Innovations Update
There is much to announce on the innovations front. In this update, we’ll start by getting right to the point, or rather, the points: Syska has launched an internal program called “InnoPoints,” which rewards innovative ideas and efforts.
Here’s how it works:
Every innovative action is assigned an InnoPoint value. At the end of each quarter the top three earners can choose a prize from a range of options, including Apple AirPods, a Sonos Smart Soundbar, an Apple watch, a Dewalt professional tool set, or a gift card from Best Buy or Sharper Image. And at the end of 2024 we will announce a grand prizewinner, who will receive an Apple Vision Pro.
According to Rob Ioanna, our chief technical officer and the head of our subsidiary Syska Innovations, the purpose of the InnoPoints program is to support a culture of innovation by gamifying the innovation process and by rewarding behaviors and actions that lead to innovative outcomes. “It’s fun, but behind the fun is a business strategy,” he notes.
Rob and Syska’s internal innovation coaches learned more about these sorts of strategies during a workshop with Leo Chan of Abound Innovations. Leo believes that everyone is creative, but that creativity needs to be nurtured and stimulated.
We’re impressed with the creativity our professionals have demonstrated so far. One employee, for example, used our Brightideas software to suggest the establishment of an “Innovations Corner” in each of our offices. (Brightideas enables all employees, regardless of their role, to submit ideas to implement.)
The employee envisioned these Innovations Corners as separate from general work areas and designed for brainstorming. We’ve already rolled out the first one in our New York City headquarters. The space, formerly a conference room, has been transformed with colorful designs, plants, product models, and Legos. Our NYC employees use it for idea generation along with tinkering and testing out new products.
