Beyond the Suggestion Box

Is the suggestion box at work an outdated idea? If it is, how do you gather input and ideas at work that works for today?
The empty suggestion box
Is the suggestion box at your organization gathering dust rather than ideas? Even worse, has some joker “helpfully” suggested a particular orifice in which management can insert the suggestion box? When management does open it, the box is usually empty. Why?
Most of us disregard the company suggestion box. We walk by it every day and ignore it like the fire extinguisher or the fancy motivational posters on the wall. If we do give it a second thought, we wonder why bother; management never uses anything from it. It’s just for show, we grumble.
Why does this poor box take the brunt of our frustrations? Perhaps, we’ve been brainwashed to believe no one is interested in our ideas. It could be the lame way management pays lip service to wanting our input. Maybe we’re skittish about putting something out there since the last person who tossed out an idea got shot down. So, who can blame us if we pass right by? Is the box empty because we have no ideas? Is there a lack of ideas, an idea drought or is something else going on? Could it be the suggestion box is just too low tech? Perhaps it’s time to think outside the suggestion box and find a better way to gather ideas.
There are many alternatives to the old suggestion box. Here are some simple starters:
Build an idea wiki or website
Host the input and gathering of ideas on a company intranet site or Wiki devoted to new ideas. A collaborative intranet site devoted to new ideas is a place to post ideas, challenges, and problems to let employees collaborate to create solutions in a forum type of atmosphere. When employees see ideas being posted, they can become inspired to build on the idea and create and post new ideas of their own. Communicate frequently within the organization the site is available and ready to be used by all levels of staff. Train staff to be comfortable with the technology, how to use it, and how to post to it. Make sure ideas, accomplishments, and breakthroughs that come from this space are acknowledged and celebrated.
Put up an idea board
Does your organization have an environment where employees spend little time at a computer? You can still encourage and gather ideas. Try an idea bulletin board. It can be as simple as a large bulletin board placed in areas frequented by staff such as a cafeteria or break room. The idea board has three basic categories: one for issues, problems, or concerns, one for possible answers, and one for management to place information about ideas that are in process of being evaluated and those implemented.
For example, an employee is having a recurring problem with a process, he can post it on the board where all staffers can see it, think about it, and offer suggestions to fix or change the process. At certain intervals, management should make a point of collecting the ideas and updating the board to show what was done or used to improve the situation.
Start meetings with examples of creativity
Inspiration for creativity and ideas comes in many forms. There are countless examples of ordinary people facing a challenge or need and finding a creative, innovative solution. It has happened many times throughout history and still happens frequently today.
Find ways to jumpstart the creative process. Do a Google search for inventors and innovators, both historic and recent. Know their stories. Study their methods. Understand their failures. Collect stories to use as encouragement. Share these stories with staff to start a meeting or begin a brainstorming session.
Ideas = money and happier employees stay around longer and produce more!
Forget the suggestion box. Use updated methods to cultivate idea talent at your organization. It is ready and waiting to be unleashed. Show staff the organization wants and needs their ideas, then inspire them, and your organization will mine the potential within, uncovering the next great idea.
About the Author:
Karen S. Sieczka is an author, creativity injector, trainer, and founder of Growing Great Ideas.com. Does your organization need more ideas? Try Karen’s training program Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing Creativity at Work. This program generates ideas, enthusiasm, and teamwork and can be customized to address particular organizational issues or challenges and can be done in half-day, full-day or multi-day formats. Her book Growing Great Ideas: Unleashing Creativity at Work, is now available on Amazon.com. A second, updated edition of the book is coming out in January 2010.