60 Seconds on Business
Getting good ideas from their workers

By Dr. Drake Beil
President, Solutions Inc.

Does anyone listen to you on the job? If you made a solid suggestion, what would happen? Something? Nothing? Does your company have some way to get in touch with improvement ideas that come from its own people?

This is important because when employees are encouraged to have an active voice in the workplace, costs go down and quality goes up.

I don't often think of employee involvement working in a government agency, but Hawaii Health Systems Corp. was one of two organizations recognized recently for excellence in this area. At all levels of the organization, their people are encouraged to have an active voice in the workplace. With more than 3,000 employees in 12 medical centers around the islands, HHSC is serious about employee involvement. Its emphasis last year was safety, and the program resulted in a significant drop in workplace injuries and increase of return-to-work status of injured employees.

The other government organization recognized for workplace excellence was the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, which employs more than 4,300 people. Its Beneficial Suggestion Program solicits ideas that can result in cost savings and provides recognition and financial rewards to those whose ideas produce significant results.

Another outstanding feature was the specialized training for supervisors and managers. There are "new supervisor" training requirements at six-month and one-year intervals and they learn how to utilize employees as positive resources.

Reach Dr. Drake Beil at drake@60secondsonbusiness.