Idea theft in the office
IT seems stealing occurs in the office – and I am not referring to taking paper clips or staplers.
Employees must deal with co-workers stealing ideas. Twenty-nine per cent of workers say a colleague has received praise for their suggestion, according to a survey by OfficeTeam, a staffing service that questioned 444 employees.
Those idea-stealing workers will most likely get the credit without any consequences. More than half of the surveyed employees said nothing when a co-worker took their suggestion. Some workers (26 per cent) spoke up to let others know they played a part in the assignment, while a smaller majority told their boss the truth or confronted the idea-stealing employee.
“Today’s workplace is more competitive than ever and, unfortunately, there are people who will go to great lengths to make themselves look good or get promoted, including taking credit for someone else’s ideas,” says Robert Hosking, OfficeTeam’s executive director. “Being proactive in sharing your vision with your manager and colleagues early on can help ensure others know the concept originated with you.”
OfficeTeam provides tips to help employees receive deserved credit:
. Update your manager. Be sure to keep in touch with your manager regarding your suggestions and the progress being made in your assignments.
. Pay attention to patterns. If co-workers continue to receive praise for your ideas, it is probably time for you to be more confident in sharing your contributions.
. Talk to the co-worker. Make sure you understand why your colleague was given credit for your idea. Don’t jump to conclusions before talking to him or her about the situation.
. Speak up when you receive undeserved credit. Your co-worker will be thankful that you corrected the error.
Recognising employees for their hard work is just as valuable as receiving praise. “Employees and supervisors should acknowledge those who help to move an idea forward,” says Hosking. “Most business successes are the result of collaboration, not the efforts of a single individual.”
– Creators News Service
