What does empowerment in the workplace enable employees to do?

Empowerment in the workplace fundamentally enables employees to take action without prior approval. This concept revolves around granting employees the authority, confidence, and autonomy to make decisions and take actions that affect their work and environment. When employees are empowered, they feel trusted to approach problems proactively, implement solutions, and contribute to the organization’s goals without needing to seek approval for every decision. This fosters a culture of initiative, responsibility, and dynamic engagement, which can lead to improved job satisfaction, quicker response times to challenges, and enhanced overall productivity.

The other options do not align with the essence of empowerment. Reducing responsibilities would be counterintuitive, as empowerment encourages employees to take on more responsibility. Limiting decision-making authority directly contradicts the concept of empowerment, which is all about enhancing employees' ability to make decisions. Lastly, while participating in leadership training can be part of an empowerment strategy, it does not encapsulate the core of what empowerment entails; it is more about the ongoing ability to act and make decisions rather than preparation for a future leadership role.