What does empowerment mean in a business context?

• A. Assigning more vacation days to employees.
• B. Giving employees authority and responsibility to make decisions within their role.
• C. Reducing training opportunities.
• D. Outsourcing all decision-making to consultants.

Answer: (B)

Empowerment means giving employees authority and responsibility to make decisions within their role. This involves delegating decision-making powers, providing the training and resources they need, and holding them accountable for the outcomes. When people can decide how to do their jobs, decisions are made faster, motivation and ownership rise, and service or productivity often improves. The other options miss the point: extra vacation days are a benefit, not a authority to act; limiting training stops people from gaining the skills to decide well; outsourcing all decisions removes the chance for employees to exercise control.