How to promote creative thinking in the workplace
Your employees are unhappy and their output on projects has dwindled down to a smoldering lump of coal. Employees need room to root and grow their creativity. Creative thinking is very important to any office and understanding how to promote creative thinking may result in a better outcome on a project.
No Boundaries in Creative Thinking
Creativity in the workplace can be a great stress reliever for employees. Knowing that they have the freedom to explore their ideas in a free-thinking, creative space can open new doors of development. Be sure that your employees know that any idea, good or bad, needs to be voiced. If you suppress the opportunity to be creative in the workplace you hinder any drive to contribute to the conversation or project at hand.
Granted, it is okay to create a set of guidelines for HR purposes, but when it comes to creative thinking let your employees frolic in their process. The next time an employee approaches you with an idea, don’t turn them away to push pencils or copy that report. Instead, listen to them and be open with feedback.
Cultivate an Enjoyable Office Environment
Google led the way with providing a fun, cool and engaging environment for their employees. Following suit, many businesses and agencies equip their employees with inspiring spaces. We follow a similar model by providing our team with an unrestricted space to do their work.
Most employees come to work to sit in a grey room from 9 – 5 without any creative stimulus.
Adding a little color to the walls or tearing down the divider between cubicles will create an open space for creative thinking.
Lead the Pack
Creative thinking can be snuffed out without the proper guidance. Be clear about the objective and let your team create the journey. Assign roles and delegate responsibilities to provide some sort of structure for your team to follow. Cultivate the underlying creative thinking that your team already possesses and drive a workplace that supports it. As a leader, your role is to inspire and educate your employees on what is expected and what is allowed.
Be sure to encourage good ideas and develop bad ideas. Observe each of your employees’ creative abilities and how they interact with their co-workers. You will be better equipped to address organizational problems and find a solution.
Businesses Thrive Through Creativity
Most employees in a leadership role are expected to be a problem solver, but being a leader is more than that. It’s making sure employees are given an environment that promotes creative thinking and is open to the diversity of the workplace. Be patient with your employees and stay consistent with guiding and encouraging them through their creative processes. As a result, your staff will have increased productivity, dedication, and a higher quality of work.
Posted: Mar 11, 2019