We are always seeking new ways to improve productivity - and we all know having engaged staff is the key. We all have our hard-working, results-oriented, self-motivated employees (wish we can have more!) but very often, especially in SMEs, everyone is so focused on doing daily operational tasks that we run out of time doing the big picture stuff - coming up with innovative ideas, new ways of doing things, questioning the status quo and improving our processes.
In Hong Kong, we see so many employees blindly following the directives from the boss, and not ever questioning the "why" - resulting often in inefficiencies and disengaged employees. They feel they are just there to be cogs in the wheel - these employees will leave at the drop of a hat, and all the experiences and knowledge goes with them.
Would it not hurt by allowing staff to daydream a bit, to come up with fresh approaches and innovative ideas? To allow staff to "just wander off" can help them be refreshed, re-energised and most important of all - come up with ideas that they can own and implement - enhancing their level of engagement with the work, and not just thinking they are just there to do as they are told.
In our office, we have recently implemented the "dream hour" - where each week, all employees are encouraged to use this dream hour to take a break from their daily processes and use the time to come up with new approaches for the workplace - it can be a totally new idea for business, a new way to enhance the customer experience or to question a work process to make it more efficient or meaningful. Ideas are shared in our weekly meetings and the best ideas are rewarded monthly.
To see a colleague come up with a cool idea, own it, and run with it, you can see how the person is already more engaged with the whole process and with the work. I hope to see new ideas being put forth and the positive energy in the workplace.
About the author - Sam Lau is the founder of Total Loyalty Company (TLC) in Hong Kong, a specialist HR business process outsourcing provider helping clients develop happy and healthy workplaces.
Get Involved - CB Empower is a programme in partnership with TLC designed to EMPOWER companies to adopt sustainable strategies that ensure employee wellbeing.