GREEN TRANSITION IDEA BOX
Paradigm-preserving methods
This method aims to create a system where staff can participate in and influence the development of the health and care organisation's green transition. The method utilises an "Idea Box" where employees can submit development ideas related to the green transition and encourages and enables staff participation in green transition related training. Additionally, job roles are expanded to incorporate green transition related development work into daily customer service tasks.
What is required:
- Openness and interest in green transition themes at all levels of the organisation
- Structures and resources for using the idea box, such as an electronic platform or a physical box where ideas can be submitted
- Training materials and opportunities for staff participation in green transition related trainings
- Job role changes and support for integrating green transition related development tasks into daily work
Level of difficulty: 2 – requires participants to be interested in and committed to developing environmentally friendly practices
Time required:
- Implementation and idea generation phase of the idea box: an ongoing process
- Training sessions: individual training sessions can be organised annually or semi-annually, depending on the organisation's needs
- Job role changes: the entire process may take a longer time, but initial changes can be implemented already in the short term
Materials:
- An idea box: a physical box or a digital platform where staff members can submit their ideas and suggestions for implementing the green transition
- Training materials: materials and content for green transition training, such as webinars, workshops and guides
- Support resources: support from the organisation's management and resources that enable the idea generation and development work for the green transition to become part of daily activities
Participants:
- All staff members who can participate in the idea generation and green transition related trainings
- Management and supervisors who support the implementation of the idea box and staff participation
How to use:
1. Implementation of the Idea Box
- Topic: establish an idea box where employees can submit suggestions and ideas for developing the green transition. Ideas can relate to sustainable working practices, recycling, energy saving or environmental perspectives in customer service
- Method: use a physical box or an electronic platform, such as an intranet site, where staff can submit suggestions. Ideas are reviewed regularly, and the best suggestions are taken forward for implementation
2. Engaging staff in green transition trainings
- Topic: encourage and enable staff participation in green transition trainings on topics such as sustainable development, energy saving and environmental awareness
- Method: regularly organise training sessions and workshops where staff can learn the basic principles of the green transition and how they relate to their work. Training can also cover practical tips for more environmentally friendly working practices
3. Integrating green transition related development work into job roles
- Topic: expand job roles by adding green transition related development work to them. This can mean adding responsibilities for promoting and developing environmentally friendly practices to employees' daily tasks
- Method: provide employees with the opportunity to participate in developing environmentally friendly practices in customer service and other work tasks. This can include advising customers on sustainable solutions or promoting the use of environmentally friendly products
When to use:
- Idea box: the method is available at all times within the organisation and can be continuously utilised to generate new ideas and initiate development projects
- Trainings: training sessions can be regularly organised as part of the organisation's development programs, and they can support staff commitment to the green transition process
- Job role changes: development work could be integrated as part of job roles, but broader structural changes may take longer to implement (use of working time, etc.). Employees can begin to act as experts and pioneers of the green transition within the organisation
Why to use:
- Idea box: the idea box encourages staff to participate in the development of the green transition and gives them the opportunity to influence the organisation's environmental goals. It creates a culture where environmental perspectives are part of the organisation's daily operations.
- Trainings: training staff in environmental awareness increases skills and capabilities that support the promotion of the green transition at work
- Job role changes: adding green transition related development work to job roles makes environmental goals more concrete and part of daily work. It motivates employees and improves the organisation's environmental performance.
How to document:
- Idea box: written summaries of ideas and suggestions can be made and shared within the organisation
- Trainings: reports and feedback surveys on the content and participants of the training sessions can be created to evaluate the effectiveness of the trainings.
- Job role changes: separate documents and monitoring reports can be created on job role changes and green transition related tasks, detailing how environmental perspectives have been integrated into work practices
The roots of the method can be found here: The method supports organisational community-based learning and development, particularly in accordance with the Communities of Practice (CoP) model. Engaging staff and expanding job roles help to embed the principles of sustainable development into the organisation's culture and daily operations.