Employee Empowerment: A Critical Review

Dinesh Pant
26th FeB, 2023
Ethica Tanjeen wrote the article Employee Empowerment: A Critical Review in 2013.
This article was published in the Journal of Management at Dhaka University.
(Tanjeen, 2013) states that employee empowerment is the process of creating a work
environment in which employees can participate in decision making, problem solving,
and goal setting.
The main objective of this study is to explore the concept of employee empowerment.
The secondary objectives are:
1. To identify the views, approaches, elements, types, benefits and techniques of
employee empowerment based on some previous studies.
2. To identify the challenges associated with employee empowerment.
3. To recommend measures for improving employee empowerment.
This study communicated the major employee empowerment practices such as
involving employees, providing feedback and information sharing, delegating
authority, providing training, rewarding employees, recognizing and appreciating
employees. According to the findings of the study, employee empowerment has been
introduced in recent years as a powerful tool for improving performance. This study
assists organizations in developing effective employee empowerment practices in
today's dynamic and competitive business world. Employee empowerment requires
coordinated efforts from all stakeholders. Furthermore, employee participation can be
encouraged so that organizations can foster innovation and creativity. The concept of
creating a friendly and amiable environment in which employees in the organization
can focus on developing a supportive relationship.
Any organization's growth and prospects are largely determined by its workforce, and
this workforce must be empowered. Employees are much more aware of their rights
now than they were previously. As a result, this article is necessary because
employers must understand the true meaning of the empowerment philosophy and
apply it in their organizations to keep up with the times. The methods and means
suggested here can assist both managers and employees in achieving the true goal of
employee empowerment. Furthermore, this research will motivate managers to use a
variety of techniques to empower their employees.
This research had aimed at searching the existing literatures on employee
empowerment. This research had conducted on the basis of secondary data. The
secondary data were collected from the published books, journals and research papers.
Newspaper articles and the internet sources were also used. But the author had
interpreted the data in the light of the objectives of the study. The secondary data is
readymade data and they are proven data. So this article is based on facts. The
researcher had used qualitative research method for the interpretation of the data. The
study had made the depth knowledge and explain the issue or subject matter rather
than finding the solution and getting into the conclusion.
The study's findings revealed that the most important employee empowerment
practices were: involving employees, providing feedback and sharing information,
delegating authority, providing training, rewarding employees, and recognizing and
appreciating employees. These employee empowerment practices resulted in
increased job satisfaction, better performance, improved motivation, creativity, and
innovation, cost savings, a loyal and committed workforce, a happier and energetic
workforce, reduced management stress, and increased team spirit and cohesion.
The study's conclusion stated that the growth and prospects of any organization are
primarily dependent on manpower, and this manpower must be empowered.
Employers must understand the true meaning of the empowerment philosophy and
implement it in their organizations in order to keep up with the times. The methods
and means suggested here can assist both managers and employees in achieving the
true goal of employee empowerment. This study will motivate managers to use a
variety of techniques to empower their employees.
The major strength of this article is that it is based on secondary data and it is factual
based. Moreover, the data are easy to generalize and reliable. This study attempted to
review the literature and the opinions about employee empowerment. Employee
empowerment revolves around increasing employee responsibility and improving
work quality. Employee empowerment fosters a positive attitude toward the
organization among its employees. This research examined the perspectives,
elements, types, techniques, benefits, and challenges associated with employee
empowerment. This research can serve as a systematic starting point for managers to
grasp the concept of empowerment. This study's reflection can be used as a learning
tool for organizations that want to practice employee empowerment.
Organizations must develop effective employee empowerment practices in this
dynamic and competitive business world. One practice may work well for one
organization but not another. In my opinion, the study could have been more perfect if
it had been validated using a field study or primary data. This validation should
include the creation of questionnaires and the collection of responses from employees.
This would be more helpful in understanding employee empowerment in any
organization.
This article is important to the reader. Right efforts on from all areas are required in
the development of employee empowerment. Efforts are required from the both side
i.e. employer and employee to achieve the organizational and individual goals.
In our context, the conclusions were relevant. There are many challenges associated
with employee empowerment in Nepal. Managers don’t really understand what
employee empowerment means. Sometimes there is a possibility of potential conflict
of employees with their colleagues or superiors. Employees may reluctant to carry out
tasks if they are not properly trained. Employees may avoid reporting about their
work and response can be taken negatively. These challenges can be address through
innovative and challenging assignments to the employees, so that employees get
motivated and devoted. Similarly, employee’s participation should be encouraged so
that innovation and creativity could take place. Organizations should create friendly
and amiable environment where the proper concentration be given to build up a
supportive relationship among employees. Creating consciousness for empowerment
can make employee empowerment more acceptable in the society.
Any organization's growth and prospects are largely dependent on its workforce, and
this workforce must be empowered. Employees are much more aware of their rights
now than they were previously. The methods and means suggested here can assist
both managers and employees in achieving the true goal of employee empowerment.
This study will motivate managers to use a variety of techniques to empower their
employees. Hence, I completely agree with the conclusion of this study.
Employee empowerment has been introduced in recent years as an influential
instrument to improve performance. At this dynamic and competitive business world,
organizations must develop effective employee empowerment practice. Right efforts
on from all areas are required in the development of employee empowerment. The
new ideas that has been emerged from this study are: providing innovative and
challenging assignments to the employees, so that employees get motivated and
devoted; encouraging employee’s participation so that innovation and creativity could
take place; prioritizing employee’s beliefs, opinions and viewpoints; creating friendly
and amiable environment where the proper concentration be given to build up a
supportive relationship among employees; providing sufficient training; and creating
consciousness for empowerment so that employee can be empowered to be more
acceptable in the society. Being an student and employee at the same time, I got to
know how an employee need to be employed to perform any task in the organization
and how employee’s creativity, beliefs, opinions and viewpoints should be prioritized.
This article is clear and easy to follow as it is generally discuss in our lives as well.
Moreover, the references and citations used by the author is in appropriate situations.
To conclude, employee empowerment is the process of creating a work environment
in which employees can participate in decision making, problem solving, and goal
setting. It entails delegating power so that employees can make decisions. It can be
concluded that the growth and prospect of any organization is dependent mostly on
the manpower, and this manpower is needed to be empowered. Employees are much
more conscious of their rights now as compared to they were before. Therefore,
employers need to understand the real meaning of the empowerment philosophy and
apply this in their organization to walk with the need of time. This study will inspire
managers to adapt varieties of techniques to empower employees. However, the study
could have been more perfect if it had been validated using a field study or primary
data. This validation should include the creation of questionnaires and the collection
of responses from employees.