Why Autonomy is the Key to Motivated, Effective Employees

What do tech scrum teams, vegetable farmers in Africa, and nurses in the Netherlands have in common?

They are proof that autonomy and self-organisation drive performance, motivation, and engagement—no matter the industry.
Globally, only 15% of employees are engaged at work according to Gallup. That means 85% of people feel disconnected from their roles. But organisations that embrace self-organisation and autonomy unlock something powerful: intrinsic motivation.

🔹 In Kenya, I met a team of 800 vegetable packers who were 30%+ more effective than the other pack-houses. Their secret? They would self-organise into teams of 10, elect their own leaders, and works towards shared performance-based rewards. The result? A high-performing unit that barely requires management—and a workplace where people enjoy working.

🔹 In the Netherlands, nurses at Buurtzorg Nederland were given more control over their schedules and patient care. They would see the same patients and develop deep and caring relationships with them, rather than adhering to schedules that on paper might seem more efficient but was actually less effective. The outcome? Better patient satisfaction, improved efficiency, a more engaged workforce, and healthier patients!

🔹 In tech teams, agile scrum frameworks empower teams to set their own sprint goals and own their deliverables. When teams have a say in what they do, they’re more likely to go the extra mile. I’ve seen this first-hand—when I led an agile project and promised my team that we could take Friday afternoon’s off if we met our bi-weekly goals. We not only delivered on time, we delivered ahead of schedule.

But autonomy doesn’t mean a free-for-all. The art of effective delegation lies in setting a clear vision, milestones, and accountability, while trusting teams to execute in their own way. Like a conductor leading an orchestra—each musician plays their part, but together, they create something far greater than the sum of their individual contributions.

Self-organisation isn’t just a theory. It works. And it can work in your organisation too.

Curious to know how to implement self-organisation in your company? Let’s talk!

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