Earlier this year, research from Aalto University explored the impact of self-management on our happiness at work.  It was built on the notion that autonomy was fundamental to our emotional wellbeing, and therefore self-management would make us happier.

The researchers interviewed 2,000 Finns to understand the conditions they work in and their wellbeing.  The participants were recruited to ensure a cross-section of industries, age groups, and educational backgrounds were represented.

“This study clearly shows that a stronger experience of self-management is associated with higher work engagement, and lower burnout. Employees with a sense of self-management also felt that they have an easier time recovering, and felt less stress,” the researchers say.

“What’s important about this study is that it included people that work in a wide range of companies and industries. The greater the level of hierarchy at work, the less engagement people experienced. Hierarchy was also a predictor of burnout symptoms.”

The benefits of self-management

It’s a notion that’s further supported by a second study, from Florida Atlantic University, which argues such are the benefits that more organizations should encourage the practice.

Self-management is a practice which, as the name suggests, gives us far greater autonomy over our own behaviors and workload than is often the case in more traditional workplaces.  The study found that people who are able to utilize self-management not only have greater self-confidence but are also happier in their roles, more productive, and more committed to their employer.

As with so many aspects of society, the Covid pandemic has encouraged more people to adopt self-management, as remote work has prompted an increase in autonomy due to the physical distance between managers and their team.  This has also created new expectations among the workforce.

“Self-leaders tend to have higher levels of self-efficacy, which allows them to perform at higher levels,” the researchers say. “They are confident in their abilities and might be willing to face risks as they exhibit flexibility and look for creative solutions.”

Self-management proved to be particularly effective for people who scored highly in traits such as conscientiousness, openness to new experiences, and extraversion.  The authors believe that their findings suggest that organizations should do more to both support self-management and encourage it among staff.

“People who self-lead believe in themselves and set their own goals,” they say. “Organizations might be able to achieve greater success by allowing employees to lead themselves rather than relying on leadership from the top down.”