AMS Think Tank

Developing and implementing a system for the submittal, processing and turnaround of employee improvement suggestions can be one of the most positive morale boosters in your organization. In order to develop an effective system there are variables that you will need to explore further to arrive at the best conclusion. Some questions you should ask yourself are:

1.    Does your organization have a Human Resource-based performance recognition award system?

2.    Does your organization have an infrastructure built that will support a database to facilitate the collection of improvement opportunities?

3.    Is your organization currently in the mindset that improvement ideas are a way of doing business and that recognition for them is a standard behavioral norm?

4.    Does your company currently recognize employee-based improvement via financial, job-based or corporate communications rewards?

These questions should provoke discussion between you and your project team to establish the realities of not just implementing, but recognizing value from the outcome of this program.

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As consultants, we are often asked to identify the elements that go into building a high performance team. They are many: committed competent individuals; clear goals and objectives; well defined roles and responsibilities; excellent communication, etc. But what happens when one member of the team is less conscientious than the rest? How do you effectively deal with this individual without harming group productivity and morale?  

This is an interesting and challenging question that plagues many teams in a variety of organizations. The reality is that by not responding and allowing this person to perpetuate their lackadaisical behavior, you will do more damage to the team’s productivity and morale than if you had addressed the problem head on.

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How would you measure your efforts to involve the entire workforce in resolving problems that inhibit productivity and their ability to succeed? Although there are exceptions to every rule, it is a relatively safe hypothesis that most people want some control over how they perform their jobs each day. A key factor in the success of teams assembled to analyze problems and offer solutions is how management responds to those suggestions. If those suggestions are accepted and acted upon, this is often the catalyst for motivating the team to reach for, and achieve higher levels of quality.

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It has been proven that professional growth is driven by skill set enhancement, and skill set enhancement is driven by knowledge. Issues arise in organiztion when these two activities are looked upon as being mutually exclusive. As leaders of people and companies, we are expected to identify and dcevelop our subordinates.

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