Employee Empowerment -An Empirical Study

Table of contents

1. Introduction

he organization believes in enriching people's jobs and giving authority to exercise control over and take responsibility for outcomes of efforts. In 21 st century the industrial organizations are more concerned about knowledge workers because they are the real drivers of business. An empowering organization emphasizes on autonomy, proper information and individual participation for organizational excellence. In order to achieve empowerment, the executives must ensure that employees having the right mix of information, knowledge, power and rewards to work more enthusiastically. However, from a long-term perspective, rising incomes, improved affordability and untapped markets present promising opportunities for automobile manufactures in India.

Empowerment thus helps to create autonomy for employees, allows the sharing of responsibility and power at all levels, builds employee self-esteem and energizes the work force for better performance. At the individual level the personal factors which are facilitating empowerment are: challenging jobs, enthusiasm, competence, maturity, self-esteem, etc. most of these factors can be enhanced through training and develop-ment as these are playing a catalytic role in promoting employee empowerment and involvement.

A new way of management is employee empowerment or participative management involving the people responsible for the work processes-the people who know the processes best is where quality starts. Some think that employees work only for financial return. If they are incapable to be an integral part of the organization, this may be true. Allowing employees to have independence and feedback within the organization is what makes the empowerment process successful.

When employees are empowered, their confidence degree and self-reliance will increase. This extra confidence is a good thing because it creates job satisfaction and high levels of productivity. However, in some cases, confidence levels can be taken too far and end up crossing the line into arrogance. Arrogant employees are difficult to deal with, don't take direction well and can become insubordinate. Working in this type of work environment takes its toll on employees and they once again become dissatisfied with their job and productivity levels decrease. The research is to find out the empowerment of employees who is working in Manatec Electronics Pvt. Ltd., which is located in Union Territory of Puducherry State. The study is obviously to understand the level of freedom given to the employees to do their jobs in effective manner. Finally, the research is used the various statistical tools to measure the level of satisfaction of employees at research area.

2. II.

Literature Review Klagge J. (1998) sees the literature in a way indicating the meaning of empowerment as to release improved "power and authority" along with the relevant duties and expertise to employees. Empowerment seems to be a powerful management tool, which is used to exchange the shared vision that the organization expects to materialize into common goals. The reality is that empowerment could be utilized as an expression to explain diverse plans providing an expedient oratory, advocating that empowerment is hypothetically a fine object that fabricates a, win-win" condition for workers and administrators (Raquib A. 2010).

Empowerment has been defined in numerous ways, but most authors agree that the core element of empowerment involves giving employees a discretion (or latitude) over certain task related activities. Randolph (1995) defines employee empowerment as "a transfer of power" from the employer to the employees. Blanchard

3. Year ( )

A et al. (1996) for instance argued that empowerment is not only having the freedom to act, but also having higher degree of responsibility and accountability. This indicates that management must empower their employees so that they can be motivated, committed, satisfied and assist the organization in achieving its objectives.

Ideas to various social reform movements in the 1960 and 1970 social reform movements such as the civil rights movement, feminism, and others. Potterfield (1999) indicates that through personal conversation with management and employee empowerment experts, he found that these experts were uncertain about when and where the term was used in management and organizational studies. Recently, Thomas and Velthouse (1990) advocated seeking alternative perspectives on empowerment that distinguish between situational attributes (e.g. management practices) and job incumbent cognition about those attributes (e.g. psychological empowerment).

Similarly, argue that management practices are only one set of conditions and that those practices may empower employees but will not necessarily do so. Employees can be empowered psychologically through supporting mechanisms such as those that build competencies, motivation, and knowledge sharing, placing employees in control of their work-place destiny (Sprietzer 1996). Ozaralli (2003), Where there is commitment to make change, employee empowerment becomes a function of transformational leadership. Under such a leadership perspective there is a sense of mission, pride, faith, respect, excitement and commitment. Transformational leaders will exist at all levels of the organisation, coaching staff, providing formative learning, and delegating responsibility through assigning projects that contain appropriate learning experiences. They will encourage innovative approaches to work and a critical reasoning approach to decisionmaking. "Transformational leaders create a dynamic organizational vision that often necessitates a metamorphosis in cultural values to reflect greater innovation. We can also propose that transformational behaviors on the part of leaders promote empowering cultural norms" (Ozaralli 2003).

4. III.

5. Objectives of the Study

? To know and understand whether the present organizational structure values and policies are adoptable to the employees in the company. ? To determine the employees participations and satisfactions in various decision making process.

? To analyze the effectiveness of training and motivational techniques adopted by the management to empower the employee.

? To assess whether the present employee's empowerment have enhanced the productivity of the organization ? To provide valuable suggestions and recommendations for enhancement of employees empowerment.

6. IV.

Need for the Study V.

7. Scope for Further Study

? The study can be used as a reference for future research in the same area. ? The study can be used to bring changes in future training provided by employees in the organization. ? The study can be used by the organization for considering employees perception. ? The study is helpful for the management in understanding the employee's attitude towards the employees' empowerment.

VI.

8. Limitations of the Study

? The study may be applicable only to Manatec Electronics Private Limited, Pondicherry. ? The duration of the study is limited. So it may not be able to cover the entire scope. ? The data have been collected from the present permanent employees only. So it may vary in the future. ? Few respondents answers were found to be personally biased. ? The researcher had to conduct the survey in the regional language due to low qualification of the employees.

9. VII.

number of sample selected for the study. The sample size for this study is fixed at 22 respondents. Probability sampling technique has been used for this study. Under this Simple random sampling method was adopted for selecting the sample item. The total population are from Manatec Electronic Private Limited. By adopting simple random method, it is proposed to select 22 respondents from the company. Data are the basic input to any decision making processing of data gives statistics of importance of the study. Primary data was collected through Questionnaire. The data those which are collected as fresh for the first time and happen to be original in character. Secondary data were collected from Company Websites. Simple percentage method, Chi-square method, ANOVA method and Correlation method.

VIII.

10. Data Analysis and Discussion

a) Demographic Analysis From the above table it is inferred that 23.3% of respondents are at the age of 26-33 years and 2% of respondents are at the age of above 49. It is inferred that 54.5%of the respondents are Female and remaining 45.5% of them are male. Then 45.5% of respondents experience are from 6 to10 years and 9.1% of the respondents experience are above 15 years. The table it is inferred that 27.3% of respondents education qualification is ITI and 22.7% respondents education qualification is SSLC. It is inferred that 50% of the respondents said income level is10001-15000 and 9.1% that their income level is from 25000-above.

11. b) Data Analysis With Chi Square Hypothesis

H 0 -There is no relationship between gender and I have mastered the skill necessary for the job. H 1 -There is between the gender and I have mastered the skill necessary for the job.

12. Global Journal of Management and Business Research

Volume XVII Issue IV Version I Year ( ) From the SPSS output, it is generated that the significant value is less than 0.05, therefore null hypothesis is rejected and alternate hypothesis is accepted. In the above obtained result value is less than .042 so accepted the null hypothesis. Hence there is a significant association between the gender of and I have mastered the skills. From the SPSS output, it is generated the correlation value is .058 and the significant value is 0.799 which is greater than 0.05 the null hypothesis is reject. Hence, there is a negative correlation between I am self assured about my capabilities to perform my work activities.

A

13. c) Data Analysis with Correlation

14. d) Data Analysis with Anova H 0 -There is no significant difference between the gender and self assured about my capabilities to perform my work activities your work.

H 1 -There is a significant difference between the gender and self assured about my capabilities to perform my work activities your work. From the above calculation it is found that p value is 0.508 which greater than 0.05, hence we accept the null hypothesis and concludes that there is no significant association between gender and self assured about my capabilities to perform my work activities your work.

15. IX. Suggestions and Recommendations

The management may consider the work load of all the employees and distribute the work and responsibility accordingly.

Employees meeting can be conducted on a regularly basis. This will enable the employees to exhibit the various constraints in their job. Not only will this also enable them to start their view towards the growth and development of the organization. Employees must be encouraged to participate at their fullest extent in their meetings. This will make the employees to think positively about the organization and in turn it will boost their morale towards the organization.

16. Year ( )

A 2017 Employee Empowerment -An Empirical Study

During meeting, the ideas and opinion of the employees should be taken into consideration. By doing this, the management can invite innovative solution for the existed organizational problem. Supervision can be made moderately flexible this will enable the employees to express their individual problem freely to the management. Frequency of training can be increased in order to enhance the skills of the employees in their job.

Effective feedback system must be followed to identify the exact deviation in the employees' performance which in turn may help in identifying training needs. The feeling of job security can be given to develop assertive attitude in the employees towards their organization. Training on updated technology can also be given on the periodical basis. Various self and personality development can be conducted to empower the employees. Employees can also be empowered by assisting them in pursuing higher education. Employees job can further be enhanced by maintain the equipments in a good condition. The content of training must also be improved in order to bring highest satisfaction in their learning.

X.

17. Conclusion

The study has put forth and analyzed the various efforts taken by Manatec Private Limited Puducherry in empowering their employees. The study analyzed various strategies adopted by the management for employee empowerment. The study explains that employee empowerment is a kind of motivational strategy which gives the employees a sense of satisfaction towards their job and organization. From the study, the researcher has analyzed that the employees are satisfied with the various factors such as employee trainings, self development programmers, employee meetings, employee participation in the various activities and consideration of their ideas and opinion. By this, the researcher concludes that employee empowerment in the organization is at fair level. But at the same time, the study stresses that empowering the employees at the fair level is not at all enough for yielding expected profit and improving the productivity. Therefore, the management may consider the suggestions that are highlighted in the project.

Figure 1. ?
Figure 2. Table 8 . 1 :
81
Socio Demographic Profile Categories No. of Respondents Percentage
18-25 3 13.6
26-33 6 27.3
Age 34-41 5 22.7
42-49 6 27.3
Above 49 2 9.1
Gender Male Female 10 12 45.5 54.5
0.5 years 4 18.2
Years of Experience 6-10 year 11-16 years 10 6 45.5 27.3
15 years 2 9.1
SSLC 5 22.7
Education ITI Diploma 6 6 27.3 27.3
Under Graduate 5 22.7
3000 -10000 3 13.6
Income Status 10001-15000 15001 -25000 11 6 50 27.3
25000 -Above 2 9.1
Figure 3. Table 8 . 2 :
82
Particulars Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 9.900 a 4 .042
Likelihood Ratio 12.093 4 .017
Linear-by-Linear Association 5.453 1 .020
No. of Valid Cases 22
a. 10 cells (100.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .45.
Figure 4. Table 8 . 3 :
83
I am self assured
about my I have mastered the
Particulars capabilities to skills necessary for
perform my work my job
activities
I am self assured about my Pearson Correlation 1 .058
capabilities to perform my Sig. (2-tailed) .799
work activities N 22 22
Pearson Correlation .058 1
I have mastered the skills necessary for my job Sig. (2-tailed) .799
N 22 22
Figure 5. Table 8 . 4 :
84
Particulars Observed N Expected N Residual
Male 10 11.0 -1.0
Female 12 11.0 1.0
Total 22
Figure 6. Table 8 . 5 :
85
Particulars Observed N Expected N Residual
Strongly Disagree 5 4.4 .6
Disagree 2 4.4 -2.4
Neutral 7 4.4 2.6
Agree 4 4.4 -.4
Strongly agree 4 4.4 -.4
Total 22
Table 8.6: Test Statistics
Particulars Gender I am self assured about my capabilities to perform my work activities
Chi-Square .182 a 3.000 b
Df 1 4
Asymp. Sig. 0.67 0.558
a. 0 cells (.0%) have expected frequencies less than 5.
The minimum expected cell frequency is 11.0
b. 5 cells (100.0%) have expected frequencies less than 5.
The minimum expected cell frequency is 4.4
Table 8.7: ANOVA
Income level Sum of Squares Df Mean Square F Sig.
Between Groups 1.744 3 0.581 0.803 0.508
Within Groups 13.029 18 0.724
Total 14.773 21
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Appendix A

Appendix A.1 Research Methodology

Research is the process of systematic and in depth study or search of any particular topic, subject or area of investigation, backed by collection, compilation, presentation and Inference of relevant details or data. The research used Descriptive Research design. Descriptive Research design means fact finding one. The researcher used this research design is to find out the fact of respondents attitude and opinion about employee empowerment. Sample size denotes the

Appendix B

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  3. A Ggrounded Model of Organizational Schema Change During Empowerment. G Labianca , B Gray , D Brass . Organizational Science 2000. 11 (2) p. .
  4. Social structural characteristics of psychological empowerment. G M Spreitzer . Academy of Management Journal 1996. 39 p. .
  5. Employee Work Quality and Success of Innovative, H Martin , G G Hans . 2001.
  6. The empowering leadership questionnaire: the construction and validation of a new scale for measuring leader behaviors. J A Arnold , S Arad , J A Rhoades , F Drasgow . Journal of Organizational Behavior 2000. 21 (3) p. .
  7. The empowerment process: integrating theory and practice. J A Conger , R N Kanungo . Academy of Management Review 1988. 13 (3) p. .
  8. The empowerment process: integrating theory and practice. J A Conger , R N Kanungo . Academy of Management Review 1988. 13 (3) p. .
  9. Does empowerment always work: Understanding the role of intrinsic motivation and personal interpretation. K & Thomas , W Tymon . Journal of Management Systems 1994. 6 (3) .
  10. Cognitive Elements of Empowerment: an 'interpretive model' of intrinsic task motivation. K W Thomas , B A Velthouse . Academy of Management Review 1990. 15 p. .
  11. Beyond Self-Management: Antecedent and Consequences of Employee Empowerment. L Bradley , B R Kirkman . The Academy of Management Journal 1999. 42 p. .
  12. Cultivating Communities of Practices: A Guide to Managing Knowledge. N M Ashkanasy , E C Wenger , R Mcdermott , W C Snyder , Book . Personnel Psychology 2002. 2002. Harvard Business. 55 (3) p. .
  13. Effect of Transformational Leadership on Empowerment and Team Effectiveness. N Ozaralli . Leadership & Organizational Development Journal 2003. 24 (5/6) p. .
  14. , Projects . A Theoretical Concept and Empirical Organization Science 12 (4) p. .
  15. Empowerment: a matter of degree. R C Ford , M D Fottler . Academy of Management Executive 1995. 9 (3) p. .
  16. The Relation Between Conscientiousness, Empowerment and Performance. Riette Sutherland , De Bruin , P & Gidgeon , Freddie Crous . Journal of Human Resource Management 2007. 5 (2) p. .
  17. The Business of Employee Empowerment: Democracy and Ideology in the Workplace, T A Potterfield . 1999. Westport, Connecticut: Quorum Books.
  18. Navigating the journey to empowerment. W A Randolph . Organizational Dynamics 1995. 24 (4) p. .
Notes
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Employee Empowerment -An Empirical Study
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Date: 2017-01-15