're saying to your workforce ‘we want to know how we can
make things better for you’. This shows them that you really care about their wellbeing, working en-
vironment, and that you want them to succeed in their role. This can be extremely empowering.
