Not exactly. Our slow trudge continues in 2012.

Elections. Unemployment. Uncertainty. These realities will be more abundant than we care to admit. So as we begin the year anew, our optimism remains elusive.

Economic “Growth”
Call it a snail’s pace. Overall, growth will be barely measurable, at around 1.5 percent. And that’s if we can avoid any sudden and drastic fluctuations, such as Greece not pulling their debt weight. Here at home, with no confidence in the household and business sectors, a seemingly endless debt-ceiling debacle and little faith at Capitol Hill’s ability to arrive at meaningful consensus, optimism continues to wane. The bright spot: business equipment and software spending will rise over 9 percent this year.

Jobs: Cyclical or Structural
As labor market trends go, we appear to be in a cyclical mode, which is good news in one sense; as the overall economy strengthens, so too will job growth. However, if structural changes occur, such as new technology automating a category and eliminating wholesale positions, the model has changed, and employment potential may be lost forever. Know your industry better than you know your business. Forecast. Anticipate. Because technology doesn’t care about poverty lines and unemployment rates.

In With the White, Out With the Blue
Simply put, the jobs we’re losing are not the jobs taking their place. And those new jobs require skills many displaced workers don’t possess.  It’s no wonder that three out of four HR professionals overwhelmingly conclude Skilled Professionals are the most difficult to find, let alone hire. And in an ironic twist, people in skilled positions are now more likely to stay put, rather than jump at the next rung on the ladder, choosing to be less trustful of new employers’ financial health and category staying power.

With almost half the jobless ranks suffering from a dubious term we know as “long-term unemployment,” it’s safe to say 2012 will not be our breakout year. At least we can count on consistent political comedy.

Luckily, this too shall pass.

Listening to employees is a given. Here’s how to save your company money and instill a genuine sense of ownership along the way.

“I wish the staff would just do their job and stop talking about how things could work better.”

“I don’t understand why some people think they know so much.”

“These Suggestion Box ideas are mostly negative, and some don’t even have anything to do with the employee’s department.”

Hopefully these examples are nothing more than just that – examples, and that you’re not hearing them from your managers. Unfortunately, though, they’re more common than you might think. Here are some basic, yet valuable, tips on how to not only receive suggestions, but act on them, for the benefit of all.

Be Genuine
Anyone can put a Suggestion Box by the water cooler in the break room. Ask many employees, and they’ll tell you that cardboard box might as well be a black hole. Studies indicate only about one in five workers feel their opinions really matter. Come up with simple, easy, and believable ways to attract suggestions. And have a formal, published plan (say, on that break room bulletin board, sans any other dated material, please) on how those suggestions will be reviewed. Ideas come either random or solicited; have a plan for both.

Everything is Fair Game
Try to avoid the over-clichéd “there are no bad ideas,” but realize even those deemed foolish or absurd at first can still flourish into game changers. Open mindedness if far more elusive than we give ourselves credit for, so strive to always find the strengths and opportunities in an idea before even one tiny negative thought is spoken.

Tell Them What You’re Looking For
While nothing is off limits, employees will better respond to an area of focus, particularly if it affects their work own environment. Give teams or divisions a specific topic, or area of the business. “How can we save money in our Finishing Department?” is more than adequate. Just make sure the intent is to improve the business in a fashion that parallels your goals and mission.

At the end of the day, know that employees provide the best suggestions when they respect and admire their manager, not the company. HR professionals know they must also train managers on how to solicit suggestions, and more importantly, how to enable them to benefit the company. So, listen, learn, and act!