Whatever suggestion scheme or idea initiation events you implement, it is important to ensure that there is a facility for individuals to bypass their line manager if necessary.
Line managers can be resistant to ideas from their own people for a variety of reasons. They might fear that the person making the suggestion might be taken away from them to implement it. They might think that the idea does not reflect well on their department. They might see some implicit criticism of themselves in the suggestion. They might have political agendas or prejudices that lead them to block ideas coming from their team. If all ideas require initial sign-off by the first line manager then the flow of ideas will be inhibited in some areas.
When Lou Gerstner first took over the reins as CEO of IBM one of his first actions was to allow anyone, anywhere in the company to email him with ideas and suggestions. He received a flood of input – much of which gave him useful information on what the real problems were at the grass roots.
Sir Richard Branson has long had a policy that employees can bypass formal idea submission procedures and come straight to him with a business proposal if they are convinced it is the best route.
Allowing people to bypass the normal chain of command provides an essential safety valve that enables radical ideas to be viewed dispassionately at some distance from their source.
Does your organisation have an effective employee suggestions scheme? An increasing number of organisations in the both private and public sectors are finding that they can drive innovation and reduce cost by moving their suggestion box from the office wall to the intranet.