Encouraging Creativity in the Workplace
Business Technology | March 16, 2012
Do your employees voice their ideas and views? Do they come to you with ways to enhance efficiency or new innovative marketing ideas?
If this does not sound familiar, your company may be unintentionally stifling employee creativity. A lack of creativity amongst your employees, in today’s business environment, can spell the doom for your organization and may keep you one step behind the competitors.
Two heads are better then one right? Well what about a whole organization? Promoting creativity means you have many individuals thinking of new ways to promote your products and services, boost workflow effectiveness, and improve general productivity. This can eventually mean saving the company money.
One of the best ways to inspire fresh thinking is to simply listen to your employees when they share new ideas. Most employees are worried when approaching their superiors with new concepts, especially when it’s a notion that falls “outside of the box.” So make sure you give them an open forum to discuss their ideas and give them the respect to pay attention to them. Another way is to ask your employees, if you are seeking to think of a way to improve the company’s blog, or products, send out an email asking for ideas. Not all of your employee’s ideas will impress you, but, so as not to single anyone out, listen closely to them all.
If you assume that your employees don’t have good ideas, then you may be missing out. In addition, not listening to them, or overlooking ideas will motivate your employees to do the bare minimum. You will end up with a bunch of people working for the weekend.
You could also use a good old fashioned reward system to get your team’s wheels turning. This could be a bonus to people whose ideas you put into action or it could simply mean giving them some heartfelt praise.
Most employees want to be innovative. Most have suggestions on how to enhance their places of work. Nevertheless, in too many work environments, creativity just isn’t encouraged. Break this trend, and encourage your employees to really think about their company. The rewards you receive could be astounding.
Do your employees voice their ideas and views? Do they come to you with ways to enhance efficiency or new innovative marketing ideas?
If this does not sound familiar, your company may be unintentionally stifling employee creativity. A lack of creativity amongst your employees, in today’s business environment, can spell the doom for your organization and may keep you one step behind the competitors.
Two heads are better then one right? Well what about a whole organization? Promoting creativity means you have many individuals thinking of new ways to promote your products and services, boost workflow effectiveness, and improve general productivity. This can eventually mean saving the company money.
One of the best ways to inspire fresh thinking is to simply listen to your employees when they share new ideas. Most employees are worried when approaching their superiors with new concepts, especially when it’s a notion that falls “outside of the box.” So make sure you give them an open forum to discuss their ideas and give them the respect to pay attention to them. Another way is to ask your employees, if you are seeking to think of a way to improve the company’s blog, or products, send out an email asking for ideas. Not all of your employee’s ideas will impress you, but, so as not to single anyone out, listen closely to them all.
If you assume that your employees don’t have good ideas, then you may be missing out. In addition, not listening to them, or overlooking ideas will motivate your employees to do the bare minimum. You will end up with a bunch of people working for the weekend.
You could also use a good old fashioned reward system to get your team’s wheels turning. This could be a bonus to people whose ideas you put into action or it could simply mean giving them some heartfelt praise.
Most employees want to be innovative. Most have suggestions on how to enhance their places of work. Nevertheless, in too many work environments, creativity just isn’t encouraged. Break this trend, and encourage your employees to really think about their company. The rewards you receive could be astounding.