Encouraging Creativity in the Workplace
Businesses thrive on innovation. It’s how they compete effectively. You see, customers are consistently changing and so are their needs, so if you are still providing the same product or service, you may experience a drop in loyalty as customers move to companies that offer new, innovative options. The best way to organically create innovation within your company is through promoting creativity. These are a few tips to help you.
Creativity’s Impact
Just like you, your employees are full to the brim with creative ideas and innovations. They also want to feel as if they are truly contributing to your organization, and not just as line workers or button pushers. Encouraging them to work their creative muscles increases their morale, productivity, motivation and job satisfaction. It also encourages their loyalty to your company. These employees become true stakeholders, invested in your company’s success.
Create Spaces in the Office That Inspire
Your employees’ workspaces have a direct impact on their work. If they are exciting, comfortable and interesting, they inspire inspiration. If they include a cube farm with dull gray walls and standard desks and chairs, they probably don’t.
Therefore, consider providing spaces that encourage imagination. Create collaboration rooms with all the tools they need. Provide lounge areas where they can comfortably bounce ideas off of each other. Set up rooms or spaces where your employees can focus on the problem your product or service solves and encourage them to come up with new ideas. Give your employees’ brains stimulation, through artwork, furniture, how the walls are painted and tools they can use to create. However, be sure these aspects of your décor still reflect your company’s brand.
Inspire Your Employees Through Policy
Creating inspirational spaces is not enough to inspire innovation. Yes, some innovation will occur in creative spaces, but to really capitalize on your employees’ imaginations and ingenuity, you need to motivate it. This requires that you get creative. For example, pose questions to your team about your product, service or the problems it can solve. Ask them about complementary items.
In addition, create an atmosphere of innovation through policies. For example, develop creative teams. Create innovation awards or contests. Give them time to really mull over a problem and come up with a solution, but be available to answer questions and provide direction. Your job is to nurture these traits. Don’t be afraid to ask for their opinions on policies that promote innovation.
If you want to pursue an environment of creativity and innovation, focus on changing one thing at a time to encourage your employees to get creative.
