Leaders will try various tactics to motivate teams. From salary bonuses to performance metrics, companies will fluctuate between incentivizing with the carrot or the stick. Yet, there is one simple thing leaders can do to empower employees: give them choices.
Choosing When And Where To Work Enhances Productivity
Working remotely or in an office might be the biggest debate in workplace history. Each side fiercely claims that their way of working outperforms the other. While 95% of workers surveyed by FlexJobs want some form of remote work, it is not for everyone. Home distractions or inaccessibility to alternate co-working spaces can make a physical office a more desirable option. Individuals may need specialized equipment or space for specific meetings during the day. Others may be more productive outside of traditional working hours. End the debate with letting employees choosing their own work environment. The core skills of a person are not determined by physical location nor time of day.
Great leaders value the opinions of their employees. According to a survey by the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 78% of American workers rank flexibility as one of the most or very important factors when choosing a job. Survey the company to find out what is needed to optimize productivity and put forth solutions based on those results.
Choosing New Tasks Fosters Work Ownership
While employees are hired for a specific job, ongoing responsibilities can vary drastically. According to a 2024 study of 56,000 global workers by PwC, 40% feel their daily responsibilities have changed to a large extent within the past year. Leaders seeking engaged and thoughtful employees should ask for their buy-in before augmenting a role.
Many employees feel required to say yes to everything. Whether generated from performance review anxiety, societal work culture pressures, or a people-pleaser mentality, being overly agreeable can stifle an individual’s growth and harm job performance. Offering employees the opportunity to say no indicates that you value their opinions and trust their decision-making skills.
Research by Wharton professors found that providing an opt-out option increases goal perseverance. Putting forth a “this-or-that” approach offers staff a sense of control and ownership. Managers should enable direct reports to modify their roles and come up with new processes that align with their skills and career goals. Give employees breathing room to make things their own. If leaders fail to honor an employee’s opinion, staff will seek other companies that applaud their decision-making capabilities.
Choosing Their Own Career Path Increases Engagement
Most organizations have predetermined career paths for employees in alignment with their department’s goals. While a defined career path provides a sense of job security and effective resource planning, nonlinear career paths enable employees to develop new skills from different roles and business units.
With 23% of American workers feeling unsatisfied with opportunities for growth and development at their company, enabling employees to craft their own career path offers up the chance to reignite job satisfaction. People have different interests at different parts of their career. Leaders need to continually check-in with employees to convey support and encourage networking. Even if this ultimately leads to leaving the department or the company, employees will go above and beyond for managers that prioritize their career growth.
An organization is not just a few executives – it is a complex ecosystem of individuals choosing to work there, contributing their time and energy to a mission. Forcing a singular way of working will result in low company performance and a loss of top talent. Workers value autonomy and seek growth opportunities. Giving employees choices lets them progress and succeed.