Worth a Try!

 

My best friend gave me a review of a product and suggested to give it a try. Since, I know that her reviews are always good, I gave it a try. Suggestions play a vital role in one's decision, importantly if it has been given from an influential and powerful stakeholder in a project or in our life.

In organisations as well, the scheme of suggestions and improvements are prevalent. Some keep it as an idea generation ballot box, others keep as continuous improvement projects and rest just implement it weighing the pros and cons.

When I was working for a public sector firm, I found that the way of working was like following a set of rules. Follow the same process, refer the lesson learned repository and execute accordingly. There was little space to include new ideas, new processes and what I meant here is give a thought to new suggestions.

How can we better adapt to including a mechanism of trying to let Innovative worthy suggestions included?

Here are some ways we can:

1) Introducing an employee suggestion scheme: One of the oraganisation I have worked for has a suggestion box and a portal where employees could freely submit their new ideas, improvement steps or some benchmarked initiatives. Even, the top three suggestions/ideas were awarded every quarterly which gave recognition and connectivity to the employee.

2) Including as a training project: With the upliftment and development of current employees, organisation can get them more involved by encouraging them into taking short term training projects and bring new ideas and suggestions to the team.

3) As a part of the performance appraisal process: I am sure each and every employee waits for this process and puts his/her best efforts to get the best rating for their previous years' contributions. But, if he/she also gets a chance to think/plan/write one or two development projects they want to take the coming year, they would feel delighted. Isn't this sounds interesting to both of them?

4) Open suggestions during the exit interviews: It is sad when an employee leaves an organisation, but its an inevitable process. Many of these can still do a great help to the departing organisation by putting their unadulterated views in the interview or paper that may help the organisation improve.

I want to add a quote from Mr. Harvey Mackay here:

"The employees who share innovative ideas may also be the folks who have some hidden talents that would help incorporate their suggestions"