subject: What's Going Out The Door? [print this page] What's Going Out The Door? What's Going Out The Door?
Companies are often accused of throwing out the baby with the bath water. If you don't understand this phrase you are probably under 50 years old. Basically it describes how we don't distinguish what is an essential verse what is non essential as we make critical discarding decisions.
Unfortunately this phenomenon is occurring in the process of furloughing, outsourcing and layoffs of employees in companies who are experiencing cash flow and other economical challenges. Little or no attention is paid to the value of the intellectual knowledge, organizational history or other essential information that walks out of the door every time such a move is initiated in a company. Slash and save cash seems to be the mantra of enlighten leadership in some of our most prestigious organizations.
It matters not if it is a brand named company, an institution of higher learning, or a public entity such as a City or State, this practice is common. There is often a layoff plan describing the procedure but not a written and implemented plan to capture the employees' intellectual company or job knowledge that has been "salary funded" for many years. If the cost of this practice was calculated we are probably tossing away millions of dollars in human capital investments.
Intellectual Property (IP) is usually thought of as copy written or patented type creations from the work force. I am broadening that traditional definition to include what may appear to be a simple revision, practice, and change to how a task is done or policy is implemented. An employee may introduce into their job performance an element that has an impact on the output of their function. This may be in the form of a unique method or routine for doing what they do that has resulted in establishing value for the company. This may not always be manifested in concrete dollars savings or earned. They may have created a more intrinsic yet valuable process or tool.
I suggest that taking the time to capture this data will serve organizations well. Creativity and innovation in the workplace has become the critical organizational requirement of the age.
A company can no longer continue to fund creativity and not capture it. There is a global war for customers and the winners will be those organizations that focus on capturing the innovative benefits derived from their employee talent pool.
At a minimum:
1. Conduct an audit to capture, and record unique processes for the performance of tasks in the company
2. Create an ongoing method of identifying and capturing creative ideas, processes, and materials that employees generate
3. Reward creativity when an employee's methods are adopted and implemented
One approach to ensuring that an employee feels appreciated as they leave the company is to recognize their contributions. This can be done by asking them to share what they did that was unique in doing their job. You may be surprised by the richness of creativity that is yielded from that process.
Employees' "Going out the door" is sometimes an unavoidable situation but having a deliberate continuing process for updating how task are currently perform can be planned. With the establishment of a job creativity deposit system' you can harness the ingenuity of your workforce.
