In today's competitive environment, a company's ability to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and continuously innovate is vital to its success. And common sense dictates that line workers - the individuals closest to the processes, products, vendors, and customers - are in the best position to identify such opportunities.
Sounds a lot like the rationale behind the suggestion boxes of yesteryear, doesn't it?
But if the business drivers are as strong as ever, where have those dusty, cobweb-covered containers gone? More importantly, why does their mere mention send shudders up the spine of nearly everyone who has encountered them?
Simply put, the typical suggestion system was poorly designed and managed.
Not only were programs rarely linked to corporate strategy, they were often at odds with the organization's culture. Suggestions were seldom acknowledged, let alone implemented. In fact, had it not been for the lack of attention given to the initiative, one might suspect that a company was only paying it "lip service."
Clearly, employee suggestion systems can have a detrimental effect on workplace morale without the proper framing, ongoing maintenance, and follow-through. This is especially unfortunate because employers generally have the opposite goal in mind when launching a program.
An employee suggestion initiative that is well-planned and well-executed can reap huge rewards. So rather than abandoning the idea because of the potential downside, build the following "best practices" into your strategy.
- Assemble a cross-organizational evaluation team.
All major corporate functions should be represented to ensure that multiple viewpoints are considered. The IT, legal, and finance departments are especially important from a feasibility perspective. Be sure to select individuals who welcome change, value employee involvement, and possess a general - but solid - understanding of how the business operates. - Determine suggestion eligibility and submission requirements.
Establishing parameters up front is recommended, particularly if you wish to avoid complaints about less-than-appetizing cafeteria food and streaky restroom mirrors. Soliciting employee input in pre-defined categories (e.g., safety, quality, customer service, efficiency, etc.) is a simple and practical way to keep contributions relevant.
Another strategy for ensuring that suggestions have merit is requiring participants to provide a certain level of detail with their proposals. While they should not be expected to develop a full-blown action plan, it is not unreasonable to ask them to present the problem, their recommended solution, and a rudimentary cost/benefit analysis.
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