The U.S. Postal Service's Web-based program to collect employee ideas on customer service, productivity and revenue generation lacks transparency, leaving submissions in limbo, according to the USPS inspector general.
In a report released Tuesday, the IG found that employee feedback took more than two years to evaluate, rather than the seven-day turnaround outlined in the program's guidelines.
Our survey of employees who submitted ideas revealed that untimely evaluations, insufficient management commitment and communication, and insufficient program transparency were perceived as inhibitors to the program's success. Program management indicated that system limitations such as electronic reminders and employee separations contributed to the backlog in open statuses.
The seven-day promise may have been a bit ambitious, but the IG report found that NASA and the Defense Department have similar programs and complete idea evaluations in 20 to 45 days, much faster than the two-year process for eIDEAS.
COMMENTS
Please contact me. I don't know who to turn to. I submitted an e-idea and after it bounced back and forth between my Supervisor and District via e-mail, it eventually hit a dead end. I was told that the idea would not be used.
However, soon the exact idea I submitted about two years ago, will be implemented.
I have not been contacted about receiving any credit for this very lucrative idea. This is very upsetting, unfair, and down right theft.
My Manager will agree I submitted this same idea about two years ago.
Please advise,
Frank (USPS Employee)
Frank 11/14/11 05:24 pm ET
I have over 35 yrs in the PO, my co-workers/bosses thought I had a great idea, I submitted it. I waited 103 weeks to get a response from eideas. The person that reviewed my idea had NO knowledge on the subject, he was from a completely different craft. It was like asking a basketball player about Criket rules.. "Duh.. no idea".
Joe 07/09/11 01:30 am ET
what's new? I worked for USPS for 20 years and management never gave a damn what anybody who did real work thought.
sherri 08/09/10 08:55 am ET
Finally, someone is looking at this thing. Seems all anyone is interested in is "generating NEW revenue" and not protecting revenue.
I submitted ideas from 2005-2008. Yes, years passed until anyone even looked at the ideas. Then were simply dismissed because they were ideas about protecting our revenue by inhibiting misuse of USPS materials.
Not important enough.
Randy F 08/06/10 06:59 pm ET