Support, Autonomy can Foster Better Employee Engagement
In research with the Human Capital Institute, we see a split between the type of management style being used in organizations and the type that is viewed as most effective. “Authoritative” and “direct” were words used to describe the predominant management style experienced by research participants, yet they used terms like “coaching” and “supportive” to describe the most effective management style. Gavin R. Slemp and Lara H. Mossman of the University of Melbourne found similar results in their meta-analysis of more than 30,000 employees around the world.
Using the words “controlling” and “autonomy supportive” to describe these two opposing leadership styles, Slemp and Mossman explain that “A controlling leadership style is restraining and suffocating, whereas an autonomy supportive style is empowering, treating the employee like a self-directed agent who can think and act for themselves. Leaders may not entirely conform to one style over the other, but the more autonomy supportive a leader can be, the better the outcomes for their employees.”
The analysis drew on data from people who, to varying degrees, have experienced autonomy supportive leadership. Slemp and Mossman found that this type of leadership supports greater intrinsic motivation, workplace well-being, job satisfaction, committed and loyal employees, and higher work engagement. They also found that employees under this leadership style were less likely to suffer burnout. These findings held up regardless of the employee’s national culture.
When employees are highly engaged and satisfied, their organizations are also likely to benefit. So, how can organizations and leaders better support employee autonomy?
According to the study, leaders should focus on positively influencing employee work motivation, performance and psychological functioning. They can do so in a number of ways, including:
- Allowing employees to make their own choices and have a say in larger decisions
- Encouraging self-initiated behaviors while providing guidance and boundaries when necessary
- Showing an interest in the perspective of their employees and being empathetic to employees’ concerns
- Encouraging ownership over projects and goals by clearly communicating why the projects are important
- Avoiding controls that restrain autonomy such as micro-management and tangible sanctions or rewards to elicit desired behaviors or results
Lisa Cunningham
Lisa Cunningham is a freelance writer and social media consultant. She holds a master’s degree in professional writing with a focus on web content development from Chatham University and a bachelor’s degree in English writing and communication from the University of Pittsburgh.
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