Leaders often have a hard time convincing their employees to talk honestly about what’s really going on in their organization. Employees can feel incredibly uncomfortable making suggestions to their leaders — especially if they believe it may jeopardize their reputation or career. Where employees see they can speak up without fear, businesses see the benefits of good, accurate information and a more engaged workforce. The truth is, if you have employees who are willing to speak up and tell you what’s really going on, you have a competitive advantage. There are several ways to get better suggestions from employees and increase their comfort in conveying their thoughts. Let’s take a look at how you can do this together. What is Employee Suggestion System? An employee suggestion system is a formal process through which employees can submit ideas, suggestions, and feedback on ways to improve their work environment, processes, and/or products. The primary purpose of an employee suggestion system is to open up lines of communication between management and staff, while also providing employees with a platform to express their views and opinions. Suggestions made by employees may help to identify areas where improvements can be made, and can also help to build a sense of engagement and ownership among staff members. Why Is It Important to Get Suggestions From Employees? Getting suggestions from employees is important because it allows organizations to tap into the collective knowledge and experience of their team. This can result in better problem solving, increased productivity, and greater overall satisfaction among staff. Suggestions from employees can also provide a platform for open dialogue and collaboration, creating a sense of ownership and engagement. Finally, by taking employee suggestions into account, organizations can create a culture of trust and respect, which can lead to increased loyalty and job satisfaction. How Do You Get Employees to Make Suggestions? Set Limits on Your Support It is difficult to get someone to make a suggestion who thinks they will be punished for disagreeing. Your employees need to feel comfortable making suggestions and challenging existing procedures. Also, if they feel that you are open-minded towards their input, they will be more successful with their ideas. This is where it’s important to set limits on your support. Be Accessible Some employees may be reluctant to speak in public. In such cases, you can have the employees share their personal thoughts with you privately. This could be scheduling involving regular one-on-one meetings with employees or asking for direct input. Additionally, if you want an entry to be of high quality, you can set a clear agenda before you start meetings. In this way, you give the employees the opportunity to think about the subject. Help People See their Prejudices Most employees will take a narrow view of a particular policy within the company, and few will admit that they have a biased view of those policies. Therefore, make sure employees understand the big picture before suggesting a solution. If an employee is biased towards a particular company policy, you might suggest that they hold meetings with the people involved in the policy formulation and implementation to understand the purpose of the policy, how and why it came about, and what has been tried before. With this perspective, the employee can informally suggest a more viable solution. Find an Effective Informant You can assign an employee to collect new information for you. Thus, an employee’s collection of feedback from coworkers creates a reliable source for combining these inputs and presenting the best ideas. Also, because whistleblowers collect reports from colleagues and present it to you anonymously, employees are more likely to be more forthright in what they say. Give Feedback Employees who make constructive suggestions and share their ideas deserve feedback, positive or negative, with their reasons. Therefore, they not only encourage employees to speak up, but also want to see that voicing their opinions has a positive effect. Related Content: What are the Benefits of the Employee Suggestion System?
