Upcoming article written for Glass Worldwide Magazine:

When most business owners consider investments, employee development is seldom their first thought. However, employees are often a company’s most valuable assets, says Juliana Muller. Investing in them on a regular basis will give a competitive edge and employees a sense of good morale, confidence and ownership.

In the business world, many theories can be heard about what it takes to increase employee productivity and profit. Empowerment is one of the most popular theories discussed, especially in the corporate team environment. The theory is simple enough, by implementing practices that help employees feel confident, capable and in control of their work without excessive oversight and micromanagement.

It is a theory equal to all others and as any scientist will confirm, what really matters in the end is how well a theory stands up to testing. As it turns out, the theory of empowerment really does work.

Employees are the backbone of every company. Even with the most valuable and technologically advanced machines, without a competent workforce, machines will be rendered useless. What it all boils down to is a philosophy that allows people to make intuitive and simplistic decisions to everyday and complex problems.

What sets a business apart from all others is having the most knowledgeable and committed workers. The path to knowledge is education and the path to commitment is the investment a company is willing to make.

The reputation of a business is path-dependent and it must be earned over time. Employees can make or break that business and as leaders, it is management’s responsibility to set the example to be followed. Is your business making or breaking your workforce?

“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better”  (Bill Bradley)

Too many leaders invest insufficiently in their employees’ education, for fear of losing out when an employee leaves. What leaders often forget is that any investment made in their employees will be safe, if made out of genuine care and concern for both employee and business.

This also brings up a critical point: Leaders and management can have a regrettable tendency to express commitment and promises to the concept of empowerment, without making it an effective part of their company’s culture. Do not underestimate employees; they are keen and aware of what management thinks of them at all times. A poor, half-hearted empowerment initiative will fall over like a house of cards. Ironically, employee empowerment is not that expensive or difficult to implement, when a company has a dedicated management team in place.

When afforded the opportunity to speak up and the freedom to share their ideas, employees will develop a sense of ownership, which will further strengthen commitment and good relationships within the company. When the employee sees the company as his or her own, he/she will not only be an employee but a business partner as well.
Quantum Engineered Products believes strongly that its employees are some of its best assets. A good rule of thumb is that we care about our employees more than we do our customers and we care more about our customers than ourselves.

When Joe Kozora founded the business, he did not create a set of company values to be followed by all but instead led his people by example, treating his employees with the same respect he would have for his family. Quantum’s values are based on its reputation, not the other way around.

Knowing the importance and positive impact that proper training has on a company’s success, Quantum is fully committed to provide outstanding customer service. By providing personalized training seminars to customers, the company ensures that its clients receive an overall high return on investment, with proper training on its mechanisms; factories will effortlessly experience more productivity, less down time and a better bottom line as a result of providing the education that is so needed for employees to do their best.

Quantum has been providing training both at its headquarters in Pennsylvania, USA and at other locations of the client’s choice. Training is also offered in any language and is geared to topics that best accommodate the customer’s individual needs.

When employees are empowered to make intelligent decisions, both developmental and mechanical investments will work hand-in-hand towards a path to success.

“No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or get all the credit for doing it” (Andrew Carnegie)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Juliana Muller is Executive Assistant at Quantum Engineering Products