To create empowerment, the management role must change from an in-control mindset to an attitude of assigning responsibility and providing the supporting environment for employees to have the opportunity to excel in the performance of their functions. People already have power in their knowledge and motivation; empowerment is releasing and focusing this power.

The key is for managers to understand that empowerment involves utilizing the knowledge and capabilities employees already have, and for employees to realize that empowerment also means greater responsibilities and accountability as well as opportunities to advance. If both parts adopt these concepts, both will benefit and together they will benefit the organization and the company.

As Oswald Viva explains in his SkillBite entitled Create a Workplace of Empowerment, you and your company have the responsibility to create the work environment that will foster the ability and desire of employees to act in empowered ways. You as the leader are also responsible for teaching the concept to your staff and creating the culture to make it “the way we work here” philosophy. Additionally, you have the responsibility to remove barriers that limit the ability of employees to be and feel empowered. Unless empowerment starts at the top, it’s going nowhere; thus it’s up to you to make it successful.

Companies that create empowered workforces attain many benefits, including the following:

• Increased job satisfaction.
• Attitude change from “have to” to “want to”.
• Greater employee commitment.
• Better communication between employees and management.
• More efficient decision making process.
• Improved quality.
• Reduced operating costs.
• More profitable organization

If you would like to read the entire book, you can download it at our website by going to https://resources.skillbites.net/create-a-culture-of-empowerment-by-oswald-r-viva/