Managers who build their workplace development strategies on the agency and potential of their workers can unleash the potential of their employees. By investing in more strengths, workers can be better equipped with the data, tools, and engagement levels to adapt opportunities to thrive in a new era of perpetual change presented by the future of work. By focusing on what employees are passionate about and good at, managers can effectively harness their strengths, which can increase workers’ happiness, engagement, and productivity. In my personal opinion, this premise is valid as managers can unleash employees’ unique strengths and capabilities by helping them grow their skill sets and developing their leadership abilities (Buckingham, 2005). Managers, in this way, can ensure their workers have the necessary skills, significant passion, and capacity to provide better alignment between employees’ business needs and the workforce in order to feel fulfilled at work.
One prime example of using this approach of managers harnessing employees’ strength while unleashing their workers is from a famous global consulting firm, Deloitte. This firm created a talent marketplace and an opportunity that allows its employees to opt for projects and tasks that match their interests and suit their skills. This strategy allows managers to find the best talent and prospective workers for their needs. Deloitte reported that the outcomes of this strategy resulted in improved employee performance, higher satisfaction, and increased retention on the part of workers. The rationale behind this strategy Deloitte adopted is that employees can work on whatever they want and love, and in this way, they can learn from different teams and leaders. Moreover, managers would be able to leverage their potential and strengths for their workforce. However, the downside of this approach is that employees may neglect other important competencies and skills or might become resentful or jealous of others as they perceive themselves less valued or rewarded than others.
References
Buckingham, M. (2005). What great managers do. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 33(2), 3–10.
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