The Compelling Case for Giving Employees More Freedom

This week’s Friday Resource was originally published by Inc. and builds a case along with tips for giving employees more freedom.  

Growing research shows that employee autonomy leads to higher levels of workplace satisfaction and improves workplace performance by allowing creativity to flourish. It also grants a sense of ownership and accountability while spurring productivity.

Bellhops, a startup company employing students from around the country to coordinate and assist with residential moving jobs, allows its contracts to have total autonomy over their schedule, who they work with, and how much money they make.

Per Bellhops and Shelley Prevost, Co-Founder and CEO of Torch, here are some tips for creating more autonomy in your workplace.

1. Relinquish the 9-5. “People are all different. Some do their best work in the early morning. Some prefer to grind it out on the weekends or in the wee small hours of the morning. Having a choice in deciding when you will do your best work is extremely empowering. Many managers still insist on the 9-5 for one reason only—control. They lack the trust to relinquish control over employees’ schedules. If you mandate desk time between 9 and 5 in order to see your employees working, may I suggest that you 1) haven’t hired the right people, or 2) might have some controlling tendencies.”

2. Instill values through training. “Don’t just expect your company vision—as great as it might be—to be sufficient in motivating employees. What are your values and why should it matter to them? Employees want to feel aligned with your company and you do that by making your operating values very apparent. Don’t make them guess at your expectations. Be very clear about what you value–and then make sure you’re living it!”

Read the full article and the rest of the tips here.

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