Formative Speech
Employee Empowerment
Jeremy Freeman
Keiser University
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to find out were employee empowerment systems began and were they are today. Along with the way that an organization can help themselves achieve an employee empowerment system. The other portion of the paper is discussing the outcomes of a correctly implemented employee empowerment system. Also the effects it has on job satisfaction and also achieving a high performance work system.
Employee Empowerment
Employee empowerment first began in the 1940s when two members of the United Steelworkers Union started to think outside the box. Employee empowerment means to delegate power from high managers to lower level employees to make decisions. This began thoughts that would lead into many different theories and models of the employee empowerment that are implemented today. The main issue facing employee empowerment systems is top executives and their ideas of lower level employees. There have also been several case studies done on employee empowerment that look closely into empowerment, satisfaction, performance, and commitment. A different look at employee empowerment is a look into how job satisfaction plays a role into an employee empowerment system. The employee empowerment system along with job satisfaction will also lead into a High Performance Work System. The two works that started the thinking of employee empowerment were Clinton Golden and Harold Ruttenberg. These two men saw that workers were doing the same actives day in and day out, so they thought that workers would know the best ways to improve production through changes in work stations or equipment that could be used. Golden stated, “The basic idea is simple: Workers perform their job tasks over and over and therefore often have good ideas for improving productivity, increasing quality, and lowering costs. Moreover, employees’ discretion in their work might increase job satisfaction and make them
Jeremy Freeman
Keiser University
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to find out were employee empowerment systems began and were they are today. Along with the way that an organization can help themselves achieve an employee empowerment system. The other portion of the paper is discussing the outcomes of a correctly implemented employee empowerment system. Also the effects it has on job satisfaction and also achieving a high performance work system.
Employee Empowerment
Employee empowerment first began in the 1940s when two members of the United Steelworkers Union started to think outside the box. Employee empowerment means to delegate power from high managers to lower level employees to make decisions. This began thoughts that would lead into many different theories and models of the employee empowerment that are implemented today. The main issue facing employee empowerment systems is top executives and their ideas of lower level employees. There have also been several case studies done on employee empowerment that look closely into empowerment, satisfaction, performance, and commitment. A different look at employee empowerment is a look into how job satisfaction plays a role into an employee empowerment system. The employee empowerment system along with job satisfaction will also lead into a High Performance Work System. The two works that started the thinking of employee empowerment were Clinton Golden and Harold Ruttenberg. These two men saw that workers were doing the same actives day in and day out, so they thought that workers would know the best ways to improve production through changes in work stations or equipment that could be used. Golden stated, “The basic idea is simple: Workers perform their job tasks over and over and therefore often have good ideas for improving productivity, increasing quality, and lowering costs. Moreover, employees’ discretion in their work might increase job satisfaction and make them
References: Baird, K & Wang, H. (2010). Employee empowerment: extent of adoption and influential factors. Personnel Review. 39(5). Pg. 574-599. Budd, J.W. (2013). LABOR RELATIONS: STRIKING A BALANCE. New York, NY.McGraw-Hill Employe empowerment starts at the top. Milwaukee Journal.(1991). D(5). Ozturk, Y & Pelit, E. (2011). The effects of employee empowerment on employee job satisfaction. Internation Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 23(6). Pg. 784-802