Creativity drives the workplace, allowing fresh ideas that competitors aren’t trying. However, the environment of an office can squelch creative minds. If you want to encourage your employees to get more creative and think in new ways, then you have to encourage a different work environment.
Studies show that even the way the United States approaches education has an impact on creativity. Standardized tests and competitive university entrance requirements put the focus on memorization and a narrow set of skills.
Even though creativity doesn’t seem to get valued by higher education, the most valued skill by company leaders is creativity and the ability to problem solve. If your employees feel driven by demands for productivity, they may not take the time to come up with new ideas and your company will suffer from lack of fresh thoughts.
If you want to encourage creativity, try these 8 tips
Adopt a Cause
Show your employees that you care about more than just output. Adopt a cause that everyone in the company can get behind and devote time to helping others.
Millennial employees seek out companies that offer some type of philanthropic endeavor. Pay your employees to volunteer and get out in the world at large.
A change of scenery and a day spent focusing on something other than work sparks ideas.
Invite Motivational Speakers
Have you ever listened to a TED talk that inspired you to go out and change the world? Motivational speakers draw the listener in and change the way they think. Invite motivational speakers to your company and have them talk to your employees. If you notice a lack of input, invite a speaker that talks about speaking up and being bold in business.
Take a survey of what your company is lacking and where you need to grow and choose speakers accordingly. Motivational speakers give employees a welcome break from the everyday grind of work, but add value to your employees’ knowledge.
Reward Creativity
Recognize and reward those who think outside the norm and offer fresh ideas.
Hold a weekly meeting where you give creative employees a shout out. Give out rewards for the best ideas, such as a gift card to a local restaurant or lunch with the boss.
Show workers that you value their ideas and they’ll end up much more likely to share those ideas.
Create Play Time
The best teams know how to work together effectively. One of the best ways to encourage teamwork is by offering play time for your employees. Give everyone the afternoon off and go to an escape room. Employees must work together to escape the game room scenario, but they’ll have a lot of fun doing it.
Take the time to plan a family outing for your employees. Have a catered picnic with games and prizes for your loyal employees. This type of bonding gives people the assurance that they’re valued and encourages them to share their unique ideas.
Best in Your Field
If you want to end up as the best in your field, you must train your employees to think like winners. Winners aren’t afraid to fail. They try new things, work with a diverse employee base and understand that they might fail five times before they succeed once.
Cultivate this type of attitude in your employees and let them know you care about their ideas and support their efforts. If employees feel comfortable, they’ll share their ideas more freely
Lexie Lu is a contributing writer for Splendor Design and a freelance designer. She enjoys writing code and learning about new web platforms. She manages Design Roast and can be followed on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
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