| The present era is of intense competition, | | | | are made to create a sense of ownership |
| increasing complexity, high uncertainty, and | | | | amongst the employees of the organization. Such |
| marginal profits. Meeting the challenges posed by | | | | sense of ownership can be created through a |
| such an environment is only possible through team | | | | number of measures, such as (a) creating a |
| work, concerted effort, innovation and | | | | spirited, innovative, learning environment where |
| adaptability, which traits are non-existent in the | | | | people are continuously looking for new ways to |
| organizations having conventional multi-layered | | | | satisfy customers, and have the liberty to |
| hierarchical structures. The answer lies in bringing | | | | experiment their innovative ideas; (b) affording |
| about change to remain competitive. Accordingly, | | | | small personal favours to employees, and caring |
| leading and managing change has become a key | | | | about their well being; and (c) decentralization and |
| responsibility and one of the success factors for | | | | delegation of various functions to grossroots level, |
| leaders and managers in most of the progressive | | | | which essentially means that the employees |
| organizations world-wide. Organizational change, | | | | should be given more autonomy to take initiative |
| however, is a complex process involving multiple | | | | and calculated risks when needed, without getting |
| interrelated aspects of an organization; changes in | | | | the permission of their seniors and without any |
| one part of the organization often have profound | | | | fear of reprimand. |
| effects on other parts. | | | | Empowered and talented workforce is the prime |
| In any organization in general, and in those with | | | | ingredient of organizational success. A critical |
| conservative management environment in | | | | feature of successful teams is that they enjoy a |
| particular, any change effort invites resistance | | | | high level of empowerment or decision making |
| from various directions, most importantly from | | | | authority. New knowledge based firms are flat in |
| within, because the managers feel threatened to | | | | hierarchical structure, where employees not only |
| lose power, whereas most of the work force | | | | can operate with minimal supervision and take the |
| have the fear of losing the job or some of the | | | | right decisions at the right time at their own, but |
| benefits in a changed, efficiency-based, | | | | also have a degree of freedom in managing their |
| result-oriented work environment. Therefore, for | | | | professional growth. The managers provide an |
| successful transformation efforts, a holistic, | | | | enabling environment wherein the employees can |
| people-focused approach encompassing formal | | | | select appropriate training courses for themselves |
| aspects such as structure and systems, as well | | | | to enhance their capabilities and skill level. The |
| as informal aspects, such as culture, | | | | managers assume more of a leadership, coaching, |
| communications, employee welfare, etc. is needed. | | | | and mentoring role and provide employees with |
| Over time it has transpired that traditional | | | | resources and working conditions they need to |
| hierarchical "command and control" organizations | | | | accomplish the agreed goals of the team and the |
| have been unsuccessfully struggling to gain an | | | | organization. |
| edge over their competitors, whereas | | | | Form the above discussion, it trickles down that |
| comparatively progressive organizations with | | | | remaining competitive in any business in the |
| flatter structures, which involved their employees | | | | present day business environment is possible only |
| during the conceptualization, planning and | | | | through change to keep pace with the changed |
| implementation stages of change, succeeded in | | | | realities, and the change can not be effective |
| achieving far better results to meet the growing | | | | without the involvement and empowerment of |
| demands for quality and flexibility through popular | | | | the employees of the organization. If the |
| change brought about through empowerment of | | | | employees feel good about themselves, they are |
| its employees. The desired results form change | | | | more creative and productive, and they do not |
| can not be achieved without the involvement and | | | | work hard because they are required to, but |
| ownership of the change by its employees. | | | | because they want to. In other words, employee |
| Therefore, it is imperative that before thinking of | | | | empowerment, can be and should be used as a |
| bringing about any change for betterment, efforts | | | | vehicle for change to achieve the desired results. |