Submitted by: Artur Victoria
Many employees have good ideas for increasing production or for improving plant conditions, but from self-consciousness, indifference, or lack of incentive, they do not volunteer them. They may feel “what’s the use, I won’t get anything for it,” or else they are afraid that if they tell their ideas to their supervisor he will get the credit for it when he reports it instead of the worker receiving credit. As a means of awakening interest and to secure valuable ideas from the workers, suggestion systems are adopted.
As in all personnel work, the first step is to sell the idea to the workers. The employees should be made to feel that the company values and wants their ideas and that they will be rewarded for all suggestions accepted. The point should be emphasized that the employee whom the company values most is the thinking employee and that the company can know about the employee’s ideas only when he brings them to the company notice.
So that the worker will not indulge in generalities or develop ideas involving impossible changes in the company’s policy, an announcement should be made stating definitely the kinds of suggestions wanted; for example, suggestions as to savings in labor, time and materials, suggestions for accident prevention, for increasing the sales of the product. The skilled workman on the bench or at the lathe or milling machine often thinks up better ways to do work, tool machines, save time, or conserve materials. His ideas are needed for increasing production and lowering costs. He may often have other ideas entirely foreign to his own work. These ideas in many cases are of considerable worth to the company.
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In most companies all employees are eligible to submit suggestions with the exception of the executives, time study men, engineers, and the members of the supervisory force. The latter, as a part of their regular duties, are expected to work out new ideas, to develop new plans, and to make improvements in methods; therefore they are not eligible for award unless their suggestions do not concern their own department.
A simple procedure should be devised for the submitting of suggestions so that all suggestions will be received in a uniform manner. A usual practice is to install small suggestion boxes similar to the ordinary ballot boxes at convenient locations. In an open box beside the suggestion box is placed a number of simple suggestion forms with space for the date, employee’s name, and payroll number, and the suggestion he wishes to submit. In cases where it is desired to have the name of the employee secret until after the suggestion has been passed upon, the name of the employee is omitted and the suggestion blanks are numbered consecutively. Each suggestion blank is provided with a stub bearing the same number as the sheet.
The one submitting the suggestion tears the stub off the form after he has written his suggestion and retains it to identify him, should his suggestion be accepted and award made. Record should be kept of all suggestions and their disposition. Where the name of the employee making the suggestion is known, acknowledgment of the suggestion should be made immediately upon its receipt. The house organ or company newspaper may be used to acknowledge suggestions, referring to “blind” suggestions by number.
Suggestions should be acted upon as promptly as conditions permit by a qualified committee, including if practicable one or more representatives of the workers. When a suggestion is not accepted, the reason should be given to the employee submitting the suggestion, if possible, in a personal interview. This serves to keep up his interest, to show him the management is acting fairly and to guide him in submitting other suggestions.
Practice differs as to how to reward employees for suggestions adopted. Most companies give monetary rewards, and many endeavor to have the amount of the reward bear a definite relation to the value to the company of the suggestion.
In many instances, however, it is difficult if not almost impossible to determine the value of the suggestion in Euros and cents. Generally speaking, it is probably better to try to interest the mass of workers by giving rewards for a large number of suggestions than it is to have a few large rewards.
Some concerns, in addition to awarding a prize, reward those who show unusual ingenuity and interest by promotion to positions of greater responsibility and better wage.
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