Discover the
Benefits of a Suggestion Box in the Workplace
Find out the reasons why you should consider having a suggestion box.
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Overview
It’s so easy to give feedback to your employees, but how do you ask your employees for feedback on your organization or business?
The easiest way to do this is by giving employees the freedom to submit comments, complaints, and suggestions anonymously through a suggestion box.
In the past, companies used a physical suggestion box where employees can drop their ideas on. With recent technologies, most companies stay away from this traditional method.
Nowadays, a virtual suggestion box has been for used for a while to get feedback from employees.
Why You Should Have a Virtual Suggestion Box
Well-constructed feedback or suggestion from employees can improve your business.
For example, one employee of British Airways suggested that airplane toiled pipes need to be descaled to make them lighter. This suggestion saved the company over $7-700,000 in fuel costs in a year.
There are lots of reasons why your company should invest in a virtual suggestion box.
Boosts employee morale - the concerns of your employees are addressed
Benefits quiet employees - not all employees are comfortable sharing their feedback in front of other people. A suggestion box is a great way for introverted employees to share their concerns or suggestions
Boosts employee engagement - it allows employees to engage more
Improves communication - improves the communication between the employees and management
Fast delivery - unlike traditional suggestion boxes, a virtual one processes suggestions quickly and in real time.
Drawbacks
There's no doubt that suggestion boxes are beneficial to the company and its employees. However, if you want to implement it, you should be aware of the potential drawbacks that come with it. You should consider the following:
Time-consuming - reading through all the suggestions takes up too much time, especially if you have a large organization
Lack of employee participation - not all employees will use it
Negative feedback - be prepared to hear negative feedback or complains
Loss of ownership - not giving credit to your employees’ suggestions
Some won’t take it seriously - since employees can remain anonymous, some will just play around
No action taken - if you don’t take action on your employees’ suggestions and concerns, putting up a suggestion box is useless
How to Implement a Virtual Suggestion Box
- Plan Ahead
What do you want to achieve after implementing a suggestion box? Here are some tips on creating a concrete plan:
Involve other departments
Gather resources needed
Determine if you’re putting up a physical or virtual suggestion box
Decide on how you will introduce it to your employees
- Inform the Management
Once you already have a concrete plan, inform the HR and management team of your plan and tell them how and why it will positively impact the workplace.
3. Create Guidelines
The suggestion box will only be effective if you have guidelines for managing it. Here are some things to ponder:
Who or which department will be assigned to review and approve suggestions
How often will the suggestions be reviewed
Steps or action plan on implementing approved suggestions
4. Put it on Your Intranet
The easiest way to implement a suggestion box is by putting it on your intranet. Virtual suggestion boxes are more effective than physical boxes because it is more accessible and confidential.
5. Promote Suggestion Box
Once your suggestion box is up and running, announce it to your employees.
To encourage them to support the project, tell them why their opinions or suggestions are important for the company and their well-being. You can also discuss the guidelines in using the suggestion box.
6. Show Appreciation
Lastly, don’t forget to give credit whenever your employees have great ideas to improve the company.
Showing appreciation is important when implementing a virtual suggestion box because it helps to create a positive and supportive workplace culture.
When employees feel that their suggestions are valued and appreciated, they are more likely to continue to contribute their ideas and feedback. This can lead to increased employee engagement and job satisfaction, as well as improved organizational performance.
Tips for an Effective Suggestion Box
User-friendly interface - Ensure that the digital suggestion box is easy to access and use. A simple, user-friendly interface will encourage employees to provide suggestions and feedback.
Anonymous submissions - Provide the option for employees to submit their suggestions anonymously to ensure they feel comfortable sharing their ideas without fear of retaliation or judgment.
Regular promotion - Regularly promote the suggestion box and remind employees of its existence. This will keep it top-of-mind and encourage ongoing participation.
Transparent communication - Clearly communicate the process for reviewing and implementing suggestions. Keep employees informed about the status of their submissions and any actions taken based on their feedback.
Encourage dialogue - Foster an open dialogue between employees and management by responding to suggestions and asking for clarification or additional details when needed.
Prioritize action - Prioritize suggestions and take action on the most feasible and impactful ones to demonstrate the value of the suggestion box and encourage ongoing participation.
Provide feedback - Provide feedback to employees on the status of their suggestions, including why certain ideas may not be implemented, to demonstrate that their feedback is being taken seriously and considered.
Monitor progress - Regularly monitor the progress of implemented suggestions and communicate the impact they have had on the organization to encourage ongoing participation and demonstrate the value of employee feedback.
Article by Maria Gabrielle
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Sales Hotlines
US ✆ +1 (302) 672 3007
UK ✆ +44 (207) 871 5021
UK ✆ +44 (207) 871 5021
