Are you a low power worker? How to use this to your advantage in the office

Question for you: are you a low power worker?

Being more energy efficient while working from home to cut down on bills might be the first thing that springs to mind, but low power advantage relates to how you interact with more senior members of staff within the workplace.

The opposite of a traditional hierarchical management, a low power structure equates to a more equal distribution of power and responsibilities, and decision making is more collaborative in nature between staff members, regardless of their level of seniority.

The even better news for UK workers is that culturally, power distance is relatively low compared to some countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Mexico and Brazil where hierarchy is more pronounced and employers and employees don’t interact with each other and those on the lower rungs aren’t given the opportunity to be involved in decision-making.

How can you use a low power structure to your advantage?

Picture this scenario: your manager has suddenly been called away and cannot lead a meeting with clients that is scheduled to take place that day.

In a lower power structure this shouldn’t be a problem and less senior team members should be able to step in and present the information as planned as collating it in the first place was a team effort.

The beauty of low power advantage is that it allows more junior staff members to take on more responsibility while also getting an insight into areas of the business that aren’t necessarily part of their job description.

And when more senior members of staff are available and approachable, junior team members can gain valuable insights on the job – research suggests more than 22 million UK workers feel they lack the skills needed to seize new opportunities while 47% of workers say extra training and education has helped them progress within their current company.

However, an ‘open door’ style of management and mutual respect between colleagues shouldn’t be confused with a lack of structure or respect for those who hold senior titles and the proverbial buck stops with the leaders of an organisation or company.

Instead, use this accessibility to become a ‘feedback magnet’.

Coined by Shivani Berry, a career coach and CEO of online leadership programme Ascend, being a ‘feedback magnet’ involves asking for comments, pointers and advice on how to do things better or improve existing processes, instead of waiting for an annual performance review.

Done right, it will allow you to tweak your working style so your output and efforts align with the needs of your team. And in the long run, it will help you evolve instead of stagnating in your current position.

Are there any downsides to low power working?

The success of a low power structure is dependent on several factors, including mutual respect, trust and being decisive enough to listen to all opinions but ultimately move work forward so that projects and tasks reach a final conclusion -the ‘too many cooks…’ adage exists for a reason.

Lack of clarity can also cause conflict if workers aren’t sure about what is expected of them or their daily tasks aren’t well-defined.

As such, managers need to ensure that everyone on their team knows what they’re doing.

Similarly, employees in a lower power structure often need to carve out or craft their daily duties using their own initiative and not necessarily wait for detailed instructions, which can suit some personalities and not others.

And for those who struggle with lack of direction, coaching and mentoring is essential.

This can be particularly difficult for remote or hybrid workers, in particular younger staff from the Gen Z cohort who entered the workforce during the pandemic and are struggling to find their professional footing.

In fact, according to a recent study, 49% of millennials would prefer to work fully remote compared to just 27% of Gen Zers. Compound this with the suggestion 95% of executives are more aware of the contributions made by team members working in the office and you can start to see why low power might not lend itself to remote workers as effectively.

If a low power structure is your preferred way of working but your current employer isn’t facilitating this, it could be time to look for a new role in a company that offers a more democratic way of working. And if that is the case, the Metro Jobs Board is the perfect place to start your search.

For thousands of fantastic career opportunities, visit Metro Jobs

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