You can read through the entire Business Resource Center web site, but the best source of advice on how to boost your company’s profits may be right under your nose. It’s your own workforce.
Your employees know where the bottlenecks are in your organization, and they have some very interesting ideas for trimming costs, building sales and improving products or services.
But employees aren’t always willing or able to articulate those ideas. Face facts: if the atmosphere in your organization discourages people from reporting or acknowledging problems, it’s also going to discourage them from suggesting solutions. Your job is to create a climate where your employees are motivated to make suggestions that can help the business.
Here is a really effective way to secure input from employees. In effect, it’s a way to systematize the old employee “suggestion box” concept. Periodically, ask everyone on your staff to fill out a form which asks for their input from three different perspectives. All employees are given a worksheet requesting that they jot down:
- ideas to improve the firm;
- ideas to improve their department; and
- ideas to improve their own performance.
It’s essential that this be done in writing, and it’s important to insist that they come up with five suggestions in each category. We’ve found that the first one or two answers are the easy, obvious ideas– the really creative suggestions tend to surface after the superficial ones are out of the way.
Once you’ve undertaken this exercise, take the time to explain which suggestions will be used, and why others will be rejected. It’s important to let your people know that you value their advice and appreciate their ideas–even the ones you can’t accept.
It’s also a good idea to reward employees for brainstorming on behalf of the company. If a staff suggestion brings in new business or reduces operating costs, a cash bonus is certainly in order. But remember that money isn’t the only motivator. The possibilities include recognition in the company house organ or at the next staff meeting, a day off, an “employee of the month” award, a plaque acknowledging the individual’s contributions–the list goes on and on.
Sample Form:
________________________________________
(STAFF MEMBER MAKING SUGGESTIONS)
Please list five ideas for each of the following:
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE FIRM
1_______________________________________________________________
2_______________________________________________________________
3_______________________________________________________________
4_______________________________________________________________
5_______________________________________________________________
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING YOUR DEPARTMENT
1_______________________________________________________________
2_______________________________________________________________
3_______________________________________________________________
4_______________________________________________________________
5_______________________________________________________________
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING YOUR ROLE WITHIN THE FIRM
1_______________________________________________________________
2_______________________________________________________________
3_______________________________________________________________
4_______________________________________________________________
5_______________________________________________________________
