Some of the most successful businesses expect and encourage all team members to help generate ideas to advance the organization as a whole. Encouraging participation at this level promotes a culture of innovation and inspires employees to share new ideas and insights that improve operations, sales, and new product development. But more than just being inspired, employees actively seek ways to influence how their organizations can run more efficiently and cost effectively while promoting leading edge innovations.
How do businesses create a culture of innovation in which employees contribute in this way? These are the ideas I’ve seen in practice that work:
- Leaders have an open-door policy encouraging team members to share their ideas
- Innovation Teams are formed to review suggestions and assign ownership for those that will be implemented
- Every position description promotes innovative thinking.
Does your business encourage innovative-thinking to remain relevant in today’s ever-changing economic climate? If yes, I’d love to learn about your approach. If not, isn’t this a perfect time to promote new ideas?