This is actually a friend’s idea. But since I cannot convince him to publish it here, I will do it instead:
Often companies are forced to lay off people because of adverse circumstances. Once circumstances improve, these positions often have to be filled again. Overall this is a costly and inefficient way to do business, but one for which there is no clear alternative.
Instead, companies could give the people who are to be laid off an opportunity to come up with some new innovation, which will save (or make) the company some money. If the idea is a success then the person will stay employed.
Since these employees are about to lose their jobs, they will be quite motivated to use their existing knowledge about the company to come up with some novel concepts.
This will of course not always work. But if just a few people could prove their worth for the company, then both the company and the employees will have scored!
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If someone came up with a way to improve the company only after being threatened to be laid-off, wouldn't you question why they didn't suggest their novel idea earlier?
This is like Marxism. It sounds GREAT on paper, but would be fraught with peril and problems in real life!
Doesn't this assume a relationship of trust and goodwill between company and employee that doesn't always exist?
Proving your worth at a job ends in endless amounts of paperwork. This is what happens in the UK. Would this mean that people who don't earn the company any huge breakthrough, but do the job they're supposed to do well are any less valuable than someone who does inconsistant work, but comes up with an idea to help the company once in their career?
Very nice but I doubt that works. Once the employer has decided to laid you off is quite difficult to make change his mind.
Eliseo
why wait till you get laid off? all companies should reward good ideas. virgin does this.