Sense of Ownership: Is it too difficult to achieve?

As covered in my previous blog, how Engagement is different from Ownership, I will continue in this blog with what kind of simple programs help achieving Sense of Ownership among employees.

Is it too difficult to achieve a culture in the Organization, where each employee has the sense of ownership towards the Company?

Is it too difficult to achieve an environment where employees are self motivated and feel for the Company as their OWN ORGANIZATION, their OWN GOALS, their OWN SUCCESS and their OWN FAILURE?

As I always say, these are simple and cost effective ways of implementing and achieving the target, and there must be sure more complicated and expensive ways of achieving this.

Here are few quick tips on how this transformation can be achieved: 

1.      Driving Employee Engagement and Empowerment Strategies. Documenting Levels of Authority and Decision Making Matrix:

‘Employee Engagement’ - the word, the policy most companies focus on these days. There are so many methods established to achieve the same.

But now it is time for Empowerment strategy. Clearly define the levels of authority for each job function and their levels of decision making powers. This will give each employee a clear understanding of his role, will give him more freedom and sense of decision making and thus he will feel more connected and involved in decision making process, overall increasing his sense of ownership towards the Job and feeling that “The failure of his decision making will be failure of his company’s process as well as himself. (Own Failure)”

2.      Open Communication, better connectivity and Transparency at work:

Creating a transparent environment at work is most important part of this process. This can be achieved by boasting about this policy through open seminars, sharing company's plans and strategies.  Sharing Company's success and failures. Periodical e- newsletters and messages from Management, all of this will help achieve fair amount of transparency and connectivity among the employees. “Employees will get to know their Organization more and will Own it by knowing the in and out. (Own Organization)”

3.      Inviting new ideas and encouraging participation:

Initiating contests and competitions or taking opinions for upcoming projects among the work group. Eg. Contest of logo design for upcoming project. Employees will not only feel their contribution towards the new projects but will also take initiatives and ownerships of work and treat it as their own. “It will become easy for them to define their milestones and their goals for the project. (Own Goals)”

4.      Democratic work culture:

Having a Democratic culture where votes/ views of employees are appreciated and converted into action, eventually increasing employees’ sense of responsibility and decision making.” This will again give them the sense of Own Project, Own Organization, Own decision, Own Success, Own Failure”

5.      Culture where every employee is equal:

Redefining Organizational Structure with less hierarchy levels and open work system (not too many reporting managers up the hierarchy). Creating a flat working environment increases employee involvement and engagement towards the company. It generates sense of ownership for the projects and overall company’s goals because “Each individual is the boss of their own work and are responsible for its success or failures. (Own Goals and Success)”.

6.      Outsource work to employees rather than assigning work:

Giving freedom to employees to Organize and define their working patterns in order to achieve final result and Managers not forcing particular methods or regular unwanted checks on the progress of the work. “This will again result in employees taking initiatives in owning the project and defining their Goals and Success”.

7.      Coaching and Mentoring instead of Training and Development:

Encouraging a work culture of Coaching and mentoring and having an air of trust. Educating Managers about the effectiveness of passing on ownership and trusting the team.

8.      Rewarding Plan:

Implement a rewarding plan for Employees based on their ability to take decisions and convert them into actions.

9.      Understanding that Failure is important part of learning:

Drive a Culture where failures are accepted as learning and employees are given chance and mentoring to improve and Unlearn and Learn and relearn.

10.  Quick Turnaround time:

Having a system where potential ideas and opportunities don’t have to wait for long chain of approvals. A system with quick turnaround time gives confidence of been heard.

These are few bare minimum tips that can be implemented in any size company. There are definitely more ways of creating the sense of Ownership. Hope you guys like it. Do comment, would be nice to know your views and more ideas!!

Happy HRgiri!!