Managers, Proven Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction Through Empowerment

By Lois Moncrief

Telling Employees "What" to Do

I have read many articles written for managers that urge you, the manager, not to tell your employees “what” to do. I don't agree! That is abdicating your responsibility as a manager to set goals and standards for each employee's job.

Many employees need to be told "what" to do. They want to know their responsibilities. They need you to make it clear "what" is expected of them. How can you expect them to do the job if they do not know "what" they are supposed to do?

You are the manager. It is your right and responsibility to assign work – to tell each employee what his job is and what you need him to accomplish. You have the right to set standards for the accomplishment of that work – quantity, quality, timeliness, etc. It is your responsibility to be realistic in setting these standards.

First, you have to assign the work you need each employee to do and give each employee the standards for the job in terms of quantity, quality, and timeliness, and any other factors you deem essential.

Employee Motivation and Employee Empowerment Through the “How”

Next, you can empower your employees to decide “how” to accomplish the task within the parameters you have set on quantity, quality, and timeliness, etc.

This freedom to be creative and to find better ways of doing the job can provide great employee motivation and job satisfaction for your employees.

Pride and Ownership

When you allow your employees to determine the “how” to do their job, you are encouraging them to have “pride” in their work.

You are encouraging them to have “ownership” in “their part” of the company if you allow them to decide the best way or the “how” to do their jobs.

Many employees will find the challenge of determining how to do their jobs faster and better very motivating.

Many will like the chance to be creative in their approach to this “how” to do their jobs.

Many will develop more pride and ownership of their part of the product and/or service.

You will find employee motivation and job satisfaction will increase. Employee engagement will increase as they “own” their jobs.

Win - Win

What may amaze you is that by motivating them to determine the “how” and developing pride and ownership in their part of the company, they may find ways to do their jobs better and exceed some or all or the standards you have set.

Now you have created a “win-win”. The company has won with the employee exceeding the standards (better productivity, or better quality, or faster service or product) and so has the employee. He may now receive a bonus or higher pay for exceeding the standards and has pride and ownership in his work.

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