Although the role of creativity in the workplace is usually underestimated, having imaginative employees is crucial if you want your company to develop. Creativity leads to innovation and it is not possible to create groundbreaking products and services without it. Unfortunately, many employees don’t encourage their teams to be creative or even dissipate their imagination by telling them to stick to a certain routine. Check out some possible ways in which you, as an employer or manager, can foster creativity in your employees.
Creativity vs. environment
Creativity is hidden inside each of us. However, a catalyst is needed to trigger it. The best and the easiest way to do it is to create a creative work environment that meets the expectations of employees, doesn’t distract them and allows them to be open to develop and adopt new ideas and solutions. These can include new space arrangements or the introduction of state-of-the-art software, e.g., a communication system for the employees or a desk booking app. Discover what you can do to make your team be more imaginative!
1: Set new challenges
New challenges are something that most employees seek in the job market. If you offer your team a classic nine-to-five job with mundane and repetitive tasks, you may be sure that after several months they will look for a more demanding position. If you want to keep employees in the company, remember that each of us needs change!
2: Change the office layout
This may be surprising but regular and thorough modifications to the office layout can really bring about a change. Moving desks and furniture to reorganize the space and introducing seasonal decorations will let your employees feel like they are working in a new office. With regular changes, they will never become bored.
3: Say bye-bye to stagnation
Many employees who work in a company for several months or years experience some kind of stagnation. This is a very negative phenomenon since it can prompt employees to look for a new job. The easiest way to get rid of it is to talk to them! Be a good manager and ask your employees if they are satisfied with their job and what their expectations are. This way you will surely reach a compromise.
4: Promote communication
Creative ideas usually grow out of cooperation. This is why you should allow your employees to get to know each other well. To do so, you can offer them some after-work activities. Installing a group chat and a hot-desking app, thanks to which they can decide who to sit next to, is also a wonderful idea to foster bonding.
5: Show that you are innovative
If you want your employees to be imaginative, be the role model! Expecting teams to be creative while having a company that is not up-to-date with the latest technologies is like shooting yourself in the foot. Your expectations can be seen as set too high, which can lead to strong criticism. To express your innovative approach, start with introducing popular office systems such as management, communication and desk booking applications.
6: Focus on brainstorming
The easiest way to promote creativity is to allow employees to cooperate. Thanks to brainstorming, they can learn new things, acquire multiple points of view, consider the needs of others, express constructive criticism and develop new ideas that arise from sharing different perspectives.
7: Don’t forget about rewards
Incentives are indispensable you want if to encourage your team to be creative. There is no better motivator than an actual reward. It can take on different forms, e.g., money, vouchers, coupons for some after-work activities, etc., and can be attributed to both individual employees or entire teams.
Innovation and creativity are the keys to success in every business. Remember to keep your employees motivated and do your best to provide them with an environment that fosters collaboration, brainstorming and the quick completion of given tasks. This way they will be more satisfied with their job and you will be able to feel the difference!
Don’t know where to start?
Start with us! Choose a desk-booking app with a simple, yet powerful interface. We can help you find an optimal configuration for your office. Booking a desk should be nothing but a single click! Get familiar with Deski – a desktop and mobile app with real-time reservations. Set your own reservation rules and separate office space – it’s all up to you! If you have any questions about our hot-desking solution, let us know!