Product development might make you think of labs, whiteboards and sticky notes. But for small businesses and charities, some of the best product and service ideas often come from the people already on your team.
Your staff are the ones closest to your clients, service users or customers. They hear the feedback, spot the patterns and often have quiet ideas about how things could be better – if only someone asked.
Creating a workplace culture where people feel safe (and encouraged!) to share ideas can unlock a lot of untapped potential. It doesn’t have to mean grand innovation meetings or over-engineered suggestion schemes. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking “what’s not working?” or “what do people keep asking for that we don’t offer?”
Encouraging open conversations about improvement gives your team permission to think beyond their day-to-day tasks. You’ll often find that once one person speaks up, others will start to chip in too.
Recognising and rewarding those contributions matters – whether it’s a shout-out in a team meeting, a thank-you card or actively involving someone in developing their idea further. It shows their input is valued and taken seriously. That kind of culture builds engagement and can do wonders for retention too.
So if you’re thinking about developing a new product or service, start by listening to your team. They might already have the answer you’re looking for.