The one thing that will ensure your employees are always engaged

When you give your employees the freedom to work, they are motivated to perform (Shutterstock.com)

For more motivated, and engaged employees, give them this one thing...

Research backs it up and so you should believe it: People who are happy in their jobs tend to work better, produce greater quality work and stay longer in their jobs than those who are unhappy. What’s even better, when employees are motivated, it increases the chance of generating more revenue for your business.

So what’s the secret to keeping your employees and business winning at all times? Well, it turns out that employee satisfaction lies with the amount of autonomy you give to your employees. When your management style is structured in such a way that you help employees see the meaning in their tasks and give them freedom in the way that they complete their work, you’re well in your way to achieving employee satisfaction.

Research agrees too. Psychology researchers have suggested that workplaces with the highest performing employees are those that can strike a balance between offering a workplace in which guidelines are set, but providing enough breathing space for employees to manage their own time. When that middle ground is achieved – setting out clear expectations regarding what should be accomplished, whilst enabling the freedom as to how things can be accomplished, it leads to greater employee engagement.

Imagine it like this: When you tell a toddler what and what not to do, they generally are unwilling to do anything. But if you allow them to figure things out themselves (with some guidance of course), they will happily do what you need them to do. 

But remember…

That to get the highest engagement from your employees, you need to ensure that they are clear about the impact they have towards the organizational goals. If you want to create a space where employees have a can do attitude and are fully engaged in their work, consider the following:

  • Stop micromanaging
  • When giving an assignment, let your employees decide how they go about working through it
  • Give your employees the opportunity to try out new things
  • If an employee tries out something that does not work, treat it as a learning experience
  • Recognize and celebrate employees who experiment
  • Share this article with other managers, so that they understand.
  • With that said, it’s time you got out of the way of your employees and allowed them to do their thing. Your business won’t get anywhere if you keep interfering. Keep in mind that once you give your employees autonomy, to take it away will destroy their engagement.

    For more great tips to be the best manager, visit out Management Advice column.