Employee Empowerment in Professional Development + Real Examples

Employee empowerment is more than just a trendy phrase tossed around by executives—it’s genuinely essential for employee success. HR professionals and learning and development experts are seeing the benefits of employee empowerment firsthand, positively influencing both employee professional development and overall company performance.

So, what does it really mean to empower employees? Let’s delve deeper into the employee empowerment definition and plus some employee empowerment examples to help you make it happen in your organization.

‍

What is employee empowerment?

The definition of employee empowerment speaks to the level of autonomy and control an employee has over their day-to-day responsibilities. It’s giving them the tools, resources, and authority to make decisions, take on new projects, and do their best work with little need for oversight from management.

At its core, employee empowerment is about creating an environment where employees feel valued, confident, and capable of influencing their work and the organization’s success—building a culture of trust, autonomy, and accountability.

Benefits of employee empowerment

The benefits of employee empowerment go well beyond just making employees happy at work. 

Let’s look at some of the key advantages: 

• Increased productivity: When employees feel empowered, they tend to be more motivated and engaged, which naturally boosts productivity.  
• Improved decision-making: Giving employees the freedom to make decisions helps them tackle challenges and seize opportunities more effectively.  
• Enhanced creativity: Empowered team members are more willing to share creative ideas and solutions, sparking innovation within the organization.  
• Higher retention rates: When people feel valued and have a say in their work and career development, they’re more likely to stay, which helps you improve employee retention and engagement. 
• Better customer service: Employees who are empowered often go above and beyond for customers, leading to a more satisfying experience for everyone.  

By giving employees the tools and resources they need, companies can create a win-win situation where both employees and the organization thrive and reap the benefits of employee empowerment.

What is an essential factor in employee empowerment?

What is an essential factor in employee empowerment? It’s trust. Possibly the largest factor in employee empowerment, trust between management and employees creates the foundation for better communication, collaboration, and decision-making. Without it, micromanagement seeps in and employee empowerment initiatives fall flat, leading to employees feeling frustrated, undervalued, and disengaged.

Employee empowerment examples in professional development

1. Provide different learning paths

Investing in continuous learning and development is really key when it comes to empowering your employees. Think about offering a mix of training programs, workshops, and online courses that cater to various skill levels and career paths. Encourage your employees to go after certifications and advanced degrees that align with their career goals. We like to refer  to it as “choose your own adventure” learning or employee-led development.

2. Foster a supportive culture

Create a team culture that values and supports employee growth. Encourage open communication, feedback, and collaboration. Recognize and celebrate achievements, no matter how small, to build a sense of accomplishment and motivation.

3. Delegate authority and responsibility

Empower employees by encouraging managers to delegate meaningful tasks and responsibilities as growth opportunities. Allow them to take ownership of projects and make decisions without constant oversight. This not only helps them learn new skills and build confidence but also creates a sense of accountability and pride in their work.

4. Provide the right tools and resources

Ensure employees have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed. This includes everything from software and equipment to information and support from colleagues and supervisors.

5. Encourage creativity

Create an environment where employees feel safe to share their ideas and take risks. Encourage brainstorming sessions, hackathons, and innovation challenges to stimulate creative thinking, problem-solving, and employee-driven growth.

6. Offer career development support

Provide regular career development support through a company mentorship program, coaching, and career planning sessions. Help employees identify their strengths and areas for improvement, and work with them to create a training roadmap for achieving their career goals.

Professional development employee empowerment examples

When companies prioritize employee empowerment in learning and development, they not only boost employee morale but also pave the way for company-wide success. Here are a few big employee empowerment examples in action.

Google's 20% Time

Google's 20% Time policy allows employees to spend 20% of their workweek on projects that interest them, even if they fall outside their regular job responsibilities. The freedom to explore personal interests and professional development has empowered employees to create innovative products like Gmail, Google Maps, and Google News. Employee-led development at Google not only fosters creativity but also aligns individual passions with the company’s mission.

Zappos' Holacracy

The popular online fashion retailer Zappos implemented a holacracy, a decentralized management system that distributes authority and decision-making across self-organizing teams. This approach empowers employees to take ownership of their work and collaborate without the rigid structure and authority of traditional workplace hierarchies.

Adobe's Kickbox

Adobe's Kickbox program provides employees with a red cardboard box containing everything they need to develop and pitch a new idea, including a prepaid credit card for prototyping expenses. This initiative encourages innovation and empowers employees to think like entrepreneurs.

Atlassian’s ShipIt Days

Atlassian, the software company behind products like Jira and Confluence, organizes ShipIt Days, where employees are given 24 hours to work on any project they choose. It’s open to everyone from new hires to senior executives and top leadership. As a result, these events encourage cross-functional collaboration and empower employees to develop new features, improve existing products, and explore innovative ideas. This form of Employee-led Growth at Atlassian has led to numerous product enhancements and improved team dynamics. In fact, the Jira Service Desk was born from a ShipIt Day event.

From their first event, which included 14 developers in one location, Atlassian’s ShipIt Days now attract 4,000 employees across 20 global locations.

Spotify’s Guilds and Chapters

Spotify, the popular music streaming company, organizes its engineering teams into “Guilds and Chapters." Guilds are communities of interest where employees can explore topics outside their regular job scope, while Chapters focus on specific skills or competencies. This structure allows employees to shape their learning journey and encourages knowledge-sharing across the organization.

Empower your employees to take charge of their professional growth

Employee empowerment is a powerful strategy for enhancing professional development and driving organizational success. By providing learning opportunities, creating a supportive culture, delegating authority, and encouraging innovation, HR professionals and L&D specialists can create an environment where employees have the tools and support to go above and beyond.

Empower your employees in their professional development by reading our whitepaper “Unlocking Employee-Led Growth: An L&D Strategy for Organizational Growth”. Download it here!