In an ideal workplace, the working environment would be full of happy, contributing, productive and empowered employees. You would keep them informed, include them in decisions and trust them to do the right thing.

You wouldn’t limit them by withholding any tools or information, and in return they would gain a sense of empowerment.

An employee’s sense of empowerment, contribution and accomplishment is an important asset to your organisation as it enables growth and productivity.

Below are the top 10 principals to ensuring employee engagement in your organisation.

10 principals to ensure employee engagement

1. Show that you value people

If a leader shows an employee that they value them through their actions and words, that employee will become empowered. As a leader, you must make conscious decisions to show employees that you regard each person’s individual value. To empower your employees, you must always show that you not only value them as employees, but as human beings as well.

2. Share the leadership vision

Always let employees have access to the leadership mission and vision through the inclusion of their opinion on decisions and input on big projects. This will make employees feel that they play a role in the “bigger picture” and increase their productivity and commitment.

3. Share the goals and direction

Including employees in the goal setting and planning stages they get to demonstrate their knowledge, ideas and experience. This not only empowers them, but also shows them that they are valued and therefore increases their loyalty and commitment to you as a leader. When implementing and setting goals and direction in the workplace, follow through on demonstrating your regard for your employees by including them in the implementation process.

4. Trust people

Trust is your most important asset when it comes to empowering your employees. Show your employees that you trust them to do the right thing by letting them make decisions. Make sure that your expectations are made clear; this will enable employees to relax, trust you, and set about accomplishing their tasks.

5. Provide information when making decisions

If employees are going to be making important decisions, ensure that they are provided with the relevant information to aid them through the process. This will enable them to make the best possible decision for your business.

6. Share authority and impact opportunities

Make sure that you don’t only just delegate more work to employees, let them do some of the fun stuff to! Give them the chance to work on product development, attended important meetings and make important decisions. By giving them these opportunities you enable them to grow and develop their skills, which will be an asset to your organisation.

7. Provide regular feedback

Make sure that you give regular feedback to employees so that they know how they are progressing. Feedback is a time for recognition and reward as well as improvement and coaching. This positive feedback will enable employees to evaluate and change their actions in the workplace, develop and grow their skills, and thereby become empowered.

8. Don’t blame people

When a problem occurs in the working environment, don’t pin point people and blame them. You need to ask yourself what the problem is, identify what workplace problem caused people to fail and then identify how to solve it. Do not just look at what is wrong with people. However, if the problem is of a large magnitude, look to punish those who are of guilt.

9. Listen and ask questions

Foster a work environment where people listen and communicate with each other. Communication is a crucial asset when working with groups of people, so it’s important that you make sure you do it. When you lead, you guide. You can do this by asking your employees questions. By asking these questions you enable employees to demonstrate their knowledge, thereby empowering them.

10.  Help Employees feel recognised and rewarded

It is important that if an employee is doing well and achieving results that you recognise and reward them. If an employee feels under-compensated, under-appreciated, under-titled and under-praised they will not deliver results. For employee empowerment, it is important that you recognise and reward any success.

By following these tips, you will empower your employees, thereby empowering your organisation.