How CREATIVITY HELPS IN THE WORKPLACE
We know that creativity makes the world go round — with it comes marvellous innovations like the iPhone, life saving robots and the like. However, creativity is not just for professional artists or geniuses.
Creativity means to come up with more than 1 fixed way of expressing or doing, which leads to new thinking patterns, ideas, and exploration of opportunities. It can also help to cultivate a positive work culture for the company and increase your employee’s sense of ownership over their responsibilities, which will aid in decreasing turnover rate.
Creativity also means allowing yourself the space to fail and to be vulnerable. This is tricky because nobody likes to fail. However, by embracing the 99 times you fail, you might find the 1 method that succeeds in helping you build on your legacy for the company.
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,”
- Albert Einstein
Remember being a child and imagining the world upside-down? When we were younger, we looked at everything with a fresh pair of eyes. However, as we grow older and enter into the workforce, we start having presumptions of almost everything, where there are no new possibilities and creativity slowly dies.
So why not try different methods and approaches!
For Employers
Encourage a place for growth and creativity by saying “Yes, and…” Instead of saying no immediately.
Encourage them to build off one another’s thoughts by first agreeing, and then providing suggestions and improvisation; such open conversations prove results long term.
Reward creativity and have fun projects that involve working in small groups of people. It promotes team bonding and gives opportunity for recognition of their ideas.
Simply using monetary incentives reversibly creates high expectations and stress. Instead, reward with affirmations and let it be a safe space for ideas to be thrown.
As Steve Job, the entrepreneur, and revolutionary technology leader mentioned, “Creativity is just connecting things.”
Through building a positive and collective culture for the company, the turnover rate is much more likely to decrease and the sense of ownership over individual responsibilities increases along with the sense of trust.
For Employees:
Dare to ask questions. Continuously feed your own sense of curiosity and treat your workplace more than just an office of rules or strict regulations.
Voice out any ideas that you might have, even if it’s out of the norm at your company. You never, know, it might be one that makes your career.
Even if products or services remain unchanged, by exercising your creativity even in the mundane activities, such as color-blocking your excel sheet, or drawing and presenting skits allows you to express yourself in a manner unique to you.
Regardless of your rank, take time to recharge. After all, doing the same thing over and over again like a machine only causes it to break down. Try non-related work activities such as fitness and dance, where music and movements connect people and release stress for a better flow of creativity! Remember creativity is as simple as trying new things and do not limit that to the four walls of your office.
To find out more about our team-bonding activities, click here.