Participatory management is a management philosophy and approach in which employees at all levels of an organization are engaged in planning and decision-making to optimize organizational effectiveness. This paper serves as an overview to help business owners and workers understand the value and process of creating a more participatory workplace.

We’ve included a case study on New Belgium, a 100% employee-owned brewery headquartered in Denver, Colorado with a satellite location in Asheville, North Carolina. The case study outlines six key factors that contribute to New Belgium’s belief that their high performing workplace is directly due to the high involvement, participatory culture they have cultivated.