How to Encourage Being Creative at Work: A Business Owner’s Perspective
Have you ever thought about why Google, Shopee and Petronas are among the top places to work at? 🤔
The answer is quite simple. These companies encourage their employees to be creative at work!
It is common knowledge Google’s headquarters, wherever they may be across the globe, are equipped to optimise employees’ creativity and efficiency.
Image credit: Google
From flexible working stations to ready-made sleeping pods, Google is a leading brand when it comes to fostering creativity.
Why is creativity important, you might ask.
Having creative thinkers can actually grow your business.
They often come up with out-of-the-box solutions that can raise brand awareness and even increase your sales.
In this era of fast-paced mediums, your business will definitely need the help of creative employees for a TikTok video, new marketing strategies and many more.
However, to stimulate and foster being creative at work, your main role as a business owner is to spark the creativity of your employees. ✨✨
After being in a long period of the same routines, most people have forgotten how to think creatively. Fortunately, there are a few practical ways to spark that curiosity of a creative thinker and allow it to light up the room!
5 Practical Ways to Encourage
✨Creative Thinking✨
Although there are countless ways to encourage being creative at work, it also depends on your employees and how they respond. You can try out these actionable ways to see which is the most suitable path that will help your employees to grow.
1. Optimising your workplace 👩🏻💻
Having a big office doesn’t necessarily lead to encouraging being creative at work. Even a small office can get creative juices flowing if optimised to its fullest potential.
Take a minute to rearrange and freshen things up in the office! Think about changing dull grey, white and navy blue to more vibrant colours. 🟠🟡🟣
Nowadays, the minimalist interior design has been going around and capturing the eyes of business owners.
But having vibrant colours on your office walls won’t hurt. Throw in different shades and shapes and it’ll instantly boost your energy on a Monday morning!
Image credit: Art. Lebedev Studio
It is scientifically proven that green plants 🟢 in offices improve creativity aside from reducing fatigue and tiredness. That’s why nature works wonders for those who seek healing and inspiration.
This is a sign for you to get some indoor plants for your office!
2. Setting a brainstorm board 💡
Brainstorming has been around for ages but how do you know if you’re doing it right?
Does brainstorming really work if only 1 person suggests and the rest agrees?
Setting up a brainstorm board or wall will immediately change the way you see brainstorming.
Image credit: Shopify Partners
Get a board and prepare different coloured sticky notes for your next discussion. Each person should be allowed to contribute ideas using the sticky note and paste them on the wall.
Regardless of any bias and prejudice, employees can suggest any ideas freely on the brainstorming board. This automatically encourages individuality amongst employees.
3. Credit and implement good ideas 👏🏼
People in general appreciate being acknowledged and credited.
The best way to do so in a working environment is to put the good ideas into action!
Once you’ve determined the idea that will be successful, make sure to let the idea-generator know that it will be implemented.
Only after getting positive results, should you credit the creative thinker for the contribution.
Image credit: Forbes
Employees will likely contribute more ideas when they see positive feedback and result from the previous suggestion.
4. Hire a diverse team 🙋🏻♀️🙋🏾♀️🙋♂️🙋🏼♂️
Image credit: Freepik
A diverse environment more often than not inspires creativity.
Whether from different backgrounds, different schools or different fields, having a dynamic working atmosphere encourages looking at things in a new light.
There’s nothing wrong with hiring employees with similar backgrounds. But often after time, ideas start sounding repetitive.
The best way to break the repetition is to start looking at resumes that differ one candidate from another. Not too different from your employees but someone that can adapt well and bring something new to your business.
Take a chance on fresh graduates. Although their skills need sharpening, they usually see the world from another angle and can see things you might sometimes miss.
5. 10 minutes out! 🌳🍃
Being stuck in the same setting for hours is somewhat like being in a confinement room in prison. The office should not be a prison. It should be a place where employees can express their creativity and grow as a person.
To nurture talent and creativity, encourage your team to get out of the office once in a while. Especially when their energy level seems low and dull.
Image credit: Freepik
If you find yourself stuck in a problem and feeling like there’s no way out of it, take a walk! Getting new perspectives doesn’t entirely depend on getting new talent.
Sometimes, taking a 10-min walk around the area or the nearby park proves to be helpful.
Allow your eyes rest from your laptop screen for a few minutes, get your mind off of the problem for a while.
When you get back to your table, you’ll be able to approach the elephant in the room from another perspective.
Key Takeaway 🔑
The most crucial aspect of being creative at work also strongly depends on your staff members’ mental states.
Their creativity won’t be stifled if you foster a favourable and positive environment at work.
It is vital to remember that there is no one-way of nurturing creativity but making the effort to encourage it will soon bear fruition to your business.
Til next time, may your creativity run wild and free!
