How many times have you squelched the desire to speak up at work?

Like that time you bit your tongue instead of voicing concerns about your boss's pet project. Or when you kept mum rather than suggest how the production line could be run more efficiently.

Workers often clam up out of fear — afraid of looking like they're showing up the boss or even that they'll lose their job — even though their concerns are valid.

Fostering a workplace that encourages and values the open exchange of ideas is critical to a company's survival, according to Des Moines business consultant Nan Rutter.

Yet Rutter said she frequently encounters workers who say they're hesitant about speaking up.

"We can no longer rely on people in the most senior positions to generate all of the ideas," said Rutter, president of Rutter Communications. "We need everyone at all levels to contribute creative ideas because we're competing globally. It's a different world than it was even 20 years ago."

Rutter's advice for workers: Consider how you present your concerns. Those who complain about something but offer no solution are more likely to be viewed as negative.

Someone who offers solutions, she said, is "apt to be viewed as somebody interested in solving problems, not simply complaining about them."

Managers can facilitate more open communication by asking for, and valuing, people's ideas and treating them with respect, she said.

Building a reward system that encourages employee contribution is one way to do that, Rutter suggested. While that may include physical rewards, verbal acknowledgement — such as telling an employee, "Great idea" or "We appreciate your contribution" — can go a long way toward building a successful company.

"I think people will be self-motivated if we treat them with respect," she said. "I'm amazed at the number of people who tell me that they rarely, if ever, hear words of appreciation for the work they do," she said. "It's easy to do; we just don't always think to do it."