How to Create More Autonomy in Your Startup Tech Company (and Why You Should)

Creating autonomy in your workforce is one of the best things you can do in your startup.

There are several ways to create a healthier, more productive, higher-morale environment for your startup tech company, but one of the most effective is to grant more autonomy to your managers and employees.

What Is Autonomy?

Autonomy is the ability to make decisions and conduct work independently. In other words, your employees don’t need to constantly ask you to verify or approve decisions, and they’re free to schedule and follow their own workflow, so long as they’re meeting their high-level objectives.

Why Autonomy Matters

Giving your employees autonomy has several benefits:

Faster decisions. When employees have autonomy to make their own decisions, without constantly referring back to a manager for approval, decisions get made faster. This is imperative for emergency and high-priority situations, and can increase productivity all around.
Higher morale. Research shows that employees who have higher levels of autonomy in their work tend to have higher morale. That means they’ll be more productive on a regular basis, and you’ll see lower levels of employee turnover in the long term.
More investment. Employees who are in charge of their own departments and their own decision making will be more invested in their jobs. They’ll feel greater accountability for the decisions they make, and more loyalty for the company as a whole.

Creating More Autonomy

Now for the hard part. How can you foster an environment that encourages more autonomy?

Proactive, clear communication is the first step. Designate your leaders, and make sure they know they’re able to make their own decisions and determine their own workflows. Second, reinforce positive employee behavior as often as possible; reward employees who make good independent decisions on the fly, and discourage employees who rely too heavily on supervision or direction from higher-level staff. It takes time to create this kind of self-sustaining environment, but your efforts are worth it.

If you’re interested in constructing a better workplace for your employees, and one that’s rich in autonomy, contact me today! I can help you create a business plan and work culture that results in the greatest possible productivity.

About the Author

Jose Vasquez is a serial entrepreneur and tech specialist dedicated to helping startup tech companies grow and succeed. As the founder of Build. Brand. Blast., Jose has worked with dozens of enterprises to find direction, gain momentum, and achieve results.