boundaryless workplace

Worker empowerment can be achieved through creating a boundary-less work environment. This environment traverses old mechanisms of hierarchy and policy to stimulate creative thinking, collaboration, and the implementation of diverse business strategies and ideas. There are a few considerations to address before a boundary-less environment is established.

What (worker empowerment) Employee Benefits are Right for Us?

There are multiple benefits of no boundaries. Employers must consider which benefits make the most sense for them now and which ones they want to pursue in the future. Do they want to achieve employee autonomy? Improved collaboration, or workplace flexibility? Addressing the current areas of concern and opportunities within the company, will give leaders a good idea of which benefits to target first.

Do We Need to Update Our Technology?

Companies must review their existing technological capabilities and decide if they are equipped to encourage worker empowerment through a boundary-less environment. This will involve a few processes:

• Determine the tools needed to improve collaboration.
• Allow workers to bring their own devices to work that will foster communication, collaboration, and creativity.
• Tap the technological know-how of non-IT personnel.
• Shop around for various technologies that enable management of remote teams.

Align Empowerment with Company Strategy

Pick worker empowerment initiatives that fall in line with company strategy. For example, if a goal for your company is to create more brick and mortar stores, then pursuing a work from home empowerment initiative will not help to achieve this goal.

Leadership Buy In

Company leaders and managers must buy into worker empowerment initiatives and pursue strategies to make them happen. This can occur if: leadership buy in is communicated and demonstrated, if leaders visibly support and encourage boundary-less behaviors, and if leaders listen to and incorporate feedback.

Once these issues are addressed, companies will be ready to empower workers and empower their business.

In today’s knowledge economy, businesses that invest in worker empowerment initiatives, are developing self-sufficient and creative work cultures. By empowering workers with new policies and tools, organizations can tap into the full potential of all their employees. As markets become more complex, and physical offices convert into virtual offices, workers are the modern company’s greatest asset.

Worker empowerment along with a boundary-less workplace, are strategies that will strengthen the infrastructure of a business.

What is a Boundary-less Workplace?

A boundary-less workplace can be created by the dissolving of physical and social boundaries within the workplace. Boundaries created by technology, policy, culture, and hierarchy can be traversed by the following:

• Worker Empowerment via Technology. Mobile, social, and other technologies enable faster communication and collaboration amongst employees. SMAC stack also gives workers the ability to choose the hardware and peripherals they want to assist them in their work.
• Organizational Structure that Routes Particular Decisions to Qualified Parties. Decentralized decision making moves bosses out of their own way, by allowing employees to make specific decisions related to their area of expertise, as opposed to putting all decisions in the hands of company executives. This starts by executives and leaders encouraging workers to question, innovate, and learn.
• Determine When to Use Flexible Work. Cut down on employee hours at the office. Workers should not be forced to work in the office, if it is not necessary, this will increase employee satisfaction as they have the option to work from home.

Achieving work empowerment via boundary-less environments will be accelerated if these strategies are implemented. Empowerment inspires creativity, free communication, and contributes to happiness and work place satisfaction. In The Worker Empowerment Culture Part 2, we will discuss how to prepare your boundary-less business.