Does your organization have an employee suggestion box to gather feedback from workers? If not, it might be time to put one in place so you can address grievances directly instead of employees turning to Reddit and Twitter/X to complain.
Building a business comes with many challenges, not the least of which is managing the on-the-job experience of employees. No matter how carefully an employer runs their organization, there are always a handful of concerns that spring up, offering ways to make improvements across the business. It’s easy enough to ask employees for feedback during yearly audits or their performance reviews, but due to the fear of lasting repercussions, most employees hold back from giving their organization any honest or constructive feedback.
An employee suggestion box is a clear way to solicit feedback without putting employees on the spot, offering them an opportunity to share their concerns and frustrations in a space where they might be addressed. Whether you choose a digital suggestion box for employees or a physical one, such a tool can be a great way to fix any holes in the company culture.
An employee suggestion box can be a great way to connect with employees on underlying issues and build goodwill by resolving them. (Image: Pexels)
What Is an Employee Suggestion Box and Does It Really Make a Difference?
An employee suggestion box is a convenient way for organizations to gather feedback from employees, creating a formal space where they can express their concerns or ideas for the organization. The primary benefit of a suggestion box is that employees get to express their thoughts freely without being stared down by a manager or HR representative, making it easier to open up about their experiences on paper or digitally.
Some employee suggestion boxes at workplaces also allow for anonymity, allowing employees to share their thoughts without putting their own jobs at risk. In the modern-day workplace, however, anonymity is not always guaranteed, but always welcome.
There are many reasons why a suggestion box for employees might be a good idea:
- Encourages employees to speak up with greater ease
- Allows employees to suggest potential improvements to the business
- Gives employers an opportunity to understand issues within the workplace
- Brings up unseen workplace conflicts and underlying issues early on, before they can disrupt the company culture
- Creates opportunities for change by following through on suggestions
- Encourages a culture of communication and sharing rather than suppression
- Improves employer-employee relationships
How to Set Up an Employee Suggestion Box at Work
An organization deals with problems on multiple fronts, from settling orders with vendors to addressing client-customer problems. In between the rush of work that takes over operations day to day, it can be easy to look at the employee suggestion box as a frivolous task that can take up time and space that could otherwise be spent on something more economically beneficial. This may well be the case, but unless employees feel comfortable and secure at work, they will struggle to work at their productive best.
Taking the time out to address employee concerns can be a very simple but fruitful way to build goodwill and improve engagement within the workplace. Addressing issues early on will allow the work culture to thrive and allow your organization to lead the industry as a desirable place to work. If you’re convinced about the benefits of a suggestion box for employees, there are a few different things you can do:
- Ask employees whether they’d prefer a physical or digital suggestion box
- Set rules in place for the use of the suggestion box
- Create a format to make it easier for employees to provide suggestions
- Set up the employee suggestion box as discussed
- Encourage employees to use the box
- Check the suggestion box at regular intervals
- Review the suggestions and create an action plan
- Show employees the changes that are being put in place
Let’s elaborate on these a little further.
1. Ask Employees Whether They’d Prefer a Physical or Digital Suggestion Box
Conduct a survey to understand where employees stand on the matter and whether they’d prefer a physical box at the office or a digital suggestion box where they can fill in a form online. You can also ask them for suggestions on matters like where the box should be located, whether it should be anonymised, or any other criteria that should be set.
2. Set Rules For the Use of the Suggestion Box
No one likes restrictions, but it’s best to set them in place right at the start rather than penalize unsuspecting employees who use the tool incorrectly later. You can include rules about using the same professional language as they would in a meeting, avoiding spreading gossip about coworkers’ personal lives, and other guidelines to ensure the process is productive.
It is crucial to ensure you don’t go to the extreme of policing and overly restricting what the employees can provide feedback on, as that might defeat the purpose of the box.
3. Create a Format to Make It Easier for Employees to Provide Suggestions
Structure can make it easier for employees to format their suggestions in ways that can be implemented. When there are specific fields to fill in, such as which department the suggestion is for or how the suggestion could be explored, it can make this process easier on both employers and employees.
4. Set up the Employee Suggestion Box as Discussed
If a digital suggestion box is set up for employees, test it out and ensure it works correctly so employees are not left hanging when they try to send in recommendations. If a physical box is set up, avoid placing it in a place where it gets too much attention, as many will hesitate to go anywhere near the box with all eyes on them.
5. Encourage Employees to Use the Box
Employees cannot provide ideas in the suggestion box if they don’t know it exists or how to approach it. It is also very likely that most will initially hesitate to use it for fear of being drawn into controversy at work. Regularly remind employees that the suggestion box is available for them to use, and encourage them to approach it and provide honest feedback.
Have managers and HR team members also show their support for the process to get employees to feel more comfortable sharing.
6. Check the Suggestion Box at Regular Intervals
Set a schedule for when the box is checked and ensure someone is assigned to review the contents of the box. This will make it easier to fit the feedback collection and review process into the company’s standard operations and give this process the time and attention it deserves. Checking in twice a month may be a good start, and depending on usage, the schedule can be updated.
7. Review the Suggestions and Create an Action Plan
Collecting feedback is not enough, as employees need to be able to see actual attempts to facilitate change in the workplace. Discuss the suggested changes with the team and explore what can be done to make improvements at work. If a particular piece of feedback cannot be implemented immediately, look for alternatives to try and improve working conditions at least.
8. Show Employees the Changes That Are Being Set in Place
Whether through monthly newsletters or during weekly meetings, take time out to bring up some of the recommendations and explain what is being done to make the necessary improvements at work.
In some cases, you can also choose to open a point up to discussion to ask other employees if they have a better recommendation for how the suggested change can be implemented. It also helps to explain to employees why some specific changes cannot be implemented at the moment, leading the way with transparency.
Will You Consider an Employee Suggestion Box for Your Organization?
The decision to install an employee suggestion box is entirely up to the leaders of the organization. Setting one in place when the business is short on the resources necessary to address concerns may be short-sighted, as employees could grow more frustrated by using the tool and seeing no results. If your organization does decide to invest in such a tool, it’s important to do so with care and attention to detail, regularly reviewing and addressing the feedback that is offered.
Over time, the employee suggestion box could grow into a tool for sharing positive and creative ideas alongside feedback and suggestions, giving employers insights into innovative benefits and support systems to employ within the workplace. Such progress only serves to improve the harmony within the business, allowing the culture and sense of community to thrive.
Have you ever used an employee suggestion box at work? What was your experience with it? Share with us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.