Why you should harness the wisdom of the crowd: employee crowdsourcing in your company

Wisdom often resides in the collective, a theory popularized by James Surowiecki in his book “The Wisdom of Crowds.” This concept posits that a group of people when treated collectively, can make wiser decisions than individuals. The synergy of their efforts generates more innovative ideas, better decision-making, and increased productivity. Hence, when seeking innovative ideas, it’s beneficial to turn to a diverse group associated with your organization – your employees. Employee crowdsourcing can help with this.

Employee crowdsourcing

No one understands your company better than your employees. So why undergo prolonged and expensive audits or outsource your needs when the information you’re looking for is right at your fingertips? However, it’s essential to note that conducting a single annual employee survey won’t suffice.

Why? Because ideas often emerge at unexpected times, and employees should have the opportunity to voice them at any moment. Employee needs change, new ones arise, and quick responses are crucial.

Brainstorming

It often happens that one person’s idea sparks creativity in another, leading to even better solutions. This is the basic principle behind brainstorming, a technique developed in the mid-1930s by Alex Osborn. This method utilizes teamwork to discover ideas, fostering error detection and more creative thinking. A similar approach should be taken when conducting employee crowdsourcing to ensure its effectiveness. Opting for the simplest solutions, like suggestion boxes seen by only one person, is not the best choice. All employees should have access to the proposals. This stimulates their imagination, competitiveness, and motivation to offer the best solution.

People working together as one group can accomplish things that no one thought possible individually.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

What benefits can employee crowdsourcing bring to your organization?

Creating an “ideas exchange” within your organization can yield numerous unexpected benefits. The primary goal is to understand the needs and innovative ideas of your employees. The proposed solutions can span various aspects of your organization’s operations, including product offerings, operational methods, or process enhancements. This, in turn, helps improve your workplace.

Why is crowdsourcing such a beneficial approach?

• Low financial costs: employee crowdsourcing doesn’t require significant financial investments. Your primary cost will be providing the technological tools that allow employees to share their ideas.  

• Identifying real employee concerns: employees themselves identify the issues they face. By tracking this in real-time, you monitor their job satisfaction and can spot areas that need improvement. 

• A broader perspective on innovation possibilities: many of the innovative ideas proposed by your employees may not have occurred to you. Their needs and suggestions may differ from your expectations, helping you avoid implementing a solution that may not meet their expectations.

• Engaging employees: by allowing employees to share their ideas for improving the organization, you naturally increase their engagement. Seeing their suggestions implemented gives them a sense of value and efficacy, motivating them further. 

• Cultivating an innovative culture: by focusing on constant development and consistently working to identify the most efficient solutions, you convey that your organization is committed to growth. This helps you retain your best employees and attract new talent. Your company becomes an attractive employer.

• Continuous organizational development: by conducting innovative campaigns and collecting employee ideas through crowdsourcing, your company continually improves. You can address issues as they arise, manage your budget more efficiently, and prioritize your activities and plans.

In what areas should you seek employee assistance through crowdsourcing?

Many situations may benefit from employee crowdsourcing. These don’t have to be massive technological investments – though, of course, the specialized knowledge of your employees can be invaluable in such cases. Employee crowdsourcing is particularly effective in finding solutions related to employee life in the organization’s daily operations. Additional bike racks, a new room reservation app, or extra whiteboards may seem like simple measures but can significantly boost employee productivity, which, in turn, impacts your company’s profits. 

Crowdsourcing platform – streamlining innovation implementation

The era of suggestion boxes at the reception desk is long gone. There are far more efficient solutions available that you can quickly implement in your organization. Crowdio is one such platform, designed to efficiently gather and execute innovative ideas. Crowdio distinguishes itself with a straightforward setup and user-friendly operation. With our platform’s assistance, you can create and manage crowdsourcing campaigns for any purpose, be it local or global.

This tool allows employees to submit their ideas within a campaign and also provides the option to rate other people’s proposals. Based on predefined criteria, ideas for implementation can even be automatically selected by the platform. Crowdio can integrate with other corporate systems, is available as SaaS, and offers a mobile application. By leveraging Crowdio, you can foster a culture of innovation in your organization, boost employee engagement, and gain a competitive edge in the market.

¹ James Surowiecki, The Wisdom of Crowds, Doubleday; Anchor, 2004,