You can’t strong arm people into being creative, but you can certainly encourage it.
Through changing the makeup of your workforce and office space, foster your employees’ originality and watch your company flourish.
The design of your workplace is one of the most critical factors in encouraging creative thinking. Consider your office layout and decor. Do you have plenty of open spaces where people can meet and bounce ideas off each other casually, or are your employees boxed away from each other in cubicles? Are your walls a dingy grey, a soothing pastel, or a chipper orange? If possible, add areas designated for rest and recreation, which will also encourage employee interactions outside of designated brainstorming sessions.
A diversified workforce will also nurse productivity and new ideas. Global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company reported in January of this year that gender-diverse companies in the top quartile for diversity are 15% more likely to outperform those in the bottom quartile, and the top ethnically-diverse companies are 35% more likely to outperform those in the bottom quartile for ethnic diversity. Any group that is too uniform will not challenge itself and grow. Whether it’s age, race, or gender, different identities contribute viewpoints and experiences that lead to more compelling solutions.
In addition to diversity, Jeff Degraff, the “Dean of Innovation” suggests encouraging “risk-taking” activities and rewarding innovative solutions with incentives. He also notes the importance of trusting your employees, so that they feel supported in taking risks. In 2013, the Harvard Business Review pointed to ways leaders can foster innovation, stating that employees are 3.5 times more likely to contribute their full innovative potential in a “speak-up” culture where employees are encouraged to give feedback, and have decision making power. Giving your employees full autonomy over their own projects sends the message that you are confident in their abilities, and less stress actually helps fuel creative thinking, as Lit Reactor explains.
Create a space for your employees that is conducive to creative thinking, and give them the confidence and freedom to take risks. Revel in the benefits that come from the new innovations and creations never thought possible.
