# Presentation: 696137

## United States Patent and Trademark Office

- Employee Communication Mailbox
- _From                                 Subject                                    Received__ _
- Employee 1	                     Contest for new logo               3/30/00
- Employee 2	                     Suggestion Program                  4/4/00
- Employee 5                       Acronym/Form Book                4/4/00
- Employee 12                     Business Cards	           4/4/00
- Employee 20                     Opportunity for personnel
- 		 to purchase PCs @ discount       4/5/00
-  Employee 247	 Improving Pendency	        10/12/00

- December 5-7, 2000

-                                    R. Jacqueline Dees
-                                    Office of Quality Management

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)_
- _Table of Contents_
- 	What is the ECM					2
- 	Why develop it					3
- 	Sending messages					4
- 	Finding answers					5
- 	Managing the Information				6
- 	Results							7
- 	ECM and SMART Bonus Program		          10
- 	Recommendations				          12

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                2

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                2_
- _What is the ECM_
- The ECM
-  is an additional communication tool for USPTO employees
-  focuses on USPTO global issues
-  identifies trends and consistent areas of concern
-  is not intended to replace existing channels
-  is not used for resolving personal issues

**Notes:**
EMPLOYEE COMMUN ICATION MAILBOX (ECM)

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                    3

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                    3_
- _Why was it developed_
- The ECM was developed because of USPTO employee response to the               1998 and 1999 NPR/USPTO survey questions:
-  1.   My opinions seem to count
-  2.   I am satisfied with my involvement in decisions that 			effect my work
- 		NPR    1998         NPR    1999	     	USPTO 1998                                         Question 1	37% satisfied  	39% satisfied		N/A
- Question 2	38% satisfied        43% satisfied		25% satisfied

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                    4

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                    4_
- _How does it work—sending messages    _
- When employees send messages they find the ECM *easy to use*.  The components that facilitate ease of use are:
-  USPTO e-mail system
-  Box available for hard copies
-  Immediate acknowledgement
-  Simple name and address

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                  5

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                  5_
- _How does it work—finding the answers_
- Sanitized messages are forwarded from the ECM to the appropriate business area for responses and involve:
-  USPTO Quality Council Representatives
-  Specialization and coordination
-  Three day turn-around goal
-  Answers from Council Representatives to ECM
-  ECM forwards answers to employees

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                   6

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                   6_
- _How does it work—managing the information_
-  E-mails are read and processed at least twice daily
-  Three data bases are maintained
-  E-mail files
-  Access data base
-  Hard copy binders
-  Weekly reports are provided to the Quality Council
-  Ad hoc reports are provided to the Executive Committee

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)               7	          

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)               7__	__          _
- _Results_
- Implemented April 3, 2000
- 295 Messages  as of December 4, consisting of:
-  Suggestions
- Questions
-  Requests
-    Concerns
- Compliments

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)          8

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)          8_
- _Results (__continued)_
- Some of the suggestions were adopted and have provided new benefits to employees:
-  Business cards for all employees who need them
-  Maximum subsidy allotments, if eligibility criteria are 	           	met
-  Designated parking for motorcycles at the new facility
-  Resolution of parking problem for employees who 	         	  	worked/parked in different buildings

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                9

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                9_
- _Results __(continued)_
- Other sugestions provided input that was useful to the leadership for policy decisions resulting in:
-  Expanded flextime alternatives for employee work schedules
-  Business casual dress option all year
-  Suggestions for specific improvements to the Patent and 	  	Trademark automated application processing systems

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)         10

- _ECM and SMART Bonus Program_
- ECM does not
- 	establish the validity of suggestions
- 	determine the monetary value of suggestions
- 	provide compensation for suggestions
- 	publish employee identity without permission
- 	limit its scope to suggestions

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                 11

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)                 11_
- _ECM and SMART Bonus Program_
- SMART Bonus Program does
- 	establish the validity of suggestions
- 	determine the monetary value of suggestions
- 	provide compensation for suggestions that merit it
- 	associate employee identity with the suggestion

## EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)        12

- _EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM)        12_
- _Recommendations for using the ECM_
-  Give the ECM a chance
-  Try us more than once
-  Provide feedback on the service you received
-  Remember we have established extremely challenging and 	difficult to accomplish timeframes