Here are three ways you can make an impact at your organization:

Structure

Structure: defined as the alignment of your talent and assets. This will have a far-ranging impact on how teams work together, goals are set, and how people communicate. Whether you’re organizing by department, squad, tribe, etc. - there needs to be a clear structure of the organization and clear communication rules that align with its values and goals.

This also extends to the company’s titles and hierarchy: seniority levels, annual reviews, progression systems, and titles will communicate to employees what ‘success’ looks like at the organization.

An example from Wantedly is a “Dan” system. The dan system, which has its origins in martial arts, indicates an employee’s level of expertise, knowledge, seniority, and the associated expectations. By exceeding the expectations of their current station, employees can progress to the next Dan level. This creates an environment of motivation, commitment, and learning in the organization. The higher Dan you are, the more expectations there are to coach and mentor junior employees.

Product System

Product system: defined as building complementary products and services. It can help to create new products and services but can also benefit employees’ productivity and efficiency. If the product is successful, it also makes a temporary advantage for your company.

It is usually is resource-intensive to create a new product or service. So if you’re able to kill two birds with one stone, you could enhance employee experience while also doing product development.

An example is from Bowtie. They are the first authorized virtual insurance company in Hong Kong. They created new products for their employees before launching them to the public. One of the company values at Bowtie is to be kind. Under the Covid-19 pandemic, they realized that their employees use electronic devices more often. They, therefore, prototyped a product with an extensive system for their employees to protect their eyes and extend it to the public afterward. Their employees now can enjoy the product as a benefit anytime. Using their employees' best interest at heart, they could innovate and create a new product.

Employer Branding

Employer branding: it defines a representation of a company's organizational culture. It is also an employee experience aspect of innovation, and it determines how easy it is to attract talent. Would candidates be attracted and excited about the opportunity of working at your organization?

One common trend is companies using “creating shared value” (CSV) or corporate social responsibility (CSR) to create and enhance their employer brand. This sense of community and purpose helps employees feel proud of being a member of the organization.

Patagonia, Inc., an American clothing company that markets and sells outdoor clothing, is an excellent example of a great place to work. They have a way to cultivate a CSR workplace that creates a lifestyle sustainability initiative beyond the workplace. It encourages employees to practice what they preach and live those values at home. By organizing different sustainability activities, such as the rideshare program, Bike to Work Week, and Composting program, its internal goals are to inspire employees to make changes for their lives to simplify and reduce waste and carbon footprint.

On the other hand, Patagonia being innovative inside out. It also encourages their employees to exercise and makes the outdoor experience easier for them. A working location near the sea or hiking trails brings "Let my people go surfing" into reality.

Innovation is not scary at all. Why not have a try to innovate in these three ways and create an impact on your organization?