The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between employee empowerment and organizational cynicism in the banking sector. Conditions of competition increasing with globalization and the rapid changes in technology have made it necessary to reveal creative and innovative sides of employees in organizations. It is a well-known fact that most organizations today, particularly banks, evaluate employees who work in fierce competition environments in terms of their abilities, skills, and qualifications. Same organizations are also known to develop these abilities, skills, and qualifications of employees through various practices such as authorization and empowerment and by this means they aim to provide their customers with better services. Developing an employee empowerment understanding could only be possible by delegating participation and decision-making authorization to employees, training and developing them, and creating a good communication environment in the organization. Otherwise, employees' attitudes towards the organization would be affected negatively.
TopThe Concept Of Employee Empowerment
Empowerment as a management concept is known as a process of developing people and increasing their decision-making authorities through cooperation, sharing, training, and team work (Koçel, 2014, p. 414). Empowerment means giving power; however, it could also have several other meanings. For instance, power in legal meaning expresses authority. Therefore, empowerment could also mean authoritativeness or being authorized. On the other hand, it may also mean strength, capacity, or giving energy. In this regard, with its meaning in terms of motivation, empowerment signifies a concept that has an important role in making others energetic (Thomas & Velthouse, 1990, p. 667) and increasing independence, flexibility and creativity levels of employees who have become energized (Pelit, 2011, p. 213).
Customer satisfaction has been prioritized in organizations due to the competitive conditions that are constantly changing and becoming more difficult day by day with rapid changes in environmental conditions. Customers evaluate an organization according to the values that the product and service create in them; and they develop attitudes towards the organization as a result of these evaluations. Additionally, the rising quality and expectations of employees have made democratic understanding and employee empowerment concepts important in all organizations so that the goals of organizations can be achieved (Özgen & Türk, 1997, p. 75).