Overview
The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) performs an essential public health function by regulating over-the-counter and prescription drugs, including biological therapeutics and generics, and ensuring that safe and effective drugs are available to improve the health of people in the United States.
In 2014, an internal group decided to pilot a series of challenges to increase the level of employee engagement in high-level decision making.
Call to Action
The Center launched the CDER Crowdsourcing Program to leverage the collective knowledge of its 4,500 employees.
Solution
When selecting a vendor, CDER chose IdeaScale based on its look, feel, and longstanding experience with other federal agencies.
CDER employees have a variety of experience and expertise, and they have collaborated through crowdsourcing to:
- Suggest more effective and efficient processes
- Save contractor dollars by providing feedback and ideas directly to senior management
- Address critical organizational changes
- Propose needed employee trainings
- Increase their sense of job involvement
To date, CDER has received over 400 ideas. The agency has implemented a number of them that have improved processes and employee quality of life at CDER.
Better Workplaces Produce Better Ideas
CDER has noticed a more engaged and positive workforce that feels
included in the change process. Crowdsourcing allows employees to become advocates to fix a problem by getting them involved. People feel more engaged in their work if they genuinely believe their ideas, opinions, and feedback are appreciated and relate to the Center’s strategic goals. Crowdsourcing also helps strengthen communication between managers and employees.
Investing in a more Innovative Future
CDER hopes to evolve their program into a multi-stage, ongoing innovation engine that gathers ideas that not only improves the workplace, but also includes more technical and disruptive ideas.
