NBC Transmitter (Jan-Nov 1942)

16 NBC TRANSMITTER The Suggestion System, in its first few months, has impressed its backers as being, in itself, one of the most beneficial ideas yet applied to the National Broadcasting Company and its efficiency of operations. Further, the System is serving more than one purpose, going well beyond its first endeavor, that of making new ideas available to the company. Usable ideas, in the more fundamental mechanics of a corporation the size of NBC, still form the bulk of the suggestions received. But in the rejects, those ideas suggested before or considered impractical at the moment, has appeared a significance important in itself. The first insight is that each suggestion is an employe speaking. Even if the suggestion does not receive an award, it is still of interest to the executives of this company. In its lines and phrasings are the words and thoughts of an NBC personality. Someone with whom a department head would often wish to sit down and, in conversation, exchange viewpoints. When you write a suggestion you’re discussing an idea just as personally as if you were sitting in this department head’s office telling him something about yourself. But these suggestions go beyond the single voice. They reflect, not only a personal idea, but often the thoughts of the other employes about you. For example, if someone should suggest the office walls of NBC be pamted a different color and the division head in charge of painting the walls different colors should reply that he considered painting the walls green, as per suggestion, but it has been easier, what with priorities, to get cream colored paint, that would appear to be that. But another suggestion, from a second person, is received suggesting the walls be painted green, cream being inclined to dirt and smudges. Still a third suggestion arrives stating that green is much more restful to the eyes. The division head, at this point, sits up and decides he’d better look NBC SUGGESTION SYSTEM THESE NBC EMPLOYES HAVE COLLECTED' ■ j, Barefield $15.00 R. Ingle 10.00 j, N. Stoody 10.00 C. Boden 5.00 R. Compton 5.00 D. Engle 5.00 E. j. Ernest 5.00 K. Goddard 5.00 B. j. Hauser 5.00 M, Kingston 5.00 W. Magi II 5.00 W. C. Miller 5.00 R. Pascal 5.00 C. Petry 5.00 W. Whitfield 5.00 into this. Perhaps, after all, it might be better to paint the walls green. The resulting decrease in glare might cut down on employe headaches. The walls are painted green and, out of the files, comes the first suggestion for an award. The benefit, otherwise overlooked, is put into practice due to the volume of suggestions received and a small, but essential, fault is corrected. There is a third benefit to the System. Information occasionally gets by an employe, is forgotten or perhaps, in the original instruction, was not clearly expressed. Knowledge of this shortcoming, through a suggestion, results in a benefit all around. An employe, recently, discovered a short cut in her method of bookkeeping. She had worked out the more efficient method from her own intelligence and submitted it to the committee. It was discovered that, not only she, but her entire department should have been using the very method of bookkeeping she described. Her suggested method had been in force for some time throughout the rest of NBC. Her department has increased its effi ciency by 30% thanks to her suggestion which revealed an odd state of affairs. In another instance, suggestions reached volume proportions in advising NBC of a convenient way to deduct, from its employe payrolls, amounts for the purchase of defense bonds and stamps. A memo, announcing just such a plan, had been circulated throughout the company last fall. The number of employes suggesting this practice already in force impressed executives with the importance of re-issuing the memo. If you want to buy defense stamps and bonds automatically, contact the treasurer’s office and a regular amount will be deducted from your salary each pay day for that purpose. More than 250 ideas have been considered to date. One suggestion alone will save the company an estimated $300.00 a year. A total of $95.00 has been awarded to the winning contributors whose names appear on this page. Employes of the Eastern Division of NBC may win as much as $100.00 for original suggestions accepted as beneficial to the company. Every suggestion is investigated. The Personnel Office attempts to answer each suggestion, accepted or not, individually. The reason for a suggestion’s non-acceptance is always available to the sender. If an employe finds that his suggestion has been misinterpreted in any way, it may always be appealed. The green suggestion boxes are everywhere in Radio City. There is cne in every office, complete with entry blanks and envelopes. It is a company policy that NBC doors and minds are always open. Perhaps you’ve felt that execufves are always too busy to listen to some idea you’ve had in the back of your mind. The Suggestion System was inaugurated to overcome just such reticence on your part. If you’re working for NBC you have ideas and imagination. Your company pays for good ideas. No idea is of any use if it rema ns stagnant. Send them in, all of them. Don’t keep a good idea to yourself!