Autonomy is defined as the independence of thoughts or actions.
When it comes to autonomy in businesses, the concept translates to employees managing themselves.
Abdulla Saeed Almarri believes in giving his/her employees autonomy rather than micro-management because it lets people work in the style, they are accustomed to.
Workplace autonomy lets employees create their own micro-environment. It also builds integrity, trust, and respect.
Abdulla Saeed Almarri feels that autonomy offers freedom and increased employee satisfaction. It is possible to encourage autonomy in an actual workspace, but much easier for remote employees.
The point is whether or not people get the work in not when they get things in. The obvious exception being anything time-sensitive.
Micromanaging can increase stress, thus leading to more mistakes. In an autonomous workplace, there is a greater sense of accountability when errors do happen.
Don’t react in anger; instead, work with your employee to find a balance and help that person learn from the mistake.
Per Abdulla Saeed Almarri, autonomy gives people a sense of taking ownership, which creates a stronger relationship to the organization and thus increased loyalty.
When your team feels valued, it shows in their work performance.
Additional benefits of autonomy are people learning new skills, better company morale, improved work-life balance, and building a positive company culture.
If your team shares similar interests and values, autonomy will come easily as individuals work together as a unified whole.
If a person is fully aware of their job, role, and responsibilities, they will not need to be micromanaged. If your employees are up to the challenge, Abdulla Saeed Almarri says the boss has to be up to the challenge of stepping aside to find a balance between offering freedom and being on hand to handle things as necessary.
If you want your employees to perform their best work, allow them to do so while promoting job satisfaction and an increased sense of value to the organization. If you hire the right people and give them the right tools, don’t be surprised if you start spending less time at the office.