Creating the Organization 375Best Job Autonomy
Employees with the authority and responsibility to do their jobs often display stronger
motivation, better work quality, higher job satisfaction, and lower turnover. Job auton-
omy is a key component in making a company a great place to work. Not all employees
can handle the freedom, but allowing autonomy is the best way to manage those who
can.
- An instrument manufacturer urges employees to “make it happen,” to solve
problems, to motivate themselves. The company sets loose boundaries so everyone
feels responsible for everything. - A phone service reseller hires rigorously, trains intensively, and then turns
people loose to perform. Little supervision is needed for most people. Progress is
reviewed monthly or weekly. - An automobile dealer empowers salespeople to cut deals on their own and urges
service department teams to boost customer satisfaction. The dealer actively solicits
and implements employee ideas.
Best Career Advancement
Employee advancement does not always mean promotion up the ladder in the bureau-
cracy. Indeed, with increasing emphasis on flatter organizations, many businesses would
be better off without much bureaucracy. In that case, how are employees to advance and
to view their jobs’ career opportunities?
- A temporary placement agency grows its own managers and hires from within. It
hires for one or two levels up from the position available so that the employee can
grow into the job as the company’s demand for managers grows. - A linen distributor maps out career tracks up to 15 years in advance with the expec-
tation that the new hire will retire with the company. - A small agricultural business clearly communicates career growth opportunities to
all employees and promotes competent learners. - A health policy consultant enables staff members to market their own ideas by
developing personal interests that can create new businesses. It promotes lateral job
moves if these are beneficial to all.
Best Quality of Life
Increasingly people are merging work with family life. Outside concerns about things
such as child care, working spouses, and parental leave all influence job performance.
People are concerned about their total quality of life, not just the on-the-job part. The
best companies to work for recognize this and make it possible to realistically combine
personal values and job requirements.
- A plumbing products manufacturer provides on-site school and child care before
and after office hours, financial support for adoptions, and benefits to part-time
employees. - A magazine publisher gives extended family leave at two-thirds pay plus six months’
unpaid leave. It allows flexible scheduling and offers dependent-care assistance.