In light of Janis Joplin's famous lyric, "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose," it's possible that companies don't have much to lose by granting their staff more autonomy. Employees who are given more leeway to make decisions on the job, while yet being held to account for their actions, report higher levels of job satisfaction and productivity.

The lack of a unified, international concept of autonomy is a possible issue. However, there are measures you can do to foster independence and support employee flexibility without putting your business at risk. The opposite is true: you're more likely to see a rise in employee loyalty and dedication as a result.

How Employee Freedom Leads to Loyalty and Commitment

Independence at work can take various forms. Employees may be given leeway in determining their own work hours, methods, and locations. No matter how you define it when people are given more leeway they tend to produce amazing achievements. Possible gains from increased employee dedication include higher quality work, higher output, and less turnover.

According to Marylène Gagné, a professor at Concordia University's John Molson School of Business in Montreal, "autonomy is especially likely to lead to improved productivity when the activity is difficult or demands more innovation." While job autonomy may not have a significant effect on output in relatively typical settings, it can nonetheless boost morale, which in turn boosts performance. Management should always consider the impact of their decisions on employees' independence when determining how to structure the workplace.

Gagné, who is researching leadership styles in numerous nations, including China and Italy, agrees that the location of your company can have an effect on the degree of freedom it grants its people and the productivity it achieves.

Gagné said that they want to "see if the same actions in different nations have the same effect" on employee motivation by examining the relationship between leadership and employee engagement. "Often times they do not. In some societies, for instance, superiors are not allowed to solicit employee feedback for fear of appearing weak. Managers in such settings must devise alternative means of encouraging employees' sense of independence. There's no easy formula.

Ways to Provide Employees with More Freedom

It could be nerve-wracking to give workers more freedom. Could operations suffer if employees were given too much leeway? It's reasonable to be concerned about it. However, the following tactics are meant to rethink the office as a place where employees may have more control over their work experience without negatively affecting the business. In return, you can anticipate greater levels of employee engagement, less turnover, and a heightened dedication to the success of your organization.

Change Your Mindset

The importance of one's frame of mind applies equally to business as it does to everyday life. In contrast to authoritarian leaders, business owners and managers that operate from a place of mutual respect, trust, and accountability and who hire based on merit and potential are more likely to have devoted, dedicated employees. Changing the way management is viewed is the first step in giving workers more autonomy.

Management has always been seen as a top-down structure, with employees acting on the instructions of their superiors. Managers should be viewed less as dictators and more as coaches. Coaches direct, advise and organize their squads. They still hold leadership status, but their emphasis shifts to that of educator and mentor rather than a dictator. With this outlook, management is seen as a resource for the team rather than an authority figure. Managers boost productivity by helping their teams put their best efforts toward satisfying customers.

You only need to ask Wegmans Food Markets' board chairman Danny Wegman. Wegman is stated on the company's website as saying, "When our workers feel cared for and valued, they turn around and make our customers feel that way, too." His company is one of only five to be named to FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work For every year since 1998.

Allow Managers to Determine How to Give More Freedom

Allow managers to figure out what works best for them and their teams instead of coming up with a plan on how to adopt employee freedom for the entire firm. Allow supervisors to decide how best to delegate authority to subordinates.

It's important to provide each office, department, or team the freedom to operate as it sees fit according to how they best serve the company's overall goals and values. People that collaborate closely with one another are more likely to figure out how to implement improvements for the greater good.

Midwestern plastic packaging manufacturer Berry Global has found success with this strategy. Tom Salmon, the CEO, recently spoke to members of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) about how local managers are given the authority to implement changes based on feedback from workers.

Ask Employees to Identify and Solve Problems

Managers are typically seen as solution providers, but you may find better results by soliciting employee input over whether policies are stifling efficiency. Then, you may ask for their input on how to improve efficiency and adapt to new circumstances.

Take the time to solicit genuine input from workers on the organization's strengths and weaknesses. No one except them can accurately assess how simple or difficult it is to perform routine tasks. This means they will have the best grasp on which solutions are truly worthwhile. Allowing employees some latitude for trial and error, despite the fact that some mistakes can be expensive, can boost their confidence.

Allow Employees to Choose When and Where to Work

These days, the freedom from set work hours is one of the most unusual perks of employment. Putting employees in charge of their own schedules can look like anarchy and isn't an option for every company. What if, however, you took advantage of the adaptability of the international labor market for talent?

The app integration firm Zapier employs over forty thousand people across seventeen time zones and a wide variety of countries. Zapier is a completely remote company that allows its employees the freedom and flexibility to work from anywhere they choose. In exchange, they have access to a broader, more diverse pool of talent that can serve the platform around the clock without having to work graveyard shifts or on-call.

If you're not quite ready to hand over total management of the workday to your employees or your company isn't yet big enough to expand internationally, you may still give them more autonomy without completely handing over the reins. To give only one example:

• Let workers decide the shifts they like to work.
• Employees' preferred work schedules should be determined through a survey.
• Allow workers to pick and choose when they take time off.
• Allow workers to work on any holiday in exchange for time off during a certain holiday. All employees will be able to honor the holidays that are significant to them, regardless of their cultural background or religious beliefs.

You can also provide them the option of choosing their own location. However, remote work isn't the only way to increase your freedom at work. Give workers the option of working from any of your properties, whether they're all in the same city or in different ones.

Let Employees Determine Performance Goals

This again brings up the distinction between an authoritarian government and a coaching style of leadership. To get the most out of your staff, instead of telling them what they should be aiming for, try encouraging them to make their own goals and then helping them succeed in reaching them. Allow team members to articulate their personal stake in the company's success, and they'll be more likely to commit to the mission at hand.

Michelin is a well-known company that encourages its employees to work whenever they like and even lets them define their own performance goals. The company has been recognized as the best major employer by Forbes and the best employer for diversity in 2022, both of which attest to the efficacy of these measures.

Give Employees a Say on Pay, Benefits, and Rewards

The development of a first-rate benefits package for workers is a goal that all companies should strive to achieve. Asking workers about their priorities in terms of pay and benefits is one way to improve the situation. Allow your employees to pick and choose the perks that will make them feel most valued, and you'll soon be the most sought-after employer around.

Employees should be polled about changes to their working conditions, with choices including more salary, better health coverage, and extended vacation time. If you know what your employees value most, you can provide them with what they need to stay with your company.

Leaders Can Inspire Loyalty by Offering Freedom

You should keep in mind that even a small amount might have a significant impact. Increasing workers' independence is typically a gradual process. Administrators and workers alike can become flustered when confronted with too much transition all at once. But allowing workers some leeway in their daily activities can have a significant impact on how they feel about their jobs and the organization they work for. Staff morale and productivity can be boosted by treating them properly, just as consumer satisfaction can be through good service. Start by giving your staff some responsibility and independence if you want them to be happy and loyal to you.