5 Ways to Promote Creativity in the Workplace

With today’s changing work environment, every business leader needs to stay on top of trends in his industry. And one of the best strategies to do this is to find ways to promote creativity in the workplace. 

But what is creativity?

According to Britanica, creativity is the ability to make or otherwise bring into existence something new, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or form.

This means that creativity can involve the steps taken by an individual or company to create something new that did not exist before. It could also mean taking something that already exists and improving it to make it better and add value to others.

For example, a company can take one of its old products that is not performing well in the market and make various improvements to it to make it more marketable.

Why Is Creativity Important In the Workplace?

Although many business leaders don’t realize it, creativity drives growth in organizations. 

As stated earlier, creativity can help you increase the value of an existing product. This means that you can re-introduce that same product to your customers and because of the new improvements, there will be a higher possibility of making a sales.

Let’s take an example.

Apple Inc. uses creativity to develop new features for its products which include the iPhone, Mac laptops, Apple watches, iPad, among others. 

When new features are added to the Apple 13 phone, Apple Inc. can market this to its customers and drive sales. This leads to an increase in profits and the company grows.

Similarly, Apple Inc. can come up with new technology that makes production of iPhones faster. This has the benefit of reducing the time it takes to manufacture new products. In the long run, this translates to lower costs and increased productivity.

Another benefit of promoting creativity in the workplace is that it fosters a competitive spirit among employees. It is human nature to want to stand out from the crowd. Employees in a given department or division will work harder to come up with the best solution to meet customers’ demands.

Therefore, as a business leader, you have many reasons to promote creativity in the workplace.

But how can you get started? What do you need to do?

5 Easy Ways to Promote Creativity in the Workplace

As the leader of a growth-oriented business, there are several steps you can take to promote creativity in the workplace. Here are a few of them:

1. Develop business policies that encourage creativity.

This is the most important step to take if you are looking to promote creativity in your company. The policies you develop should not limit your employees’ sense of creativity or make it difficult for them to come up with new ideas.

     2. Have the right management team.

As much as you could have the right systems and processes in place to promote creativity in the workplace, if your management team is not in alignment with your goals, then you are wasting time!

Surround yourself with leaders who are capable, smart, and receptive to change. Leaders who object to every new idea will limit your company’s creativity and growth. If you have to, replace such leaders with those who embrace innovation. Find people who are not only willing but also ready to offer support to your employees in the creative process.

3. Hire creative employees.

You need to recruit and hire employees who possess creative skills and who show a willingness to learn and grow. Such employees will help to propel your business forward and help you stay ahead of your competitors.

You also need employees who are well versed with the business landscape or industry you operate in. This will ensure that the ideas they come up with are feasible and relevant to your target audience.

4. Motivate your employees.

Employees who are highly motivated are more likely to come up with better products and processes than employees who feel ignored by their company. 

Motivated employees are also more likely to stay with a company for a long time. This leads to a low turnover rate. It can also help to attract new talent to your company.

   5. Reward Creativity.

If there’s no creativity in the workplace,  business operations will suffer and fall behind. To prevent this, create a company culture of rewarding the most creative person on your team.

This will spur healthy competition among employees because they will be driven towards success and winning. In the long run, your company will benefit from increased productivity and increased profits.

Some good strategies for rewarding employees include giving them cash rewards and bonuses. You could also offer them paid vacations or recognize their achievements publicly. This could be by naming them employee of the month, quarter, or year.

Conclusion

You have a big responsibility towards ensuring that you promote creativity in your company. Everyone in the organization stands to benefit. Also, the rewards will be there for everyone to see, including your competitors.

What other ways can you use to promote creativity in the workplace? What strategies have worked for you?

Please let us know in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you.