Just as decision-making techniques can shape what decisions are made in face-to-face groups, the algorithms used to judge ideas will have an effect on which contributions are deemed valuable. Sometimes the smallest ideas make a significant difference. Why advertise with us? Whether it's in the break room or in the cloud, dropping ideas you're passionate about into a black hole isn't motivating. Employees are encouraged to drop their suggestions. Create your account. (And this after a 6 to 12 month implementation process.) Suggestions are not oral but in writing, so the employee does not get a chance to explain his own suggestion. You will get maximum employee buy-in when your employees feel part of the change driving the business, rather than being subject to its effects. If considered worthy of implementation they are introduced and mostly the suggesting employees are rewarded. In the case where you dont want to dump the boxes, make sure you dont ignore the smaller ideas your workers provide. Ideas that are submitted and liked earlier might continue to gain more and more traction, and you may miss out on a great idea that got added to the mix later on. The employees suggestions create a winwin situation both for the organizational management and the employees alike. WebDisadvantages of employee suggestion box are followed: The superiors, sometimes may feel hurt by the suggestions of their subordinate. Digital evolution: Why digital transformation is a thing Staff get the day off to mark Employee Intergenerational working and how to manage up and down the generations, Sodexo Engage Mountain of lost benefits ebook, Neurodiversity: How to make the workplace more inclusive (webinar), How HR can facilitate internal talent mobility, Bereavement in the workplace: How training can help HR get it right, The Workplace Today Guide: Why it pays to support your staffs financial health. At the same time, encourage them to continue participating so that employee participation becomes an integral part of your culture. But improvement management software is a superior approach that will help you make the most out of every brilliant idea. New and creative ideas are essential to solve problems, economize work hours, spare the efforts of many employees, and meet their social and cultural needs. Employees may drop an uncoordinated comment that they wouldnt have said in person to the management. Too few Evaluators. You can create a similar program by encouraging your employees to write down suggestions based on their daily observances in the business, and by putting a reward system into effect for those suggestions that you use to good effect. Though these boxes were once useful, times change. More than the traditional locked wooden box mounted outside the office door, these systems are responsive techniques for encouraging feedback and rewarding great suggestions. From classic review sites like Yelp! The concept was the hundred-headed brain, developed by CEO John Patterson. First, even though the technology makes it easier to reach more people, simply offering a venue for employees to voice their ideas and concerns does not guarantee that they will use it. Designed suggestion form (name, idea, cost benefit analysis), Fitted a suggestion box by the front door (high traffic area), Set up weekly management review of ideas (me facilitator, wife chair), Added an incentive, extra pocket-money (money motivates; my children if nobody elses), Agreed incentive with Finance (Mrs L. again), Instigated benefits tracking mechanism (to make sure ideas delivered), Publicised scheme via in-home posters and breakfast briefings (its all about comms), Set up e-form using a spread sheet template (download via Microsoft), Moved the scheme on-line to ease management (and improve security), Included I made a suggestion badge for all participants (extra motivation), Set up quick response evaluation with all suggesters (5 day SLA). A lack of deference should be encouraged so that anyone can challenge anyone elses ideas regardless of their status, he says. Your staff can see all sorts of ways that things could be made better for the customer and the company. ESS is a formalized procedure to encourage the employees to think creatively about their jobs and their job environment and to come forward with ideas for which they can be rewarded on a specific basis, if acceptable and to the advantage of the organization. According to Anthony Denatale, operations manager of ideasUK an association that promotes employee involvement programmes a growing trend is for greater collaboration on suggestions: This may be a system where staff put in ideas, and other staff can vote, comment or expand on them., He adds that communicating the status of an idea to staff is key it maintains momentum in the scheme and reassures staff that their idea has not disappeared into a black hole: What youre trying to do is encourage behaviours, so dont be afraid to say no to an idea. According to the lean manufacturing system, idea, suggestion, and also the commonly used kaizen suggestion all refer to employees proposals as to how their workplace are to be enhanced through improvements introduced into the organizational areas and processes. Improved processes and services can lead to new revenue generation and cost savings. This leads to increased profitability for your organization. Every business owner has met one: the worker who's never happy and is always complaining, regardless of the circumstances. Propositions make sense, but there should be a better way of handling them than putting them in a physical or virtual container. Company suggestion boxes typically go through five main obstacles: Lack of ownership. 94025, United States. Learn more about improvement software in this free eBook: hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(326641, 'b5f034d9-da58-434a-b7bc-1fb5ed2a7413', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); The Pros and Cons of Moving Your Employee Suggestion Box Online, Free Improvement Software Comparison Matrix. However, in the absence of a formal mechanism to assess the maturity of the suggestions, the benefits achieved through suggestion scheme are rather limited in several organizations. 6. Its no wonder that the suggestion box has become a bit of a joke in the workplace, standing as the perfect example of hands-off management. If you just ask for ideas you will get a lot of Wouldnt it be nice to have a summer picnic type suggestions. Recognition is always attributed a higher value when it is made public. To make matters worse, theres the 10% of 10% implementation problem. E: info@destination-innovation.com. Whatmedia, Advertising opportunities Simply placing a suggestion box on the wall without any instructions encourages frivolity and unproductive suggestions. Too often a scheme is launched with enthusiasm, only to become a black hole for employee suggestions that are never acknowledged or acted upon. The superiors, sometimes may feel hurt by the suggestions of their subordinate. Enter your e-mail address and your password. Using the suggestion box must remain consistent for it to be effective. This team sits within the colleague engagement team, which reports into Connor. No question. Every employee at the factory works towards a common goal of achieving a 5.5% improvement in productivity each year driven by the fact that the factory, which produces automation, process control and electrical distribution products, is up against competitors in countries where labour and production costs are far lower. Consider this suggestion: ditch it for a system that works. Employee engagement levels drop like a stone when people feel their efforts are unappreciated. This is how improvement culture spreads throughout a company. Theyre excellent at collating and managing suggestions, but you still need to take the final step. You can teach your ground-level employees to do things like observe the needs or wants of a customer and then pass them on to the higher-ups. By the time an idea is ready to be implemented, it has built up considerable momentum and support along its entire lifespan. In this blog, well explore how your business can improve employee engagement and manage the flow of ideas from submission to implementation in five stages with an Ideas Management App. It is very evident that these factors play a considerable part in the success of suggestion

Destination Innovation No Clear Goals. Its prime purpose is to assist organizations in both the public and private sector. Staff suggestion schemes are bound to fail if senior management doesnt take time to promote it & drive it. Even when you take the suggestion scheme outside the box, it needs to be handled correctly. Many companies have highly effective ideas schemes that generate huge savings every year. The disadvantages of using a suggestion box in the workplace Management needs to realize that implementing a suggestion box can open Pandoras Box and create an entirely new set of problems. Suggestions are not oral but in writing, so the employee does not get a chance to explain his own suggestion. Over the years weve come to look more towards higher participation and better value suggestions, rather than volume overall.. Eventually some lucky initiator may get a big reward but this can upset the people around him who contributed to the initial idea. Some suggestions dont work, but we always respond, reply and explain why we havent taken them up on the idea. It is very evident that these factors play a considerable part in the success of suggestion scheme. Even when you take the suggestion scheme outside the box, it needs to be handled correctly. Many employees who have provided their suggestions in a proposal bin have expressed that the higher-ups ignore their advice. Contact us Its a good indicator that people are trying to make the business better, says Jacki Connor, head of HR for retail and logistics at Sainsburys. The first recorded implementation of a suggestion scheme was in 1770 when the British navy has asked its soldiers by this scheme to express their ideas without fear of punishment. WebSuggestion systems are a form of employee-to-management communication that benefit employees as well as employers. Criteria. You can open the Challenge up to all, or to a selected group with specialist skills or knowledge. You have to clearly 2. Employees may drop an uncoordinated comment that they wouldnt have said in person to the management. Consider the time required for: Committee meetings to review ideas submitted long feedback cycles may demotivate staff so ensure committee members can get together on a regular basis. especially small incremental improvements. Cookies policy Cost saving is a motivation, but most of our customers are attracted to the employee engagement angle, says Duncan Murtagh, Vetters co-founder. In one study, participants were asked to listen to several songs and decide which ones they would download to keep and share with their friends. Like everything else these days, the suggestion box is migrating from theanalog realm to the digital one with more companies opting for an online approach. Suggestion Scheme. Most suggestion systems consist of empty suggestion boxesphysical or digitalwaiting for input from employees who are tired of seeing their ideas go into a black hole of intentions. An idea is a not a suggestion if it is related to t(i) a grievance or a complaint, (ii) a criticism directed at other employee, (iii) an activity which is part of the job responsibility of the employee, (iv) collective bargaining matters and management policy matters, (v) government policies, (vi) additional facilities, benefits, or amenities, (vii) common idea floating around, and (viii) a suggestion without a solution. Staff can be cynical about engagement programmes, but suggestion schemes can produce high levels of employee participation and real commercial results. Be specific about what you want and people will respond. Suggestion boxes give psychological satisfaction to the worker, if his suggestion is accepted. No Commitment from the Executive Team. Rewards are key element identified for the success of suggestion scheme. Each campaign is supported with posters and messages emphasising the importance of the request for ideas. Staff suggestion schemes are nothing new. Youre basically shutting their ideas away in the dark, storing them away indefinitely. It aims at enlisting mans creative ability, providing him with an opportunity for self-expression, and A reward scheme could include cash, public announcement through email or company newsletter, or an afternoon off. Instead of asking for big, innovative ideas, ask for any sort of ideas. The advice box is obsolete, but there are reasons why some companies still cling to this old method. Too often, employees receive no guidance from management about what kinds of suggestions youre looking for, how to approach various topics and the process by which changes are made in the company. All that needs to happen is an employee writes down their advice and places it in the container. There are some disadvantages that come with implementing a virtual or online suggestion box. The manager might be flooded with irrelevant feedback or comments that could result in time and resources wasted. New Book - Lateral Thinking for Every Day, Extraordinary solutions to ordinary problems, New Online Course - Leading Innovation Skills - Master Class, Think Like an Innovator Podcast on Spotify, Best-selling Online Course - Master Lateral Thinking, Paul Sloane Tedx Talk on Breaking Mindsets, Inspiring Quotations on Leadership & Innovation, Address: It can be seen as an un-tapped reservoir of effort and knowledge which can improve organizational processes and effectiveness. This is why you need to update your suggestion scheme. Thats because so few of the ideas are implemented. The concept of a tatty wooden box in the rest area, probably more used to sweet wrappers than ingenious ideas, is part of workplace folklore. 4. Organizations such as Toyota have achieved substantial cost savings by asking employees to suggest ideas to reduce costs. Collecting suggestions is only the first step As we explained above, replicating the physical box in the cloud has some inherent advantages, but that will just get you so far. Help the employees close to production learn to capture their ideas. Many schemes start with a fanfare of publicity, a burst of initial ideas and then they lose momentum and energy. Sometimes the smallest ideas make a significant difference. Ideas are collected, projects are selected for action, tasks are assigned and completed, and success is measured. Jo Faragher looks at how to introduce a successful scheme. Public recognition of ideas that have worked well can also go much further than a financial reward, says Denatale. If you under-resource the evaluation side of the process then people have to wait a long time for a response to their suggestion and this kills motivation. Jo Faragherlooks athow to introduce a successfulscheme. The comparatively large size of the internet guarantees you'll have more people looking at your site and possibly willing to contribute. These new proposals dont only have to do with helping the average customer. At the Siemens Automation and Drives manufacturing facility in Congelton, Cheshire, the suggestion scheme is so embedded into working life that Finnbar Dowling, the facilitys managing director, says it is part of our DNA. 3 Castle Road And that's a problem. Traditionally, there is a big gap between the number of suggestions made by employees and the rate at which they are picked up. She spent time as a corporate training manager in the third-largest restaurant chain in its niche, but her first love will always be small and independent businesses. Company suggestion boxes typically go through five main obstacles: Lack of ownership. Sometimes its hard to quantify the sales uplift associated with one idea. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. Download our guide to help you choose the best option for you, your employees and your business. I recommend a minimum resolution of 1024 x 768 and above. WebWeighing the Pros & Cons of the Employee Suggestion Box Motivation. Even with just a simple 1-5 star rating system, quality ideas will naturally rise to the top. You need to act on them. A designated employee empties the suggestion box / boxes regularly at a predefined interval. WebHere are three dos and donts any business should consider before putting a suggestion program/scheme in place. People may simply offer more poor ideas, the bottleneck will grow worse, and implementation still hovers at 1%. The employees ideas and innovations are very important in the organization since employees are working at their workplaces and are experiencing the advantages or disadvantages of what they are doing. Employee suggestion schemes have been used in organizations for a long time due to the fact that they enable fostering of creative ability of employees. This support is to be available in terms of practice, commitment, and leadership. Employees are at the sharp end of your business, so are ideally placed to suggest new ideas, assess them, develop them, and then help implement them. The support of the organizational management and committed resources are needed. Yet this is understandable. Finally, in this litigious world, it's a great idea to put a legal disclaimer on all suggestion boxes open to the public, stating that any idea left on your page immediately becomes your property. An effective ESS helps convert that waste into wealth. This leads to increased profitability for your organization. Linda Ray is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years reporting experience. No one has time to sit down with everybody individually, or even in groups. Websuggestion scheme definition: a system in which employees or customers are asked to suggest ways in which an organization can. With this system, staff can log in and submit suggestions, which are then given star ratings by their peers.

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