Listen to your employees, then follow up by using their ideas
October 2002
You may be tempted to think that you don’t have the time or the need to foster your employees’ creativity. I maintain you can’t afford not to. At one Northwest business I know of, there is employee quote put up by her workgroup saying, “I am not paid to think, no matter how good or bad my ideas are.” If this could be your business or workplace, hang your head in shame (and then lift it again so you can read the rest of this column)!
“Your most valuable business asset is your employees.” I can almost see your eyes glaze over as you read this - how many times in how many places have you seen one variation of this or another? It might be in a mission or goals statement, it might be in a press release, it might be spoken at a motivational meeting, but unless it’s followed by asking those employees their opinion on how to do things, it can be empty and expensive phrase.
Think about it. You probably think you have some pretty good ideas about what you do. You might even have some strong opinions about how things could be done better. Why is that so? Well, aside from obviously being a person of keen intellect and business sense (I can tell because you’re reading this!), you probably have gained some experience at doing what you do. So have your employees. Listen to them. They can save you a fortune.
But how to get that input? And, once you get it, do you have to act upon it if the ideas are bad? What happens if you don’t? What happens if you do? Relax. It’s actually pretty easy.
Ask. Ask one-on-one, ask at staff meetings, ask during performance reviews. This doesn’t have to be a huge program, just make a point of asking your staff and employees, “If you were King/Queen for a day, what changes would you make around here?” Suggestion boxes can also work - some people feel more comfortable making their ideas known anonymously. I’m not a big fan of anonymous, though I do think it is important to realize that not everyone is comfortable putting out new ideas in front of a group. I would always recommend one-on-one interactions over a suggestion box.
Methods for getting ideas from your workgroup or employees are found in many management publications, books, and guides. The only critical part is what you do with them. Once committed, you MUST LISTEN. Nothing will kill employee initiative faster than promising to think about their ideas and then not doing so. Better to not ask at all.
Be prepared to hear things you might not like to. You may not agree, you may be offended, you may think some ideas are downright stupid. Listen anyway. Not all of our own ideas are instant pearls, either.
Recognize the efforts: Make a point of mentioning how pleased you are to be getting feedback. Feel free to acknowledge some of the ideas you can’t use, and maybe even why. Much better to say, “Someone (or their name) had a great idea for a summer promotion campaign centered around XYZ. I loved the idea, but discovered it would cost more than our budget has to promote it. Perhaps we can think of a way to do it more cheaply, or plan ahead to do this next year.” You MUST use some of the ideas, or you won’t keep getting them. This doesn’t mean you have to do something foolish just to keep the pump primed. Some ideas are going to be good - they really are. And even those that aren’t workable may have some element in them that is useful. “Kevin had an idea to provide piped-in music for all of us. I was concerned that we might not all like the same kind of music, but his suggestion made me realize that some of us work better with music in the background, so I’ve decided to change our policy and allow tape/CD players as long as they have headphones and don’t interrupt regular business.”
Reward: “Pay” people back. The most important is public recognition. Praise the idea-giver in staff meetings, newsletters, casual conversation. Make sure those who give good ideas are rewarded in praise whether verbal or written. Endless studies have shown that praise and recognition are even more desirable than cash, and in many cases, much rarer.
Also reward financially wherever possible. Give cash, gift certificates, a share of the savings or profit associated with the idea, a day off, a long lunch, etc. While you may not want to spend the money, it is one of the most cost-effective investments you’ll ever make. The reward should be commensurate with the value of the idea. If a suggestion leads to an improvement that will save you thousands, don’t just give the person an hour off. That is a great way to build cynicism - how would you feel if you gave your boss an idea worth thousands and s/he gave you twenty bucks? Make the reward fit the idea. Small ideas - small but meaningful rewards. Huge ideas - huge rewards. (Think creatively if you don’t have a lot of money - profit-sharing, time off, “boss for a day,” parking spaces, etc.)
Repeat: Consider having a structure to these efforts such as an Idea of the Month club - with a gift certificate, etc. for the best idea of the month. Or sponsor a group lunch centered around brainstorming ideas. Provide a lunch for everyone - it doesn’t have to be expensive - think sandwiches or pizza for all. Have one person facilitate (not you), and make it comfortable and relaxed.
Your attitude is the most important part of any program - if you are genuinely interested, make yourself accessible, listen, use the best ideas, and reward the innovators, you will soon wonder what took you so long.
Ramona Abbott helps businesses maximize their efficiency, effectiveness and group dynamics. She utilizes proven techniques that are fun and affordable to help you improve your workplace in a variety of ways. She welcomes inquiries at 360-398-2606 or ramona@EssentiallyProfessional.com
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