By: Sanjay T. Menon
Louisiana State University Shreveport
The word “empowerment” can mean different things to different people. It can mean the act of empowering, such as delegation or giving employees the authority to make decisions. It can mean the process of empowering, for example, reducing red tape and giving employees the needed resources to do their work as they think it needs to be done. It can also mean making employees feel empowered, for example, by providing opportunities for employees to contribute ideas and participate in decision making. It is therefore not surprising that different authors have different ideas and suggestions regarding empowerment.
Benefits of Normative Commitment for Organizations
Organizational commitment is an issue that has become increasingly important for human resources experts, because it is crucial for a company’s employees to “wear the team colors,” meaning they love their company and do their jobs well (Arciniega, 2002). It is therefore important to understand the nature, development and implications of employee commitment.
We know that there are different types of commitment (affective, continuance and normative), and that each of these has a different effect on employee behavior and attitudes.
What happens when a company encounters hard times? When it has the wrong leaders? When the climate makes it difficult to work? When employee bonuses cannot be paid, or economic crisis makes wages less appealing to workers? The company needs committed employees to obtain competitive advantages, but it often introduces changes in the guise of efficiency (layoffs, restructuring, mergers, flex time, etc.).
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