Getting suggestions from the employees of your organization is something that has always been found invaluable.
In times like the Coronavirus pandemic, they become even more valuable. No matter the industry, location, company
size, or amount of revenue of your organization, you should be listening to your employees’ suggestions for getting
through these times. We want to share eight employee suggestions that have recently been made that have positively
benefited their organizations.
What suggestion did you make?
One of our managers suggested that we let employees take home equipment from the office so they would
feel more comfortable and have the necessary resources to work efficiently.
What sparked the idea?
Since our employees typically work from our office, a lot of them did not have home offices setup.
How has the suggestion helped so far?
Once the suggestions were implemented, it helped streamline the transition. We gave two employees TVs we had
lying around the office that they could use as second monitors. Two of our other employees took home bean bags from
the office to use as their makeshift office chair. We've also given out folding tables from the office so employees could
use them as desks for the time being.
Example 2 - Gift Cards To Grocery Stores
What suggestion did you make?
Another one of our managers suggested that we give employees gift cards to grocery stores
and issue instructions on how to order food online.
What sparked the idea?
Employees had to leave their homes to go grocery shopping.
How has the suggestion helped so far?
They don't have to leave their homes to go grocery shopping. This not only helps prevent the spread of the virus,
but it also keeps employees in their homes focused on the task at hand.
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
What suggestion did you make?
I suggested the use of colored lanyards to identify different teams. A simple idea, but one providing instant visual
recognition of assigned teams that enabled compliance with the cycle.
What sparked the idea?
As our organization is large and complex, it would be difficult to have everyone adopt a fixed cycle for split teams.
We needed some to tell people apart, and looking around the room, I noticed that everyone had a lanyard for the company pass.
How has the suggestion helped so far?
It has helped us to enforce the split teams increasing employee confidence and ensuring the health and safety of employees.
What suggestion did you make?
One of our junior attorneys suggested we offer online consultations during the pandemic, and we took that suggestion and ran with it.
What sparked the idea?
Many firms around us have completely shut down, but people still need legal representation.
How has the suggestion helped so far?
We have not only maintained our client base but actually gained clients during this crisis.
We took this suggestion as a great opportunity, and it has paid off.
, Vice President - Socotra Capital, a nationwide real estate lending and investment firm based in Sacramento
What suggestion did you make?
We took social distancing very seriously. With that in mind, we began to transition to remote operations.
One suggestion was to look at costs and how to scale back on monthly expenditures, including events, traveling, and fitness memberships.
What sparked the idea?
We monitored the coronavirus in the early stages and saw the damage it could do both physically and economically.
How has the suggestion helped so far?
In anticipation of the slowdown we're now dealing with, we were able to reduce our monthly expenditures
to cover salary for many individuals in our company.
What suggestion did you make?
I suggested having brief daily meetings where everyone shared personal updates, progress on yesterday's goals,
today's goals, and any bottlenecks with the team.
What sparked the idea?
The moment mass layoff started happening, the team at Censia knew they could help connect displaced employees to hiring companies,
but that they would have to pivot and work more closely than ever, even though the team was now working remotely and with children at home.
How has the suggestion helped so far?
It keeps us aligned and connected, and helps relieve some of the stress and isolation that people are feeling.
We even set up a parents group to share tips and frustrations, and the team is now more connected than ever.
What suggestion did you make?
My company, Sideways 6, has been running an internal ideas campaign encouraging the whole team to share their ideas on how we stay
connected and work together effectively now that we're all remote. One suggestion was to do virtual synchronized HIIT classes to get
everyone away from their desks (or sofas) and doing some much-needed exercise.
What sparked the idea?
The idea came from our Lead Product Designer, James, as a friend of his was doing a similar thing at their company.
How has the suggestion helped so far?
It's really simple - we just set a time of the day where everyone follows a specific YouTube video or Instagram Live for around 45 mins - 1 hour.
Then at the end of the session, everyone posts a selfie as proof that they've left their desks and worked up a sweat.
When James posted the idea, everyone seemed to love it straight away - we've even had people in the team volunteering to lead different workouts!
It's been a great way to keep everyone connected and active, which of course, is really important for maintaining mental health well-being during
a time like this.
What suggestion did you make?
I suggested including a section in the email highlighting how our employees are finding joy in the chaos called "We are WELL".
Additionally, I suggested providing a curated news feed that gives employees an accurate picture of the situation and pinpoints
action steps that are working (stay at home) all without stoking fears.
What sparked the idea?
The news and social media are filled with terrifying and untrue information.
I wanted to provide a counterbalance to that negativity.
How has the suggestion helped so far?
Our team is closer together, provided with further inspiration, and ultimately reminded that we are human and we will make it through this.
, Digital Marketing Strategist - Amica Senior Lifestyles.
What suggestion did you make?
I can't take full credit for this as it happened organically at a meeting. The Marketing team meets once a week via Microsoft Teams Video
Conferencing to discuss campaigns, important messages from our executive team and to discuss non work topics. One day we came up with the
idea of doing an MTV Cribs segment in our meetings. Once a week, one team member will give us a tour of their home. It's voluntary, of course.
What sparked the idea?
In one of our meetings, some of our team members were pointing out certain items in another person's room, such as:
Hey, I love your vase, or that's quite a collection of Pops you have on your shelf. One of our colleagues grabbed her laptop and started walking
around her house, and someone said: "it's like I'm on MTV cribs".
How has the suggestion helped so far?
It's been a lot of fun so far... I can see this being a great way to know our colleagues more on a personal level.
No matter the organization, there is no doubt that fielding employee suggestions is one of the best things you can do.
It helps organizations in managing, adapting, and mitigating issues surrounding Coronavirus. Employees are using DirectSuggest
to make powerful suggestions to do what's necessary to prevent the virus from harming their daily operations and innovate in
ways to assist society.
Using DirectSuggest can provide immense value in these times, and they're offering a free promo offer to assist any company.
Please use the promo code HELP when signing up at https://www.DirectSuggest.com/subscribe.php to get ninety free days of DirectSuggest.
Riley Moore (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rileyrm4tech)
Riley Moore, the 25-year old CEO at RM4Tech, the one and only completely family-owned family-run
software company, has used his mix of technical and business influences to bring his creative vision
to life. With the development of RM4Tech’s first solution, DirectSuggest 'The Suggestion Box Reimagined'
, he has become a fresh face in the world of engagement and innovation. Their second solution
CrowdQuestion was released in early 2019. CrowdQuestion is focused on connecting crowds through
'Q&A The Right Way' to bring everyone closer to their community. His passion to empower individuals
to use their creativity and voice to make a difference in the world is what drives him.
Riley's love for podcasting, mixed with his unrelenting drive to inspire individuals to change
the world through passion and hard-work, encouraged the creation of The Moore You Know
Podcast. He hopes to impact the world through entrepreneurship and podcasting like those
who inspired him.
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