Empowering your employees

Empowering employees can futureproof your organization

Systems and product trends come and go, but the key to futureproofing your organization for long-term strategic success is static: empowering your people.

In a competitive marketplace, the power balance has shifted to employees with high expectations of workplaces. Evolving cultural and gender norms mean traditional ways of managing your staff, and how women fit in, are changing. Empowering your female staff is no longer negotiable – it’s a key part of attracting and retaining the people to generate long-term growth and profitability.

The right role, the right tools

The modern workforce doesn’t always fit traditional structures, where staff are hired for a very specific role and don’t interact with other parts of the organization.

By encouraging your staff to collaborate across teams, and by giving them the tools to do so, it may open up new channels for ideation. Particularly for women finding their way in a newly open workforce, think about where their skills could best impact your organization, not just whether they fit an advertised vacancy.

Empowering your staff means providing the tools they need to get the job done seamlessly, without frustrating technology issues. To get the best from your brightest minds, set them up with smart mobile devices, interactive meeting software, and apps that work – every time.

The ROI of embracing technology is more than the direct impact of a new automated process or faster imaging. It’s about connecting with an increasingly millennial workforce who adapt easily to new technology and expect organizations to do the same.

Consider modern options

Women gaining traction in the workplace means more families where both parents work. Empowering women to make a meaningful contribution to your organization may mean rethinking flexible-working policies. Offering work-from-home or mobile-work solutions can create a point of difference from your competitors that keeps staff loyal and committed for the long term.

Empowering your people to feel supported and valued minimizes risk and reduces time spent keeping staff accountable. Get the right tech, but back it up with a commitment to a workplace culture where a mobile workforce is the rule, not the exception.

Rather than seeing digital and IT training as something that happens when you bring in a new system, consider it as an ongoing investment. Upskilling your staff makes their work lives easier and buys them time to form the ideas that will keep your business growing.

“Putting faith in your staff’s skills and instincts creates an atmosphere of innovation and continuous improvement.” says Veronica Juul-Nyholm, HR Director at Canon. “By being seen to actively do this for women, your organization is positioned as forward thinking and unafraid to lead – people want to work for you and do business with you.”

As legal and social barriers are broken down, it’s important that empowering women includes policies and education within the workplace to ensure everyone embraces a changing workforce and the challenges and opportunities that brings.