GMAT Essays (AWA)

"Employees always perform better when given a say in determining the boundaries of their roles within a company."

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

I believe that when an employee is given the opportunity to determine and define their own roles, it will lead to much better performance. Given the ability to define their own role, employees will feel more ownership of their responsibilities and gain a deeper understanding of their job function. A company that gives employees the freedom to shape their own role in a company will see increased productivity and job satisfaction.

A common word of advice given to employees at large companies is to work and make decisions as if they were the owners of the company. Ownership is an important concept; an employee who is allowed to make the work his or her own will want to make sure that the final product is a reflection of them. An employee at a fast-food restaurant is not tied to the burgers they flip, but a head chef at a five-star restaurant certainly will be tied to the entrees they send out of the kitchen. This spectrum of performance is directly tied to how each of these employees defines their role in the company. The burger flipper does exactly what the predetermined role entails - there is very little ownership to be had. The chef, on the other hand, has a lot more freedom and can create the menu to his or her own liking.

Employees who are given a say in determining their function also gain a deeper understanding of their role. When I first began my job as a procurement specialist, my role was rigidly defined. I had certain tasks that I was to complete each week along with some direction from my manager. As I became more accustomed to my work routine, I was encouraged to generate some of my own ideas to the workplace to make unique contributions to the team. Within weeks, I had created cost-saving ideas and inventory management strategies that were ready to be implemented. I attribute my ideas to my manager's encouragement to come up with my new ideas. Had my role been to continue my daily tasks, I feel I would have eventually grew apathetic toward my job. After I was given the freedom to take ownership of my role, I became a much stronger resource to my company and my increased performance is proof of that.

It can be argued that some employees may take the opposite path than I did when given some leeway in their positions. One employee might take the opportunity to slack off from their regular duties or try and delegate away as much responsibilities as he or she can. I believe that although this is certainly a possibility, this type of employee is not the type that will succeed in the long run. A complacent employee who gives away ownership of their position inevitably gives away their own value to a company when they choose to diminish their role.

In conclusion, I truly believe employees will perform better when given a say in defining their role within a company. When an employee can shape their destiny and provide new insights, they can take ownership of their job and perform at a higher level.