Empowerment: The Future of Hiring
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Some of us remember the empowerment craze of the 90’s. Empowerment was a type of training program that put decision-making in the hands of front line employees. Unfortunately, empowerment just became a corporate buzzword and we know what happens with buzzwords.
We’re not talking about that type of empowerment today.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of empowerment is “to promote the self-actualization of”. Self-actualization is, according to Abraham Maslow, our desire to achieve our greatest potential. Even at work. So, companies that create an empowering hiring process are helping candidates reach their highest potential.
What exactly does that mean? Job candidates want to be empowered. If you think about it, it’s one of the reasons they are looking for a new opportunity in the first place. Candidates want to achieve their greatest potential. They’re not finding it at their current employer. Using Maslow’s Hierarchy, here’s a way to visualize what new hires want.
If candidates currently have a job with good pay and benefits but don’t get recognition, they will seek it out. Candidates will look for a company that embraces recognition. Internally, companies need to realize that employees are doing this. This becomes the foundation for a conversation about employee engagement and retention.
From the hiring side, companies need to realize this as well and shift focus toward showcasing empowerment in their hiring process. Candidates who feel empowered become employees who feel empowered. And empowered employees are engaged and therefore, they stay. For candidates, an empowering hiring process means an empowering career. Here’s are five specific steps human resources departments can do to create a more empowering recruiting process:
- Design challenging jobs. It all starts here with job design. In my opinion, human resources is the architect of work. They have the responsibility of designing jobs people want to do. No one wants to get up each day and go to a boring job.
- Make the right first impression. From the company career site to the new hire’s first day on the job, human resources is influential in designing the onboarding experience. Keeping the focus on building relationships and empowering employees helps the company achieve its goals.
- Strengthen recognition within the culture. Everyone in the company should know how to properly recognize someone for a job well done. Recognition is not something reserved for management. As more organizations turn to hiring teams, demonstrating recognition at all levels will be important.
- Develop teams, don’t just build teams. Team building and team development are two different things. Both are important, but team development creates the skills for empowerment to occur. Including team development in employee onboarding sets the new hire up for success.
- Offer competitive compensation and benefits. Take the money conversation off the table. Everyone wants more money. But, by providing an internally equitable and externally competitive pay package, employees can focus on results.
- Make the workplace comfortable. Employees do their best when they are surrounded by a safe workplace. They are willing to take risks, step out of their comfort zone, and push the boundaries when they know the work environment will support them.
With all the talk these days about the candidate experience, what if organizations focused their candidate experience on hiring an empowering workforce? If new hires are positioned for self-actualization, think of the impact it would have:
Authenticity – Workplace relationships are based on trust.
Inclusion – Differences are respected and encouraged.
Emotional intelligence – Communication improves at every level in the organization.
Autonomy – Employees feel in control of their careers.
As human resources professionals, we are constantly looking for these four qualities in our employees, managers, and leaders. Companies benefit when the workforce is built on the foundation of authenticity, inclusion, emotional intelligence, and autonomy. Empowerment points us in that direction.
Oh, and P.S. if you’re going to the HR Technology Conference and Expo, be sure to stop by the TalentWise booth (#1335) and say hello. Tell them HR Bartender sent you.
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