In general, people don’t like being told what to do. Whether this is when they are out with friends, playing a sports match, or at home, no one likes someone else telling them every little thing they should be doing. This is no different in the workplace. Managers are majorly important for business functioning, although knowing when to give employees autonomy can improve their productivity, and general morale at work.
But what is autonomy, and why do employees like it so much?
Autonomy can be described as the amount of independence and control that an employee has over their work, tasks, and decisions. Autonomy should be seen as a way of empowering individuals, as it shows trust in their abilities to manage their work, time and decisions.
So, we’ve mentioned that autonomy is so important for employees to be productive, but what are the specifics of this, and is there any evidence to back up these claims?
When given the freedom to choose how to work, it can make employees feel trusted while also having the luxury of working in a style that best suits them. Because of this, employees are much more engaged, as seen in a study by Gallup, where employees were 75% more likely to be engaged in their work when given a high degree of autonomy.
Having the freedom to experiment, try new approaches, and think outside the box can do wonders for innovation and creativity in a workplace. Without constant experimenting and new ideas, a business won’t be able to stay ahead of the game, thus providing another case for employee autonomy. An example of this is that Google famously allows employees to spend 20% of their time on personal projects, which has led to the development of ground-breaking products like Gmail and Google News.
Being constantly hand-held may prevent an employee from tripping up and making mistakes in the short term, but in the long term it’s hindering their ability to learn and effectively make decisions. Employees with a high degree of autonomy are less likely to rely solely on top-down directives, meaning they can adapt quickly to changing circumstances. A study conducted by Harvard Business Review found that employees are 27% more likely to make decisions quickly and accurately when feeling empowered.
As we touched upon previously when mentioning decision making ability, autonomy can be a powerful tool for employee development. By taking on responsibilities, and challenges, employees will develop new skills, build their confidence and advance their career. For example, Zappos is known for its culture of autonomy which allows employees to take ownership of their roles, and in turn develop their skills.
Company culture has become increasingly important for businesses due to the number of studies supporting the idea that a strong culture improves many metrics of a business. Having a company culture that values autonomy can develop a sense of trust, respect and collaboration among employees. It can also create a more positive and supportive work environment, where employees feel they can ask others for help. A study by McKinsey & Company found that organisations with a strong culture of autonomy are 50% more likely to outperform their competitors.
Now that we have outlined the benefits and importance of autonomy, we will discuss how to successfully implement it. The key is to find the balance between blind trust, and micromanagement. You want employees to feel like they have freedom within their work, although leaving employees to their own devices too much can make you appear disinterested in their work, and may even hinder their performance as they lack guidance on the overall company aims.
Ensure that employees have a clear understanding of their roles, responsibilities and the organisation’s goals. This can provide them with the right context and general direction of the company so they’re able to focus on aligning their work with these goals
Something that goes hand in hand with autonomy is flexibility. This can include remote work or flexible hours, and it gives employees greater control over their work schedules, furthering the sense of autonomy.
Focus on evaluating employees based on their outcomes and contributions, rather than simply their adherence to rules and procedures. The bottom line of hiring someone is to complete a specific task, and this should be the overall indicator of whether increased autonomy is working. This method of evaluation also encourages more innovation and risk-taking, as employees are less confined to a set procedure of work.
Having more autonomy will likely result in employees facing a number of new challenges and responsibilities that they may not know how to navigate. By ensuring that your team feels comfortable in asking questions, and for help on tasks you create an essential component of making autonomy work.
Autonomy is a powerful tool that can help businesses, and employees thrive. By fostering a company culture that is known for providing a high level of autonomy, you will attract and retain employees whilst also improving productivity and innovation.
If you’re unsure on how to implement any of the processes mentioned in this (or previous) blogs, please reach out to us at ParadigmHR and we’ll help set-up your workplace for success!
In general, people don’t like being told what to do. Whether this is when they are out with friends, playing a sports match, or at home, no one likes someone else telling them every little thing they should be doing. This is no different in the workplace. Managers are majorly important for business functioning, although knowing when to give employees autonomy can improve their productivity, and general morale at work.
But what is autonomy, and why do employees like it so much?
Autonomy can be described as the amount of independence and control that an employee has over their work, tasks, and decisions. Autonomy should be seen as a way of empowering individuals, as it shows trust in their abilities to manage their work, time and decisions.
So, we’ve mentioned that autonomy is so important for employees to be productive, but what are the specifics of this, and is there any evidence to back up these claims?
When given the freedom to choose how to work, it can make employees feel trusted while also having the luxury of working in a style that best suits them. Because of this, employees are much more engaged, as seen in a study by Gallup, where employees were 75% more likely to be engaged in their work when given a high degree of autonomy.
Having the freedom to experiment, try new approaches, and think outside the box can do wonders for innovation and creativity in a workplace. Without constant experimenting and new ideas, a business won’t be able to stay ahead of the game, thus providing another case for employee autonomy. An example of this is that Google famously allows employees to spend 20% of their time on personal projects, which has led to the development of ground-breaking products like Gmail and Google News.
Being constantly hand-held may prevent an employee from tripping up and making mistakes in the short term, but in the long term it’s hindering their ability to learn and effectively make decisions. Employees with a high degree of autonomy are less likely to rely solely on top-down directives, meaning they can adapt quickly to changing circumstances. A study conducted by Harvard Business Review found that employees are 27% more likely to make decisions quickly and accurately when feeling empowered.
As we touched upon previously when mentioning decision making ability, autonomy can be a powerful tool for employee development. By taking on responsibilities, and challenges, employees will develop new skills, build their confidence and advance their career. For example, Zappos is known for its culture of autonomy which allows employees to take ownership of their roles, and in turn develop their skills.
Company culture has become increasingly important for businesses due to the number of studies supporting the idea that a strong culture improves many metrics of a business. Having a company culture that values autonomy can develop a sense of trust, respect and collaboration among employees. It can also create a more positive and supportive work environment, where employees feel they can ask others for help. A study by McKinsey & Company found that organisations with a strong culture of autonomy are 50% more likely to outperform their competitors.
Now that we have outlined the benefits and importance of autonomy, we will discuss how to successfully implement it. The key is to find the balance between blind trust, and micromanagement. You want employees to feel like they have freedom within their work, although leaving employees to their own devices too much can make you appear disinterested in their work, and may even hinder their performance as they lack guidance on the overall company aims.
Ensure that employees have a clear understanding of their roles, responsibilities and the organisation’s goals. This can provide them with the right context and general direction of the company so they’re able to focus on aligning their work with these goals
Something that goes hand in hand with autonomy is flexibility. This can include remote work or flexible hours, and it gives employees greater control over their work schedules, furthering the sense of autonomy.
Focus on evaluating employees based on their outcomes and contributions, rather than simply their adherence to rules and procedures. The bottom line of hiring someone is to complete a specific task, and this should be the overall indicator of whether increased autonomy is working. This method of evaluation also encourages more innovation and risk-taking, as employees are less confined to a set procedure of work.
Having more autonomy will likely result in employees facing a number of new challenges and responsibilities that they may not know how to navigate. By ensuring that your team feels comfortable in asking questions, and for help on tasks you create an essential component of making autonomy work.
Autonomy is a powerful tool that can help businesses, and employees thrive. By fostering a company culture that is known for providing a high level of autonomy, you will attract and retain employees whilst also improving productivity and innovation.
If you’re unsure on how to implement any of the processes mentioned in this (or previous) blogs, please reach out to us at ParadigmHR and we’ll help set-up your workplace for success!