A workplace without creativity becomes boring for the employees. When the work becomes boring, the productivity level goes down. So, a workplace should be full of creativity. The creative mindset is lacking in most businesses and companies and it does not help the employees. Creativity comes to everyone at times when you least expect it. Creativity cannot be forced but it can be developed for a creative workplace.
When you inspire creativity in the workplace, you get creative mindsets. Hence, productivity and creativity can flow between employees and managers. There is always room for improvement, whether you are creative or not.
Why Is Creativity So Important?
The most rewarding impact of creativity is to be able of unlocking more meaningful results. When you continue to work as you always have, there is no way to take risks and find new ways to perform. As a result, the possibility of eliminating creativity in the workplace will be high.
There are various ways through which companies can inspire creativity. Also, you will know that how to stimulate creativity, even if you are in a non-creative industry.
Offer Space And Time For Brainstorming
Fundamentally, there are two essential elements in promoting creativity in the workplace such as times for the exchange of ideas and space for it. It means you can give your employees an informal meeting place and time where they reflect on and challenge the basic assumptions.
Some companies are inspiring creativity in the workplace by using the activity-based design of work. It offers a flexible work environment and a variety of workspace that motivates the employees to meet their needs of creativity.
These flexible workspaces can range from chill-out spaces or cafes to a quiet meeting room or private offices for small groups. Typically, each space will offer employees several collaboration tools such as from whiteboards to wireless screen sharing.
If you are not having enough space to provide it to your employees for brainstorming and creativity, your goal should be to provide them a space to think free. The time can be once a day or week that encourages creativity.
Give People A Voice
Whether publicly or anonymously, it is important to make sure that your employees are being heard. Also, they should be having an opportunity to share their feedback that helps foster a culture of provoking ideas and asking questions.
In your company, if people are not being listened to or they are not having an opportunity to engage in dialogue, it means that your workplace is having a deficit in the creativity of the workplace. When people contribute, instead of thinking of their ideas, you should acknowledge receipt and respond.
Make sure that their ideas and suggestions are heard or considered because, in the future, they might not participate in creativity.
Reward and Recognize Creativity In The Workplace
To keep people engaged and motivated in the workplace, you have to recognize a job well done. By rewarding and recognizing the commitment of individuals and teams, you are more likely to foster a creative work environment.
When employees are having a great idea for a better way to solve a problem, accomplish a task, or develop a new product or service, their efforts should be recognized by the higher authorities or upper management level.
Even if your employees are distant due to different reasons, it is important to create a channel of conversation and engagement between the teams and head office. You can do it through video conferencing apps such as Zoom or other chat apps like Microsoft Teams. Hence, your employees will be able to talk and share their ideas and get recognition or reward for their creativity.
Provide Perks
Over the past few decades, companies have invested in several work environments and benefits ranging from small group spaces to cafes. It is for the staff where they can relax and chat with their colleagues and think freely. The goal is to inspire creativity in the workplace by increasing the connection between employees.
Another investment done by the companies for their employees is health and wellness benefits that range from yoga classes to healthy snack zones. It helps to inspire creativity in the workplace. Some of the benefits or perks have gained attention and they are making difference in the workplace. It makes employees eight times more dedicated and three times more innovative and creative.
Diversify Your Team
To inspire creativity in the workplace, you can build a diverse team. It is because people of the different background when brought together in the same room, you will be having a variety of skill sets, strengths, and ideas in the workplace. As a result, there is an exchange of perspectives that challenges the assumptions and shapes the ideas better.
The diverse composition of the team confers an advantage when it comes to generating a wider range of useful and original ideas. Diversity is good but without a good leadership and management decision, it can go wrong. Also, it helps to have a dedicated leadership team who can turn the ideas into actions.
To inspire creativity in the workplace, companies should think of it as a way of creating a leadership team to channel creativity into the success of the business.
Prioritize Natural Light
Nothing kills more creativity than a splitting headache. Sitting under artificial lighting in an office can cause severe headaches and kill creativity in the workplace. To solve this issue, you can use natural light. It helps to provide a natural environment to the employees and inspire creativity in the workplace. Hence, it leads to overall health and well-being and increases the level of productivity while satisfying the employees at the highest levels.
Invest In Ergonomic Furniture
Spending a lot of time sitting at a desk can be bad for your health. Investing in ergonomic furniture can be essential for inspiring creativity in the workplace. Ergonomic furniture offers improvement in different kinds of businesses.
Sit-stand desks are in favor of professionals for a better work environment. Productivity is associated with comfort. So, if you are expecting that your employees must be creative and innovative, then invest in ergonomic furniture.
Invest In Workplace Acoustics
Poor acoustics in the workplace is one of the most common complaints in offices. Employees complain about the noisy workplace and they demand a quiet space for better productivity. You can use easy solutions such as noise barriers or white noise solutions for your workplace.
Creating a quiet space and dedicated social space for your employees will incorporate acoustic and sound-deadening materials. It adds more noise to the mix with sound masking technology. All these ways are to mitigate the noisy environments and inspires creativity in the workplace. Hence, employees will be more productive and innovative about new ideas and solutions.
Social Spaces And Cafes – Inspiring Creativity In The Workplace
Inspiring creativity in the workplace can help your employees to think out of the box. They will be able to share their views, solutions, ideas, etc. in quiet places such as social spaces or cafes. When you provide them such spaces, your employees will come up with a better solution for a problem.
When you want a solution about a product or service you are providing to your customers, the diversified team with different backgrounds will come up with a variety of skills sets and ideas. Make sure that you give your employees recognition and reward for their efforts of being productive and innovative. Apart from providing social space and cafes, invest in natural lighting, ergonomic furniture, and acoustics in the workplace.