Describe the four dimensions of employee empowerment.

Answers will vary. Four dimensions comprise the essence of empowerment: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. Meaning is a fit between a work role and an employee's values and beliefs. It is the engine of empowerment through which employees become energized about their jobs. If employees' hearts are not in their work, they cannot feel empowered. Competence is the belief that one has the ability to do a job well. Without competence, employees will feel inadequate and lack a sense of empowerment. Self-determination is having control over the way one does work. Employees who feel they're just following orders from the boss cannot feel empowered. Impact is the belief that one's job makes a difference within the organization. Without a sense of contributing to a goal, employees cannot feel empowered. Please see the section "Managing Political Behavior in Organizations" for more information.