1. 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 United States Patent and Trademark Office December 5-7, 2000 R. Jacqueline Dees Office of Quality Management

2. EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM) Table of Contents What is the ECM2 Why develop it3 Sending messages4 Finding answers5 Managing the Information6 Results7 ECM and SMART Bonus Program 10 Recommendations 12

3. 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

4. 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 137% satisfied 39% satisfiedN/A Question 238% satisfied 43% satisfied25% satisfied

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION MAILBOX (ECM) 7 Results Implemented April 3, 2000 295 Messages as of December 4, consisting of:  Suggestions  Questions  Requests  Concerns  Compliments

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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