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Employee perceptions of empowerment
journal contribution
posted on 2014-06-26, 11:27 authored by Kay Greasley, Alan Bryman, Andrew R.J. Dainty, Andrew Price, Robby SoetantoRobby Soetanto, Nicola KingPurpose – This study aims to examine how empowerment is perceived by individuals employed on
construction projects. In contrast with previous research which has predominantly been conducted
from a management perspective, this paper deals with employee perceptions of empowerment.
Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was adopted for this study employing
in-depth interviews on four major construction projects.
Findings – The findings from the study indicate that there can be a gap between the employee
experience and the management rhetoric. Health and Safety issues were often cited by the employees
as a major barrier to empowerment. The strict Health and Safety regulations under which
construction employees operate limit their freedom to influence the work that they undertake. A
further factor that was found to have a strong influence on the diffusion of empowerment was the role
of the employees’ immediate supervisor.
Research limitations/implications – The data are based on case studies that illuminate our
understanding of empowerment in relation to construction projects. This area of research would
benefit from alternative research approaches that could establish the generalizability of the findings
reported.
Originality/value – This article explores the notion that, as empowerment is a perception,
management cannot easily regulate employees’ empowerment. This emphasises the importance of
exploring employee perspectives when examining employee empowerment and its impact on
workplace relations.
Funding
Employee participation, Empowerment, Construction operations
History
School
- Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering
Citation
GREASLEY, K. ...et al., 2005. Employee perceptions of empowerment. Employee Relations, 27 (4), pp. 354 - 368.Publisher
© Emerald Group Publishing LimitedVersion
- VoR (Version of Record)
Publication date
2005Notes
Closed accessISSN
0142-5455Publisher version
Language
- en