When innovation and dough join forces – giving more money on the bottom line …

Next time you bite into a cinnamon bun or sausage roll from the gas station or grocery store, it could actually be the result of an innovative process. An innovative process where employees from production, administration and management, and even external partners and suppliers, have contributed good ideas.

But how can you manage the innovative process and fulfill your goals: getting more money on the bottom line, saving time and resources, and creating cohesion both inside and outside the company?

Kirsten Møller Jensen is Innovations Manager at Easyfood and uses Vibe as a tool for the company’s innovative processes. Read on to be inspired by her use of Vibe – and to learn about the things you should be aware of when turning changes within the company into improvements instead.

The innovative company involves all employees

“- It’s a misconception that innovation is simply another word for product development. Innovation is about much more. For us (at Easyfood) it’s simply ‘creating (increased) value through innovation’. And we believe that good ideas come not only from the ‘Innovation Department’ but are found throughout the company. From personnel in production who work with the physical product to management, and even from our suppliers and business partners,” says Kirsten from Easyfood.

We have three employees who daily work exclusively with innovation, but we often involves all 130 employees when we want to think it through from beginning to end. That’s part of who we are. For us, it’s important that we give our customers and partners value-creating knowledge of the products – and who is it that often knows best? The ones with their fingers in the dough…

“For the company, innovation means added value and more money on the bottom line”

Improvement is easier than change

“We’ve worked with Vibe in small steps – for, as with any change, it takes time (and courage) to dare change work habits – and processes. And where our staff is concerned, they must be able to see the value of their own work – before it all makes sense and thus creates improvement.”

For Kirsten, Vibe has been a clear improvement:

• No folders cluttering up the internal system
• Reduced number of inbox emails by about 30% (download “Death to the Inbox”)
• Information posted as a blog entry (searchable) – and the email can then be deleted, reducing inbox clutter
• Work done in teams / digitally – new cooperation constellations with external partners
• Access to knowledge from all (mobile) devices
• Information is not lost if the company loses an employee (terminated, illness, etc.)

Kirsten’s 3 tips which pave the way for success with Vibe

Few people love change – but most love improvement. It is therefore often a (huge) challenge when change is to be turned into improvement for the company – and for the individual employee. Here are Kirsten’s three tips:

1. It takes more than buy-in from management. It’s also a matter of finding the right people to take the lead.
2. It can be really difficult ‘overcoming’ old (work) habits and getting all the company’s employees to see the value of a new ‘system’. If, however, the company manages to get employees to see the value in relation to their own work, the road to success becomes shorter.
3. Create readiness for change – for example with an ‘Innovation Camp’ or ‘Partnership Day’ – and remember to say ‘YES’ to the new ideas that a successful innovation process requires.

“The first few times I cleared my inbox, it gave butterflies in my stomach – but working with Vibe taught me – and all of us – new ways of thinking about knowledge sharing. We ‘see’ with new eyes.”

About Easyfood

Located in Kolding, Easyfood is both an innovative company – and one with a principle: “To be the world’s first “full-service bakery agency”, not only supplying the best solutions within convenience food but also being a source of inspiration for customers and partners.”

‘Made In Denmark’ – Danishbakery.com (see video here)

easyfood.dk