I have a revolutionary idea for the workplace, a new concept in employee sabbaticals and leaves of absence. What do I do with it?

That sounds exciting to me. I don’t know about sharing it with your current employer, but I would recommend sharing it with a company that is known as being progressive in regards to human relations (as Google reportedly was, and yet may be, but I read about that quite some time ago). I don’t think you would be satisfied just forgetting about a win-win idea, so definitely get it out there in some fashion. See ya….Gary/wtf

Thanks, @wtf. It is definitely a win/win. From what I hear locally, Google HR is pretty messy internally, but a progressive company would be very interested, I would think. Of course, it would also be nice if I could somehow get paid for this.

People want new ideas, especially ones that reduce administrative overhead. Any time you have an idea like this, you will need to provide research, return on investment, and a cost benefit analysis to get your idea taken seriously for a pilot. You are going to have to be able to look at all the variables impacted, both positively and negatively, from a process change, and be able to meet the objections with answers.

In Six Sigma, there is a process improvement methodology that is quite successful even in non-manufacturing industries: DMAIC—Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control.

Start by writing an article, and see where it takes you. There are some really innovative things going on in the workplace, and a lot more widespread changes on the horizon.

Thanks, @PandoraBoxx. Do you have any idea what kind of publication might be a suitable outlet for such an article?

I’ve taken a class in DMAIC. It wasn’t adaptable to my working environment, but I could see how it applied to manufacturing. I’m not sure I see an application here, though.

I work in a service industry, and we use it for everything. You have to be able to demonstrate some sort of savings from the process change in order for it to be viable.

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Not knowing fully what your idea is, Workforce Management, any of the SHRM publications, Human Resource Executive, HR News.

If you are able to fully flesh it out, perhaps you could convince a smaller local company to run a trial. If successful, you could then become a business consultant and charge for the time it takes to set up such a system.

I should add that the example you provided of using seasonal contract labor is only successful in certain industries and occupations. The cost of training is prohibitive in most industries. Businesses have sprung up that provide trained seasonal workers to companies, but the workers are often full or part time employees of that outsourcing company, rotate between different employers. The cost of hiring and training someone, although not apparent to most employees, can be $10,000 – $30,000 per person, depending on the industry.

Your might want to define whether or not your idea has broad application, or is ideally suited for a pilot in a specific industry. Map out what the current process is, map out future state, do use cases as to how different issues would be handled, etc.

Here’s a blog about the 80/20 model with good links.

@PandoraBoxx, my idea does not have to do with contract workers or seasonal employees. That was an example of how a new concept caused a dramatic change in the workplace, but the notion itself is unrelated to mine.

My idea would probably have application only in larger businesses where there is a certain amount of redundancy of function (more than one person has the same job title) and where each person has a designated work area such as an office or cubicle. Where I live, I am surrounded by hundreds if not thousands of them.

What I have in mind does not require any training at all.

Blig it, blog it, blog it!

I have a lot of respect for both your reasoning and communication, therefore I am paying more attention than someone else might.

Your method, if it is truly unique, would be your intellectual property. If you have a university near you, take it to them…they have resources for testing. Good luck Jeruba.

Thank you very much, @MissA. The university route hadn’t occurred to me. But how does someone realize any material benefit from intellectual property from outside the system? I am not of a mind to create one-day seminars and sell registrations at $200 a pop. I would like to present the bare bones of my idea in some setting, have someone say “Great—we’ll pay you $3000 for a fleshed-out version of it that explains how it works,” deliver a description of the fully developed concept, take the check, and walk away. Is that too far-fetched to have any chance of working?

@Jeruba

Absolutely not a far-fetched idea. But, it’s all timing, and ‘who’ you team up with for assistance. Perhaps you might use the strength of your alma mater.

Personally, I don’t have experience in exactly this type of thing. But, I have a personal friend who is an inventor, has much intellectual property, and has had the ride of his life with his journey. However, your life is not dependent on whether this happens, so it is an entirely different animal.

You mentioned there being a lot of larger businesses near you…then, there will most likely be a business advisory group with a strong presence.

Sounds exciting to me, Jeruba.

Hmm. Now you’ve got me thinking. I live in Silicon Valley, so you probably know what businesses are nearby. My alma mater is on the East Coast, however, and probably has no particular presence hereabouts. But my husband’s alma mater is close by. And business advisory groups—more hmmm.

@Jeruba

Go get ‘em, girl.