The Making of an Empowered Workforce:

Demystifying a Case of Practicing Indian

Organisation

M M Bagali, PhD

Jain university, India

sanbag@rediffmail.com

www.jainuniversity.ac.in

agenda

• Why such study in empowerment area

• How and what this company uniquely practiced

• Lessons to learn

the thinking

• How can HR be innovatively developed, managed and

nurtured

• Crystallizing the reasons as to “WHY TOP COMPANIES” are

different

• To explore conditions that makes workplace empowered

the studies

• Pati,1997

• Sengupta and

Shaikh,1997

• Venkatachalam,

1998

• Dwivedi,1998

• Mohapatra,1998

• Tripathy,1999

• Barnes and Kaftans, 1970, 1985

• Myron Eichen,1989

• Marjorie Reynolds,

1991

• Michael Quarrey,

1992

• Cyndy Payne,1993

• Bo Burlingham, 1999

work of prominence

• Foundation for Enterprise Development – FED, and Beyster Institute for

Entrepreneurial Employee Ownership , USA

• Argyris, Chris (1998):“Empowerment: The Emperor’s new Clothes”,

Harvard Business Review, May-June, pp: 98 -105

• Kantar, R. M , 1977, 1979, 1989,1995

• Lawler, E. E III , 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1995

the impressions

Adi Godrej,Chairman and MD, Godrej Soaps ltd,1992

“It has opened my eyes in best people management practices”

Ricardo F Semler,Chairman, SEMCO, Brazil, 1994

“I have seen an exceptionally empowerment practiced at workplace”

Sri Sharadrao Pawar,Ex-CM, present Cabinet Minister, GOI,1997

“Congrats for good work done in people management strategies”

Thus, Polyhydron Private Limited -PPL : A Case

the workWorkers Empowerment :

A Study of Polyhydron Private Limited,

Belgaum, Karnataka State, IndiaEstablished in 1981-82

Address: # 80, Machhe Industrial Estate,Machhe, Belgaum- 590014,Karnataka State

website: www.polyhydron.com

The need for research work

HR is crucial and empowerment systems and practices are important components

To look at the Renaissance Strategies for Creating High Performance Workforce and workplace

Thus, an enquiry into various empowerment systems and practices

Theoretical and Conceptual framework

E M POWER M E N T

em-pow-er-ment (im-pau [-] r-ment)

Oxford English Dictionary says, to empower is

“to authorize, to enable”

Rosabeth Moss Kanter (1977)

Professor at Harvard Business School,

Ernest L. Arbuckle Professorship

“giving power to people who operate at an advantage in

the organization success”

Bowen and Lawler (1992)

Director, the Centre for Effective Organization, University

of Southern California,

“ Complete Power to make decisions that influence

organizational direction and performance”

essentially, empowerment

• an environment where absolute control is given up, allowing everyone make decisions, set goals, accomplish results and receive rewards

• it liberates people from constraints such as checking with the boss before taking actions

• decision-making authority and responsibility percolates from managers to the employees at the lowest rung, and to everyone, per se

why an enquiryo The syntax of empowerment is simple… give

people the freedom and power at

workplace, they will surely grow the

organization responsibly [Let us look at the

concept ]

o What are the areas and dimensions of

practicing empowerment

o What are the limitations one faces, when

you empower employees

research objectives� to understand factors that contribute to

empowerment--the systems, practices,

policy and the leadership

� understand the impact of empowering

employees at workplace

participation

Total 73 Responded 60

areas of enquiry

Accountability / Bureaucracy / Culture / Leadership/

Management Style and approach / Structure / liberty /

Communication / Decision Making / Discipline/ Ethos /

Industrial Democracy / Knowledge Sharing / Ownership

Culture / Organizational Health / Power Distribution/

Responsibility Sharing / Transparency / Information sharing

/ Degree of trust & loyalty……….

data collection

Pre Pilot Observation

Pre Pilot Observation

Observed the

System

Observed the

System

Questionnaire

Administered

Questionnaire

Administered

Case-by-

Case

discussion

Case-by-

Case

discussion

Discussion

with CEO

Discussion

with CEO

Pooling all the

responses

Pooling all the

responses

The format of Data collection from Employees

Observed the system

Discussion with CEO

System/ Practices interface

Case by case discussion

Back to CEO

Pooling all responses in

presence of all

The format of Data collection from CEO / MD

• An in-formal observation over a period

• Discussion with CEO at one-one level

• The opinions of CEO and system interfaced

All the collected data of CEO through opinions were observed, verified case by case with each employees

• The opinions / views of employees were put back to CEO / MD for discussion, and

• Open House

what we saw at ppl

• Estd 1981-82

• Conventional way of Management 1982-1988

• Visit to SEMCO, Sau Paulo, Brazil 1988

• Changed People practices 1988-1996

• Empowered People practices 1996 onwards

what we saw at ppl

empowerment@work: the making of an empowered workforce

Conventional Present

Do what is told Do what is required

Liberty misused Liberty made use to fullest extent

Not my job attitude Its everyone's job

Commitment level low High commitment

Boundary defined No Boundary

Lack of scope for improvement High scope for improvement

Various committees / councils Never a designated committee

Trust level low Trust is core

Supervised work No Supervision

Freedom restricted More freedom / liberty

Closed behavior Transparent behavior

Apply for leave / off Decide on leave / off

empowerment@workplace

•The HR practices

•The Culture

•The Leadership, and the

•The Traits

•Value given to Human beings

•Each is accountable / responsible for his actions and can’t blame others

•All information is open and shared

•Each is boss in himself

•Common rooms are shared

•Suggestions are given regularly and open

•Management is open to ideas and more information sharing

•Every one can have own objectives, mission, and goals;

•No Security or guard

the culture

the hr practices

Complete FreedomTotal TransparencyComplete Shared ResponsibilityAccountability for ones actionsLiberty to decide course of actionsInvolvement / Participation Transparent feedbackDelegated authorityNo hidden AgendaComplete AutonomyPower to take decisions

Freedom to do work in one’s own way

No Supervision/ Foreman

No Bureaucratic and Administrative interference

No Red-tapism

Sharing Common Platform

Trusting each persons actions

No restrictions for new inventions

One can fail, no punishment

Suggestions are part of daily work

Accepts critics

Open House

leadership

employee traits

Open and TransparentPositive Approach

No defined mind setFree from Bias

No scapegoat attitudeHigh Commitment

Disciplined Trustworthy

Enjoys the workLoyal and Truthful

Work that extra mile

language@workplace

My door is open to you

Let us all discuss on the idea

Your problem / issue is our concern

Let us join hands together

Kindly teach me the new technique

Let us all announce your achievement

outcome of such practices

• Engagement with Organsiation

• Production and products

• Profits and Income Generating

• Turnover and loyalty

• Reputation and Customers

• Market Standing

• NO IR issues

• Employer BRANDING

drawbacks

• Why power to me

• Is it the game plan of management

• Its not my job to have power

• Its not my job to decide

• I am not the right person to have power

• My me as leader and decision maker

•First ‘No’ RULE

•Platform for Empowerment /

create conditions for

empowerment

•Prioritise the area

•Attitudinal Surveys

•Accountability

•Define the Purpose

•Open Door Policy and

Transparency

•Ownership Culture

Don’t hold unto data

Informal Relations

Create Opportunity

Desired Future

Education the gains

Time to empower or not to

empower

Can’t empower areas

Don’t impose empowerment

Power of Empowerment

Fun at workplace

Ideas for practices: lessons to learn

academic discussion

• OB

• HR practices

• HRM / SHRM

• Leadership

• Organizational Change

• Restructuring / OD

• Sociology of Culture

• Change Management

advantage corporate

• CEO

• HR Chief

• Chief Peoples Officer

• Dean and Directors of

MBA

• MDP’s

Endorsement on the Work

David Ang, MSHRIExecutive Director,Singapore Human Resources Institute, SingaporeA Talk to Senior Practising HR Managers of Singapore

The presentation (your paper) was informative and interesting. They have learned insights on the aspects and benefits of employee empowerment. The talk was timely, as organizations have to give their employees both authority and responsibility to inspire renewed commitment, innovation and initiative.

(19th Sep, 2003 / Through Personal Letter)

questions asked

• Each are accountable for their action & can’t blame others

• I am made part of organization & take part in Organisation development process

• There is red tapesim & more bureaucracy

• I can permit visitors, if I feel so, without any ones consent

• One is responsible for ones actions

• Management is open to ideas & more information sharing

• An open line of communication follows in each team

• I can openly give feed back of my boss action

• Management feed back is always subjective

• I am also involved in decision-making process at all level

• I know who appraises me, when, how

• I can promise the customers on behalf of management

thank yousanbag@rediffmail.com / sanbagsanbag@rediffmail.com

Harvard Business Review

HBR, July-August, 2010, p:57

When workers are made to feel empowered,

the whole organization wins

Roger L MARTIN,

Dean, Rotman School of Management

University of Toronto, Canada

PPL

mm bagaliPresent

Professor, HR and Management,

Jain University, India

Work HistoryResearch Officer, PRC,Dharwad

Director, MBA program, KLE Sy - IMSR, Hubli

Director, PGDM / MBA program, CIMR, Indore

Dean, MBA program, IASMS, Blore,

Dean, MBA program, Acharya Institute of Engg, Blore

Dean, MBA program, Horizon Group, Bangalore

Education • Global HR Certification

• Advanced FDP – Mgt- XLRI

• PhD in Social Work (area: PMIR); PhD in Management (area: HR)

• 16+ years of HR Teaching