In a nutshell . . .
The purpose of this module is to give you an understanding of the importance of empowering employees to use their initiative, to improve and innovate products, services and processes, and to work creatively with others.
Empowering employees to improve their own work practices, address new and stimulating challenges, and take part in regular opportunities to think creatively with their colleagues is strongly associated with higher levels of innovation, engagement and psychological well-being. A report by the Danish trade union confederation for example, shows how participation in improvement and innovation benefits employees and competitiveness alike.
Research evidence and experience also demonstrate that such involvement may avoid many of the costly errors associated with the introduction of new technologies and helps to secure a full return on investment.
Employee-Driven Innovation and Improvement also meets the aspirations of organisations seeking to become more resilient and responsive. Please think about your experience of a team or organisation and score the following issues (1 = No Problem; 10 = Severe Problem):
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Active and systematic contributions to innovation and improvement rely on time and permission to step back from functional tasks on a regular basis, enabling employees to explore new ideas with others. The starting point is to encourage and incentivise such involvement, perhaps overcoming the reluctance of those employees whose ideas may previously have been ignored or have just learnt to ‘keep their heads down’. Senior teams need to make such opportunities as abundant and accessible as possible, and to send clear messages which ensure that people at all levels feel confident and inspired to take part. Line managers need to be fully aligned with employee engagement in innovation and improvement, ensuring the availability of time and resources.
Let’s consider three main aspects of employee involvement in innovation and improvement: Enterprising Behaviour, Continuous Improvement and High Involvement Innovation.
Enterprising behaviour means reigniting or maintaining entrepreneurial spirit throughout the organisation, and is an essential condition for the sustainable engagement of employees in improvement and innovation. There is no hard and fast distinction between continuous improvement and high involvement innovation – we’ve seen many examples where accumulated improvements have resulted in far-reaching changes over time. Continuous improvement can sometimes be seen as an incremental approach to innovation when it is sustained, not least because it generates a flow of new insights and shared learning.
Nonetheless it is useful to consider the different types of workplace practices associated with each.
Complete all objectives in this section:
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