Participatory management: definition, advantages and disadvantages

Effective business management does not rest on the shoulders of one person. It is rather a collective management and a long-term vision that makes it possible to manage a company. This method therefore has an impact on the productivity of the company’s employees. We tell you more about it here.

Definition

A company is first and foremost a question of management. The mode and style of management depends on the purpose of the company. Traditionally, companies tend to implement directive management.

The term management is an activity practiced by all kinds of organizations. This is a term widely used in business. This universal phenomenon occurs in contexts:

• Commercial;
• Policies;
• Economic and
• Social.

The main objective of any management is the achievement of a common vision. But it is not so much the achievement of this goal that is most important, but rather the manner. This requires control of the environment in which individuals can collaborate.

Participatory management

Participatory management is more a question of concept than style. This type of management remains one of the possibilities to manage a company. It is a question of involving employees and all other collaborators in company decision-making. In addition, this concept would require you to involve them in making new resolutions and solutions. For this, it is imperative to develop team cohesion between managers and managed. The company will therefore have to set up a permanent dialogue between its various employees. This method allows the company to rely on collective intelligence.

In practice

To understand and define this concept, we should not limit ourselves to its theoretical definition. Participatory management translates into a permanent dialogue through conversations. A fairly stable social climate is therefore necessary; an almost perfect understanding between the employees. In this type of management, everyone’s opinions and solutions are welcome. The ultimate goal is to reach consensus. The manager therefore has a role of animator in the company. It is not a hierarchy in this case.

Listening skills

This is also the basis of participatory management. Know how to listen and accept each other’s opinions. This is the role of the manager in this type of company. Employees must feel considered and contribute to the decision-making.

Ability to delegate

Nothing better to see the management ability of employees. Participatory management is undoubtedly a way of involving employees.

Communication

The manager will therefore be a major asset to facilitate discussions with other employees. Therefore, they play the role of intermediary in the company.

Some principles of participatory management

Like any other concept, it is imperative to respect principles. Here are 5 essential principles of participatory management:

Mobilization

This is the key principle of participatory management. There should be a general mobilization of all employees or collaborators of the company. In this way, employees feel valued. Whether they are in a leadership position or not, it is imperative that everyone is at the same level of decision-making.

Concentration

In participatory management, each employee gives their best. Concentration is a very important factor here. By empowering employees, the company allows them to work and concentrate individually. Instead of imposing a vision and a management mode on its employees, this concept allows everyone to express themselves. Here, every voice counts.

Personal development

Participatory management relies on personal development. That is a very important element here. Self-confidence and listening skills are all essential qualities that every employee must develop. This makes it possible to strengthen the skills and soft skills of a manager. These skills can be used for business management or in personal life.

Reassigned problem resolution

Participatory management is based on the premise that problems can only be solved by people who are directly affected by them. The executive department or the manager is last to intervene on the management of conflicts.

Self-regulation

If everyone speaks out, then problems soon arise. This is where the manager comes in. It is essential to avoid all types of disputes or conflicts between employees.

Benefits

Participatory management is a concept that provides benefits to both the employee and the company.

For the employee

The employee benefits from this type of management.

Satisfaction

To work, the employee needs to be satisfied and proud of their company. It is possible to be satisfied without having a sense of pride. However, one of the advantages of participatory management is to create a more convivial social climate. For their development, the employee needs:

• security;
• self-esteem and
• building social connections.

Employee satisfaction is an asset for the company.

Recognition

In this case, the employee is freer and is obliged to provide a result. Not only do they participate in the management of the company, but these decisions are also welcome. This creates in them an infinite gratitude towards the company. They will therefore be able to surpass themselves and propose innovative ideas, one after the other.

Self-realization

The goal here is to get the employee to understand that they are also a decision-making actor in the company. In this case, there is no need to start your own business. This requires the delegation of responsibility and authority.

Respect

This type of management aims for equality in the company. The notion of hierarchical superior disappears here, giving way to that of moderator. Between employees, a certain respect is required and this makes it possible to manage the company.

Motivation

The involvement of all leads to a general motivation. This is one of the advantages for the employee. He feels in a competitive environment and they are more fulfilled. It most often results in great mobilization and cohesion in the work. Thus, tasks are completed faster.

For the company

Here are some advantages of participatory management for companies.

Performance

The implementation of participative management makes the company much more efficient and responsive. This way of managing a company allows it to benefit from collective intelligence. In this way, it is better able to solve problems and thus to constantly find new perspectives for evolution. However, it is possible to use tools to federate a team for example. In this way, the manager keeps control over each employee. By improving the responsiveness of the company’s stakeholders, performance is multiplied. The company is therefore more competitive and its finances are doing better and better.

Learning company

By using delegation, skills management, the company learns and adapts faster to changes. In this way, it is more competitive with competitors.

Implication

A very involved employee is reflected in the company’s finances. Imagine for a moment the power of the company if all employees are involved. The result remains final. It is therefore an effective way to gain the trust of employees and give them more responsibility. Greater involvement therefore results from this management concept.

In contrast, conflicts and disputes are less frequent. In this way, the company is more focused on achieving a collective goal. Everyone at their level does their job and the result is not long in coming.

Productivity

Good participative management leads to a drastic increase in productivity. However, it is important that participatory management is well developed and well designed. Thus, the efficiency of the company is almost immediate and therefore the coffers are full. In this management system, no one forces the employee to work more. They do it out of love and because these interests are at stake. There is no doubt that this management has a positive impact on a company. To avoid setting it up poorly, it is necessary to call on an expert firm or an independent professional.

Notoriety

Participatory management reflects a good image of the company. It gains experience and notoriety at the same time. To have a good reputation, talent management is an imperative.

Disadvantages

Although these effects are proven, participatory management is full of disadvantages. Here are a few of them:

Time and cost

There is a problem with both. It must be said, because the implementation of a participative company management takes time. It does not happen overnight. It will take as long as it takes, but it pays off in the long run. For a new company, setting up this management is like shooting yourself in the foot. For large companies, time is far too sensitive. You can never get enough anyway. Implementing this strategy means putting the economic life of the entire company on hold. This will have the immediate consequence of stopping the payment of wages. This will be felt on the company’s employee review platform .

Moreover, this strategy comes at a very high cost. Involving all employees in solving a single problem is not always necessary. It can therefore be a waste of time and especially money. However, it will be necessary to train each employee in business management and especially to cover their mistakes at the beginning of the journey. The risks of such a company collapsing are very high.

Passive resistance

As with any type of personnel management, participatory management can face a form of resistance, called passive. If the employees are not serious or not concerned, you may face protests or insults. Discrimination, racism or even sexism are all possible consequences. For a company, resistance, whether passive or not, is a real burden.

Added to this are the “hidden” who refuse to highlight their incompetence or limitations. If employees refuse to do this exercise, then it is not possible to establish participatory management. Despite the advantages or advantages, the disadvantages lead business leaders not to adopt it.

Questioning

In participatory management, it is no longer a question of hierarchy. So this is a real problem. No one can give orders to anyone, since everyone is supposed to be on an equal footing. Running a business in this way is like banning sanctions and the like. Even in the event of serious misconduct, management or manager would not be able to react appropriately. The limitations of this method are immense.

In the event of serious misconduct or error, the employee should be reframed. With this method impossible to do it, because they are left to themselves. Questioning the hierarchical relationship could be a high-risk factor for the company. Although the classical vision of hierarchy is not to everyone’s taste, it should be recognized as such.

Inadequacy

When a crisis situation arises, it should be remedied. In participatory management, if there is a mismatch between employees, it is impossible to resolve a conflict. In this way, we can witness a general explosion. Otherwise, a small problem can quickly become a ticking time bomb. A certain agreement between employees is threfore necessary to succeed in this type of management.

Finally, participatory management, like any other type of management, is full of advantages and disadvantages. It is up to each company to be able to choose the right one. However, its implementation will have to be done by an expert team. Although this concept is very controversial, it should be noted that several large companies resort to this. The tools to measure and know the level of employee satisfaction is an imperative. Participatory management is a system that cannot evaluate everything. Its application is still possible.