OECD research published in February 2026 examines the difference between having skills and using them at work. [S4] For managers, the distinction raises an operational question: does a role allow people to use the capabilities the organisation says it values?
Consider a hypothetical customer service employee who repeatedly identifies an avoidable error. The employee can report it, but nobody owns the decision to change the form causing it. Asking for greater initiative will not necessarily solve that missing link.
A clearer arrangement defines the problem, the resources available, the decisions the employee may take and the point at which support is required. Autonomy then becomes a practical agreement rather than a general expectation to solve everything.
The opposite risk also matters. Giving someone additional responsibility without time or support can simply transfer pressure. A useful conversation should establish what stops, changes or receives extra resources when the new task begins.
Managers can assess the arrangement through a specific recent task. Where did work wait? Which information was missing? What decision could the person not make? These questions make it possible to improve working conditions without assuming that every difficulty reflects an attitude problem.
Hiring and training may still be necessary. The immediate opportunity is to understand whether the existing design of work lets current employees contribute what they already know, with clear limits and appropriate support.