The innovation prize at Engie
Democratising innovation and creativity through innovation champions and an innovation prize
- client request
Elengy, part of the Engie group and an operator of LNG terminals, is launching a participative innovation program. The company wants to set up an innovation prize to stimulate the creativity of its people, encourage them to put forward innovative ideas whether small or large, and build solidarity between colleagues.
- challenges
As part of rolling out the "Trophée Initiatives", several challenges need to be addressed to make this participative innovation program a success.
Training in creativity techniques. The first challenge is to give the correspondents a head start on creativity and innovation techniques. Although their role is not to run creativity workshops, it is essential that they become familiar with the different techniques and tools that can stimulate creativity within the company. This will help them see things differently and pass on enthusiasm and innovation within their own teams.
Integrating the correspondents into the “Trophée Initiatives” program. The facilitators must help other employees formalise their ideas, but at this stage there is no clearly defined creative role and no creative workshops in place. It is essential to define their roles and responsibilities clearly and to make sure they have the tools and the knowledge they need to support innovation effectively within the company.
Managing internal barriers. The innovation policy can be experienced as an obstacle, particularly because of the time it takes and the potential resistance from middle management and the unions. These barriers need to be addressed from the outset, by discussing the roles of the correspondents and of the members of the Initiatives/Innovations Committee, and by identifying and dealing with the potential obstacles to innovation.
Taking ownership of the cultural transformation. The facilitators also need to take ownership of the milestones of the cultural transformation (innovation culture) to be achieved within the subsidiary. They need to recognise how important their role is in this cultural change and be ready to take the initiative so that the transformation runs smoothly and effectively.
- stakes
The assignment at Elengy involves several key issues that will determine whether the innovation program succeeds. The company is committed to a participative innovation approach, but it faces challenges around managing time and around the need to make creativity available to everyone in the organisation.
Encouraging exchange and the enrichment of ideas. One of the main issues is to make sure that ideas are exchanged and enriched between employees. It is essential to create an environment where ideas can be shared, discussed and improved freely, across hierarchical and departmental boundaries. That calls for effective communication channels and for a culture of openness and collaboration.
Managing the correspondents' time. Another major issue is planning the time the correspondents devote to the program. Since they do not have much time available, their participation has to be as effective as possible through sound organisation and planning, and they need the tools and resources to contribute properly to the innovation initiative.
Moving to an idea collection platform. The issue here is to move from an “ideas counter” approach to an idea collection platform. That means creating and rolling out a digital platform that makes it easier to submit, discuss and collaborate on innovative ideas, so the innovation process becomes more accessible, more organised and more effective for every employee.
Overcoming internal barriers to innovation. These include time and the potential resistance of middle management. It is essential that the innovation policy is not experienced as an obstacle by employees.
- solution
Selection
Innovation correspondents are selected on a voluntary basis from among the managers and the members of the executive committee.
Training
Presentation of the correspondent role, the philosophy behind the approach, and the tools and methods that make creativity easier.
Ideation
Idea generation to encourage employees to have the confidence to put their ideas forward for the “initiatives” prize.
Voting
Selection, voting and the awarding of prizes to the people or groups who have put original and innovative ideas into practice.
- results
The innovation assignment at Elengy aims to establish a strong and participative innovation culture within the company. Here are the main results of that assignment:
Strengthening the innovation culture. Setting up an idea collection platform and training the correspondents should make it easier for every employee to take an active part in the innovation process, whatever their role or their level in the hierarchy.
Better internal collaboration. By encouraging exchange and enriching ideas between employees, the company should see stronger team cohesion and better communication between departments, and both are key to stimulating innovation.
Effective implementation of innovative ideas coming from employees. With well trained correspondents and better time management, the ideas collected should be assessed, refined and implemented more effectively, which contributes to the continuous improvement of Elengy operations and processes.
4. Higher satisfaction and engagement. By giving participants the chance to contribute actively to innovation within the company, employees should feel more valued, more motivated and more engaged in their work and towards Elengy.
In summary, the results of this assignment rested on promoting an active innovation culture, improving collaboration, implementing ideas effectively, and increasing employee satisfaction and engagement within this Engie subsidiary.
TO ORGANISE A KEYNOTE, A WORKSHOP OR A MASTERCLASS