Many businesses today have been built with a top-down management approach.
In today’s business climate, however, Millennials are increasingly calling the shots and what they prefer is the empowerment approach. They want to be in the know. They want to feel connected to a greater purpose. They love the opportunity to collaborate. A team approach is what most young adults today prefer.
Research shows that the empowerment approach can provide a big boost to a company’s bottom line and foster its long-term growth and success. But moving toward an empowerment approach isn’t easy. Many employees — of all age groups — are accustomed to being told what to do by managers — and exactly how to do it.
One way to help transition employees away from a top-down management approach is to help them understand that they have flexibility in terms of how they approach projects and challenges. An informed workforce is key. Host regular meetings with your employees and share with them what’s going on — small developments as well as big-picture ones. Employees also need to know how much impact they individually have on the business they work for. Make sure everyone understands the ultimate goal you and they should be striving toward and how each employee is one (very!) important piece of the puzzle.