Being a good leader isn’t easy. It’s not something you can become in a day, a week, or even a year. It takes years of practice and time to develop the kind of skills it takes to manage and lead well. One of those skills—and arguably the most important of them—is communication.
 
It’s crucial that business leaders and managers take the time to develop their communication skills and learn how to treat people well. Happy employees, after all, means better work and reduced turnover. Here’s what you need to know to create more empowerment and engagement in your workplace for better performance and morale.
 
Create A Positive and Empowering Work Environment
 
Leadership has evolved over the last hundred years. Different styles have emerged, and leaders can use a combination of techniques to create a positive and empowering work environment. It’s important for leaders to understand the different styles of leadership, so that they can pick and choose what works for their organization—and avoid what doesn’t.
 
The leadership team sets the tone for the entire organization. In order to empower employees and create a positive work environment, leaders can’t step back and wait for employees to ask for what they need. Defining clear roles, while still allowing employees to have autonomy gives people enough guidance to feel confident without feeling like they’re being micromanaged.
 
A positive and empowering environment isn’t built in a day. You need to encourage and believe in your employees on an ongoing basis, listen to them, support them, and hold people accountable—including yourself. Passing blame onto others and holding your employees to higher standards than you hold for yourself is a recipe for resentment, not empowerment. 
 
Respect Employees as People and Show Their Value
 
This might seem obvious, but your employees want to be treated like people. Some leaders just don’t get this, and make their team feel devalued on a regular basis. No matter how your employees are performing on any given task, your value of the person behind the work should never falter. You need to show your employees that even when they’re struggling with something, you value them, empathize, and are willing to provide support as best you can. Respect and humanity always wins, even when, and especially when, you have to have tough conversations.
 
There are Benefits to Creating Engaged Employees
 
When a person feels engaged at work, they’re energized and productive. They’re doing their best work, and they’re probably not watching the clock until it’s time to go home. Creating engagement is one of the most difficult challenges leaders face, but successfully engaging employees has a wide range of benefits.
 
People who feel valued at work and are part of a positive atmosphere tend to have better self-esteem, and they’re more likely to want to be at work producing good work. Companies in the top quartile of engagement see 37% lower absenteeism rates than their less-engaged competitors. When people feel stimulated, challenged, and valued as human beings, the bottom line improves. It’s that simple.
 
To Thrive in Business You Need an Empowered Team
 
Your culture and organizational values are key to creating an empowered team. It’s important to brand your business with values, a mission, and goals your employees can align with. With strong values and employee empowerment, organizations can thrive.
 
There are several steps to improving engagement, and the change that is required to create this kind of empowerment can be uncomfortable. People don’t like change, even if it will create a stronger outcome in the long run.
 
Leaders need to first ensure that everyone is in the right role and give them the training they need to be successful. After that, people need to receive meaningful tasks and have support. Leaders need to check in on a regular basis, both on the work and engagement levels. That’s what makes for ongoing engagement—adaptation as often as necessary.
 
Being a Role Model
 
As a leader, you have to juggle a wide range of responsibilities. It’s up to managers to lead, listen and communicate, and make sure that all employees have a voice and a place in the company. Leaders are role models for employees, and if you treat everyone with the respect and value you deserve, that will go a long way toward creating an empowered and engaged team.