Blackwell Reference Online

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Employee involvement refers to the process of engaging employees in their work and increasing their participation in decision‐making. In particular, employee involvement insures that employees who are closest to the work have the power to control work methods, and are able to use their knowledge and skills to improve work processes ( Lawler, 1992 ). This approach also attempts to move information and power downward in the organization, so that employees can work autonomously and regulate their own behavior ( Cummings and Worley, 1993 ). As a consequence, organizations that use this approach typically experience a flattening of the organizational hierarchy. Although there is no one theoretical basis for employee involvement, it is derived from a number of key human relations assumptions (see, e.g., Argyris, 1957 ). Specifically, it is assumed that when employees are given challenging work, and allowed to participate in decision‐making, they will 1 become more motivated and willing to control their own behavior; 2 become more involved in their work; 3 increase their commitment to organizational goals; and 4 use their skills and abilities to make valuable contributions to organizational goals. Employee involvement has been used as the foundation for a wide array of management programs, including quality circles , job involvement , quality of work life programs, employee empowerment ... log in or subscribe to read full text