How to Encourage Employees to Submit Ideas
Many human resources personnel would like to solicit more innovative ideas from their employees. Some believe that because employees are on the front lines of organizations, they have the best insights on improvements and innovations in customer service, sales opportunities and operation costs. The White House even launched a contest for federal employees to submit cost-saving ideas. You can encourage your employees to submit ideas as well, using simple techniques and programs.
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Instructions
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Suggestion Box
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Decide what types of suggestions you'd like from your employees, including ways to cut costs, daily operations or morale-boosting ideas. Think about if you'd like a physical or virtual suggestion box. Remember that the physical one has the option of being anonymous, while the virtual one will have emails and names attached.
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Roll out new suggestion box idea in the form of a fun office meeting, in a pleasant environment. Don't roll it out in a budget meeting or with any negative news. Make the suggestion box a positive idea and have members from the management team present it. Help all employees understand that management supports the suggestion box and that it's meant to be a medium for creative ideas--not complaints.
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Respond to all ideas, both good and bad. Acknowledge the contributed ideas to make employees feel empowered, not de-motivated.
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Think about making the suggestion box into a contest if the ideas are focused on how to bring in more sales or cut costs. Give an appealing prize, like a gift certificate or a paid day off. Set contest deadlines and follow them.
Idea Committee
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Create a small committee with one person from each department participating. Make sure that your committee members actually have the decision-making power to implement ideas. Decide what types of suggestions you'd like from your employees, including ways to cut costs, improvements to daily operations, or morale-boosting ideas.
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Create a monthly meeting schedule, perhaps at lunch. Decide what the monthly topics will be ahead of time to give the committee members time to discuss the topic with their departments.
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Make and follow agendas for the meetings. Allow time for each committee member to submit her department's ideas. Discuss the most promising ideas in more detail as a group, and create "next step" plans.
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Tips & Warnings
Never openly criticize any employee's idea.
Give specific credit for employee ideas that are implemented to encourage more sharing.
