Workforce Empowerment
An excellent business harnesses the efforts, skills and knowledge of the entire workforce. It recognises that the people on the “shop floor” hold unique knowledge about the business works, and are in the best position to influence performance, so it actively engages them in improving the business.
The old “command and control” style of management will not create an environment of excellence …we need to look towards workforce empowerment. Workforce empowerment is about providing all employees with the capability and the motivation to do their job well now, and better in the future. It is based on the belief that people inherently want to do their job well, and the role of management is to provide the right tools and environment for this to happen.
Workforce empowerment requires:
- A genuine concern for the Health and Safety of every employee, acted out through an effective health and safety program.
- Effective Leadership at all levels of the organisation.
- An Organisational Design that makes it as easy as possible for people to do their job. Where roles and responsibilities are clear.
- A Cascading Balanced Scorecard process, such that each level of the organisation has relevant key performance measures that link to the business strategy and are integrated into the reward and recognition system.
- A Visual Workplace in which the information required for decision-making is readily available, and people have the accountability and authority to act on that information.
- Appropriate Reward and Recognition for effort and performance.
- Employees that have the appropriate Skills and Knowledge for their work.