Welcome to week 2 of our deep dive into building employee engagement.

This week we're talking all things AUTONOMY.

The definition is often said to be about giving employees the freedom to work in a way that suits them, deciding how and when their work should be done.

But the critical piece that underpins this is that it's in the context of them working towards an explicit goal.

In other words, it's freedom within a framework.

This includes things like employees setting their own schedule & deadlines, deciding where to work, designing their own processes and helping define company goals.

At the other end of the spectrum are micro managers who erode trust, cause frustration and reduce people's productivity.

And yet it's precisely when leaders loosen their grip that they're able to get more from their teams.

Let that sink in for a minute;

Less control = more value

So why is this the case?

Benefits of Autonomy

Productivity & Innovation Boost - Workplaces based on conformity struggle to evolve whereas empowering cultures cultivate innovation, helping organisations to take giant strides forward and outsmarting their competition!

Self-reliance & Resilience - These two critical leadership qualities encourage independent thought and problem-solving which in turn encourages individuals to take responsibility for their own skillset development and personal growth. So as a collective, you get smarter!

Increased Job Satisfaction & Retention - Allowing people to operate at their own pace and by their own rules brings a greater sense of personal achievement and fulfilment where people tend to stick around. And teams with higher tenure are better able to get into their groove without the disruption of team churn.

Ideas for Action 👉

• Set Crystal Clear Goals & Benchmarks: I'm a big fan of benchmarks, whether internal or external and also calling out what bad looks like as well as good. I used to do this with my team on all innovation projects to help set the vision and bring to life what I needed from them.
• Embrace Difference: Increased workplace autonomy embraces the concept that not everyone's the same. Each member of your team may have a different approach to getting stuff done but the results should speak for themselves. When people feel trusted, they will be more engaged.
• Provide Support & Advice as Needed: Stepping in doesn't mean taking control, it's about offering guidance to get the project back on track. This may include providing resources or skills training or even just words of encouragement.

As a leader, you really do have the ability to create the conditions to attract and retain those beautifully skilled employees who make the magic happen and get the job done. 💫

Painting🖼️

This time I painted "Embracing Freedom", a woman on the precipice of adventure, feeling in control of her own destiny.

As always, I encourage you to take a moment out of your busy week to reflect on what I've shared whilst watching this short timelapse of me painting!