Ideapreneurship means a company’s capability to recognize the untapped potential of every employee in everyday activities. It means encouraging them to share their innovative technological ideas irrespective of their designation or seniority. Modern companies promote Ideapreneurship to give customers a pool of new ideas and a great experience with technology. This leads us to ask what the company should do for its employees in return for their innovation and great potential.
How Innovative Company Should Be From Employee Perspective
Innovation from the company’s perspective is different. It focuses on what the employee offers to help the business grow and succeed. A business owner pays attention to how innovation benefits his business and enforces all the means necessary to develop the business culture.
Usually, innovation involves the introduction of new services or products to the business. Innovative ideas can be means of changing the way people do business. For an employer, the staff and all business partners support the innovative ideas. From an employer’s perspective, Ideapreneurship involves:
- Improving industry methods
- Using new technologies
- Implementing better processes and systems
- Meeting customers’ demands
- Keeping this in mind, companies can now evaluate and understand what innovation is in the eye of the employees
Employees Perspective on Innovation
Employees want recognition for their contributions, suggestions, and efforts in making the business successful. They want to help create a changing environment that encourages Ideapreneurship. They want their employers to promote and support one another to think innovative and increase their knowledge, skills, experience, and recommendations.
10 Things Employees Want for Ideapreneurship
1. Encouraging Environment
There should be appreciation and encouragement for employees at the workplace. The employer should be:
- Honest
- Open minded
- Willing to implement change
- Willing to get out of their comfort zone
2. Ready to Hire New Personalities
Employees want a variety and more interaction at the workplace. Meeting people from diverse backgrounds and with unique experiences helps employees:
- Explore different perspectives
- Feel passionate about their ideas
- Align work culture with the vision of success
- Understand the clients’ idea and expectation
3. Give Employees a Retreat
Whenever an employee comes forward with an inspiring idea, give him or her a day out of office or some form of retreat. Employees should support their employees by offering ways to share more ideas. For example, make a suggestion box, access to the internet for research, and an opportunity to explore new places.
4. A Systematic Process
Employees want their employers to have a process that allows them to assess the new ideas. Employees want to feel confident when they suggest or recommend ideas. They also want a feedback in good time.
5. Rewards
Employees want a reward for their innovative ideas. This encourages them and makes them feel appreciated for their efforts. This also encourages other employees to share their innovative ideas with confidence.
6. New Initiatives
Employees want their employees to invest in new equipment and means of testing new ideas. They want employers to give them all the necessary equipment to allow brainstorming and improvements in their ideas.
7. Collaboration Space
Employees expect employers to promote interaction with other employees. They want to build a trusting and friendly environment where they can collaborate for innovation. Large companies have spaces where colleagues hangout and mingle to share ideas and get suggestions.
8. Training
Employees expect their employers to train them in areas they are lacking. Exploring technology can have limitations, which is why employers need to train their loyal team members. Laying off less skilled employees can have a negative impact on the company’s reputation. By training and retraining workers, employers earn more employee loyalty
9. More Investment
Employees want their employers to make timely investments that give them all the resources they need for their innovative ideas. Appropriate resources may not only be machinery and gadgets but may include:
- More finances
- Better leadership and management
- Immediate action
- Employee rewards
By implementing these practices, employers can make ideapreneurship culture a huge success. This will benefit the growth of technology and implementation of AI to create innovative machines.
10. Instant Implementation
One of the problems when it comes to the successful implementation of innovative ideas is an unnecessary delay. A delay can demotivate employees. Therefore, employers must implement change, make an investment, and make necessary equipment within the shortest time possible.
Employee Ethics and Social Responsibilities
While encouraging and implementing ideapreneurship at a workplace, employers have to ensure compliance with employee ethics. Employee ethics are the core of a successful workplace culture. There must be loyalty to the employer, transparency, and discipline. At the same time, employers must encourage employees to fulfill their social responsibilities. Employees expect their employers to give them a list of workplace ethics that they must stick to from their first day.
When employees work together, they expect a safe environment where there are mutual understanding and respect. As people from different countries and ethnic backgrounds work together, they expect employers to protect their rights. When there is a lapse in best practices on behalf of any worker, they expect their employers to take action to protect their rights.
As employees ensure fulfilling their social responsibilities by being nice to their colleagues and customers, they expect their employers to be social and friendly as well. On an outing or when employees get rewards and when they sit in the relaxing area, employers should spend time chatting with their employees. This helps employees feel more open and relaxed to share their innovative ideas. Even if employees suggest ideas that are not up to the mark, employers must not embarrass them. Instead, employers should give them a push in the right direction.
Be a Charismatic Leader
Managing or being the owner of a company is not that easy. In order to have a progressive team, employers must set an example. Employees expect their employers to entice them and encourage them to strive towards the success of their company. Charismatic leaders do not make false promises nor deprive employees of their rights. Employees expect their employers to be fair and unbiased. There must be no gender preference or deprivation of ones’ rights. If there is dissatisfaction, employees tend to lose interest and stop cooperating with the employer.
Ideapreneurship can be the driving force for the company’s success. Therefore, employers must ensure employee ethics and socialization at a workplace.
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