Harvard Survey: How To Encourage Employees To Talk About Problems

Research

So one of Harvard's

Many literary works have already described why workers are unwilling to report errors because they are from "nothing to me" to fear of being led by trouble makers.

The findings of Harvard's team show that the following two methods can encourage employees to report problems and propose solutions.

Information warfare.

"We find that only public information warfare can stimulate citizens to take certain actions, such as seat belts or smoking cessation, and organizational information campaigns that encourage process improvement can encourage employees to report problems and propose solutions."

A positive manager.

If managers can actively support employees, they are likely to report from problems to solutions.

"If managers work hard, they can let employees decide to speak, because they know that their participation will show their advantages."

You can read the work report of this research group for more information: constructive speaking: let front-line workers tell the skills of solving problem proposals.

The report was written by Harvard Business School doctoral student Julia Adler-Milstein, Professor Sara Singer of Harvard University School of public health and Harvard Business School Michael W. Toffel.