Virtual suggestion boxes empower employees to share ideas and feedback, foster engagement, transparent communication, and a positive work environment. I’ve collected the top 5 virtual suggestion boxes on the market so you can choose the best one for your business!
One of the best ways to keep your employees motivated and engaged at work is through effective communication.
This starts with you – maintaining dialogue with your workers, keeping your team informed of company happenings, and updating them with important information and announcements.
However, the other vital piece of effective communication is getting feedback from your employees.
Allowing them the opportunity to voice their opinions and share feedback through a virtual suggestion box lets them feel valued, heard, and appreciated.
For this article, I’ve done extensive research to find the top suggestion box tools as well as suggestion box ideas that can make the process much easier.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
-
Connecteam - Best all-in-one digital suggestion box
-
-
Good for providing rewards
Why trust us?
Our team of unbiased software reviewers follows strict editorial guidelines, and our methodology is clear and open to everyone.
See our complete methodology
17
Tools considered
10
Tools reviewed
5
Best tools
chosen
How I Chose the Best Virtual Suggestion Boxes
With so many live polling apps on the market, it took some time to test out the top contenders. Here’s what I looked for to narrow down my top picks:
Important core features:
- Customizability: The software should be customizable to suit your company’s culture and branding. You should be able to add features like your logo and company colors to forms and surveys.
- Anonymity option: Employees should be able to submit suggestions and feedback anonymously, making them more likely to provide honest responses.
- Notifications: The tool should remind employees to fill out suggestion surveys and forms. This helps promote regular participation and ensures you get as much feedback as possible.
- Consolidates and reviews results: It allows you to quickly review and organize suggestions and feedback. The software should provide visual data and analytics to help guide your business decisions.
I looked for usability features, like:
- Price: The software should be cost-friendly and suits your budget.
- Support: It should come with good customer support to help you with any issues.
- Ease of use: It’s easy to set up and offers an intuitive user experience.
I checked for other important features too, like:
- Integrates with your primary software: Digital suggestion boxes should integrate with or come with other software you currently use, such as your digital scheduler or employee management app.
- Engagement features: Interactive engagement features, like digital badges, a public newsfeed, and rewards.
The 5 Best Virtual Suggestion Boxes of 2023
-
Connecteam — Connecteam - Best all-in-one digital suggestion box
Connecteam is the best virtual suggestion box on the market.
Why I chose Connecteam: With Connecteam, you can actively include your employees in decision-making, respond to all queries, and improve employee satisfaction and retention in the long run.
Let’s take a look at how Connecteam can help you create a digital suggestion box while simultaneously streamlining business operations.
Create customized and anonymous employee surveys
Get honest feedback from your employees with Connecteam’s surveys feature. This employee communication survey app allows you use premade templates to design customized, anonymous surveys, or create your own from scratch in minutes. Then, include multiple-choice or open-ended questions about whatever topic you’re inquiring about.
Make it as simple or advanced as you need it to be – add checklists, multiple selections, images, videos, and files.Connecteam automatically analyzes the results and displays them in an easy-to-read report so you can determine how to implement the findings.
💡 Pro tip:
Use open-ended questions sparingly. While they can be incredibly useful for getting actionable and honest feedback, answers can be difficult to analyze and quantify. In addition, employees may not have the patience to create well-thought-out answers, leading to confusing results.
Gather employee feedback with forms
You can create digital forms right in the app, which offers a convenient solution for creating a digital suggestion box. With its user-friendly interface, you can quickly design a custom form to gather suggestions from your team. Include fields like “Title,” “Description,” and an optional “Anonymous” checkbox for anonymity.
Once the form is ready, distribute it easily via email or push notifications. As suggestions come in, you can review and manage them within Connecteam, analyze the data, and even set up automated notifications for new submissions.
By leveraging Connecteam’s forms as a digital suggestion box, you foster a collaborative environment that encourages employee engagement and innovation.
You could even create forms for specific roles or shifts and include them directly in Connecteam’s employee scheduler. This is a great suggestion box idea to gather feedback about, for example, how clean a workspace was upon arrival, inquire about safety procedures, or to check in with a new employee who’s still learning the ropes.
Use live polls to gather immediate feedback
Conduct live polls to get employee input on important decisions in minutes. This is a fun and interactive way of gathering feedback and getting your team involved.
Measure the workplace in real-time and get feedback on any matter, whether it’s an important work process or what everyone prefers on their pizza for the upcoming company party.
Streamline communication between employees and managers
Effective communication is essential in the workplace, and with Connecteam, you have team instant messaging at your fingertips that keeps your workers connected no matter where they are. Quickly inquire about work-related tasks, ask questions, and get feedback directly from your employees in seconds.
Employees and managers can also stay connected with the company news feed. Publicly send company updates, newsletters, announcements, milestones, or simply wish someone a happy birthday for all to see.
Foster a positive and engaged workforce with Connecteam’s HR features
Connecteam’s HR and People Management Hub makes it easy to promote employee engagement, reduce turnover, speed up payroll, and ensure compliance.
With mobile onboarding and training, employee recognition tools, document management, quizzes, and rewards, Connecteam’s HR features help foster a positive and nurturing company culture. The app also integrates with Quickbooks and Gusto, helping you speed up and streamline your payroll process.
Connecteam’s paid plan starts at just $29 per month for up to 30 users, and small businesses with fewer than 10 users can access the app completely free.
Key Features
Public employee newsfeed
Live polls
Pros
Analyzes survey and live poll results for better decision making
Customizable surveys and forms
All data is protected
Intuitive and user-friendly
Streamlined communication
Integrates with payroll software
Cons
Needs internet or wifi access to work
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
Amazing Solution for a Digital Suggestion Box
Try Connecteam here -
Suggestion Ox — Creating custom feedback forms.
Available on
- Web
When it comes to coming up with suggestion box ideas, managers should consider using Suggestion Ox.
Why I chose Suggestion Ox: This web-based virtual suggestion box makes it easy for managers to prevent small communication problems from turning into big ones.
You can collect real-time feedback with anonymous suggestions, participate in anonymous two-way communication with the Direct Replies tool, and the entire software is fully customizable. It’s an incredibly safe and secure system that includes two-factor authentication and a privacy and security guarantee.
Key Features
- Anonymous feedback
- Automated routing
- Negative feedback management
- Anonymous two-way communication
Pros
- Easy to use
- Sufficient capabilities
Cons
- Limited organizing features
- Customer support can use improvement
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: No
-
Qandle — Good for providing rewards
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Qandle’s virtual suggestion box software includes a suggestion box (branded as Ideabox) to gather feedback from your workforce. Ask employees for suggestions on key issues and offer rewards for the best solutions.
Why I chose Qandle: Qandle also promotes collaboration and holistic thinking by allowing employees to work together to solve key issues.
In addition to being a digital suggestion box, Qandle comes with features like polls and surveys, onboarding and training tools, a vibrant social network, and employee record management. You can assign tasks, track work time, and manage expenses.
Overall, it’s an excellent HR management tool for managing your workforce and promoting team collaboration.
Key Features
- Gathers employee feedback
- Task management
- Hiring and onboarding solutions
- SmartRewards for virtual points and badges
Pros
- Fully customizable
- Promotes team collaboration
Cons
- Prone to bugs and crashing
- System can lag
Pricing
Starts at $5/user/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: No
-
IdeaGlow — Good for collaborating with customers
Available on
- Web
IdeaGlow’s host of suggestion box ideas makes this software one of our top picks.
Why I chose IdeaGlow: Its unique approach to taking suggestions from customers and employees make it an incredibly useful tool.
For example, you can set up an Idea Site, where you can collaborate with your user community on how to improve a product. Launch an Idea Challenge and have customers help solve a specific business problem, vote on their favorite suggestions, and contribute ideas. There’s even space for users and employees to communicate with each other about how to best solve specific product issues.
There’s also a SmartRewards feature, in which you can give users customized virtual rewards, like badges & points.
SmartRewards keep your users engaged and motivated, leading to more ideas, more collaboration & more success.
Key Features
- Idea websites
- Idea challenges
- Polls and surveys
- SmartRewards for virtual points and badges
Pros
- Easy to set up and use
- Promotes team collaboration
Cons
- Outdated design
- Expensive solution
Pricing
Starts at $499/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: No
-
Vetter — Good for creating customized idea submission forms
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
An easy-to-use employee suggestion box is at the heart of Vetter’s internal communication software.
Why I chose Vetter: Employees can easily submit ideas on both desktop and mobile, and workers can rate these suggestions based on preference. Also, managers can set “challenges” for employees to submit feedback about specific topics.
With Vetter, you can categorize ideas and employees into groups based on role or location, a benefit that helps managers organize information more efficiently. You can even set the system to automate this so you don’t have to.
Key Features
- QR codes to participate
- Mobile app
- PDF reports with results
- Make employees “Idea Owners” for more ownership
Pros
- Moderate ideas before they’re published
- Employees without email addresses can participate
Cons
- Few integrations
- Narrow capabilities
Pricing
Starts at $99/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Virtual Suggestion Boxes
| Topic |
Start for free
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews |
  |
|
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Starts at $5/user/month
|
Starts at $499/month
|
Starts at $99/month
|
| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
|
yes
14-day
|
yes
14-day
|
yes
30-day
|
yes
30-day
|
| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
| Use cases |
Connecteam - Best all-in-one digital suggestion box
|
Creating custom feedback forms.
|
Good for providing rewards
|
Good for collaborating with customers
|
Good for creating customized idea submission forms
|
| Available on |
Web
|
Web, iOS, Android
|
Web
|
Web, iOS, Android
|
What is a Virtual Suggestion Box?
Instead of submitting ideas through a physical suggestion box, a virtual suggestion box allows businesses to digitally and anonymously gather suggestions and feedback from their employees.
This HR tool encourages employee engagement, gathers valuable insights, and promotes a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. By collecting and reviewing the suggestion box ideas, organizations can identify opportunities for improvement, address concerns, and make informed decisions based on real employee feedback.
How Do Virtual Suggestion Boxes Work?
While every online employee suggestion box offers different features, they allow you to digitally collect feedback and insights directly from your employees. This type of employee software typically accessible through websites, online forms, or dedicated software, and employees can submit their suggestions by filling out a form and providing relevant information.
Ideal virtual suggestion boxes allow employees to remain anonymous to promote honest feedback. Once suggestions are submitted, they’re stored in a centralized database that sorts responses into visual data that businesses can use to make better-informed decisions.
What are the Benefits of a Virtual Suggestion Box?
There are countless benefits that come with gathering suggestion box ideas, including:
- Boosts employee morale: When you allow employees to anonymously submit feedback and contribute their ideas at work, they’re more likely to feel valued and appreciated.
- Improved communication: Employee suggestion boxes bridge the communication gap between employees and managers. They also create a safe space for employees to voice their opinions, concerns, and suggestions without fear of judgment or retribution. This transparency builds trust and improves overall communication within the organization.
- Promotes productivity: Workers who feel valued and acknowledged at work are more likely to feel motivated and be more productive.
- Better employee engagement: Virtual suggestion boxes encourage employees to actively participate and contribute their ideas, boosting employee engagement by making them feel valued and heard.
- Increased employee retention: When employees feel that their suggestions are taken seriously, it boosts their job satisfaction and contributes to a positive work environment. This leads to increased job satisfaction and retention.
- Saves time and money: Using a virtual suggestion box over a physical one means no one needs to manually collect employee submissions, saving time and labor costs
Disadvantages of a Virtual Suggestion Box (and How to Counter Them)
Before taking suggestion box ideas, be mindful that there are some things you need to consider in order for them to be effective.
Here’s a list of three potential drawbacks of an employee suggestion box–and how to counter them:
The process is unclear
If you want employees to participate regularly in the suggestion box, it’s important that they understand the process, and how you plan to handle the results. If you send out a survey with no explanation or reason as to why you’re collecting feedback in the first place, employees will be far less likely to spend time completing it.
How to prevent this: Before sending out a survey or asking for feedback, announce that you’ll be doing so on your company newsfeed with a clear explanation as to why. Make sure employees know that management truly values their input and encourages them to participate. Keep workers updated as to how and when management reviews results and when employees can expect to see feedback implemented.
Employees find suggestion surveys too complex
Less techy employees may find it difficult to submit online surveys and forms on their phones, particularly if the questions are too wordy–or if there are too many questions in general.
How to prevent this: Choose a virtual suggestion box with an intuitive, user-friendly interface that’s simple to navigate. Then, create simple, straightforward surveys that are free of clutter. Keep questions short, direct, and clear, and use multiple choice when possible to streamline the process and make it easier to analyze the results.
Managers don’t think a suggestion box is necessary
Sometimes, managers may feel that employee input undercuts their authority. They might not understand how valuable their feedback can be, as well as how much it can contribute to a positive work environment.
How to prevent this: Like any new work process, it’s important to brief managers of its importance and how it aligns with company goals. Make sure to explain how giving employees space to voice their suggestions and ideas will lead to better engagement and productivity.
📚 This Might Interest You:
Check out the Best Employee Feedback Tools for 2024
How Much Do Virtual Suggestion Boxes Cost?
Virtual suggestion box tools vary in price depending on how many features the product comes with and which plan you choose. Some options, like IdeaGlow, start at $499/month, while companies like Vetter start at $99/month. To determine the best option, first evaluate your needs and what you’re looking for in a digital suggestion box.
For the best value for your money, we recommend choosing an all-inclusive employee and HR management tool like Connecteam.
Connecteam comes with excellent suggestion box tools and many other features to help you run your business as efficiently as possible, like a mobile time clock, job scheduler, integration with payroll, and employee rewards and recognition features. What’s better is that Connecteam starts at only $29/month and even offers an entirely free plan for small businesses with up to 10 users.
Tips for Implementing a Virtual Suggestion Box
Take a look at our tips for implementing and managing an employee suggestion box to get the most of this tool:
Choose the right tool
Choosing the right tool depends on what features you’re looking for and your budget. However, it’s best to look for a suggestion box that comes with multiple capabilities besides a suggestion box. That way, you can consolidate and streamline multiple aspects of your business on a single platform, like scheduling, document storage, task management, and onboarding and training.
Determine what type of information you want to collect – and how you’re going to use it
Before you can begin any type of employee feedback program, you need to consider when and how you’ll use it. Take time to think about what kind of information you actually want from your employees. Will you use multiple-choice or open-ended questions? Do you want to simply collect suggestions for review or do you want to translate the information into data and charts to make data-driven decisions?
Then, think about who is going to be responsible for analyzing the results and implementing changes.
Consider how often to ask for feedback – and how often you’ll review it
If you want employees to be able to freely submit ideas and suggestions, make sure to set up a feature that allows this, like an open-ended form. Of course, you’ll need to make sure workers are aware of its existence and where to find it. This is a great option for transparent communication in the workplace, but keep in mind you’ll need to make a plan for how often to review the feedback and what to do with the results.
Consider conducting employee surveys on a regular basis for planned, continuous feedback. Or perhaps you’ll find it more effective to conduct them only after specific events to learn how to conduct them better the next time.
Keep it anonymous
Unless an employee wants to come forward and put their name on a suggestion or idea, employee feedback should be anonymous. That way, workers can feel free to express their opinions without fear of getting in trouble.
Analyze and categorize results
Analyze suggestions and feedback to identify patterns, common themes, and areas of focus. You may want to do this based on relevance, feasibility, and potential impact. This helps prioritize what’s most important and demonstrates that suggestions are taken seriously.
Maintain continuous communication and transparency
Let employees know if you make a company change based on their feedback. This transparency builds trust and conveys that their suggestions are used to make real change.
Offer rewards to incentivize employees
If an employee came forward openly with a suggestion that was then implemented in the workplace, be sure to publicly acknowledge them and reward them for their winning idea.
FAQs
How do I make a digital suggestion box?
To create a digital suggestion box, you’ll first need to choose a digital suggestion box tool to work with. Once you have done this, you will need to follow a few simple steps to get it set up. With Connecteam, for instance, you can simply download the app, create an account, and get right to it!
Is there a virtual suggestion box?
Yes, there is! And quite a few, too. However, the best option, Connecteam, offers much more than a virtual suggestion box. Connecteam is an employee management app with tools that help streamline your entire business and foster employee engagement.
A virtual or online suggestion box is an excellent tool for organizations to collect honest feedback and suggestions from their employees and/or customers.
Do suggestion boxes work?
When done right, suggestion boxes are a powerful tool to engage employees and gather valuable suggestions and feedback. Digital suggestion boxes, in particular, allow users to submit their ideas online and allow employers to review feedback in a more organized fashion. Traditional, physical suggestion boxes are much less effective given their limited accessibility, ineffective functionality, and lack of guaranteeing anonymity.
The Bottom Line on Virtual Suggestion Boxes
Employee suggestion boxes promote employee engagement, a positive and collaborative work environment, and open, transparent communication. When choosing the right tool for your business, our favorite virtual suggestion box, Connecteam, is the clear winner.
With advanced management, communication, and HR features, you can create an environment your employees actually want to work in.