Workforce Creativity: A Hidden Treasure
By Dr. Hussein Ismail – March 1, 2011
Employee creativity is so important, yet remains ignored by employers. In fact, creativity is probably the most important element for innovation and corporate success. What, then, is creativity? According to Jing Zhou, Associate Professor of Management at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University in the U.S., it is the “ability to produce something that’s new and that will add value to the company.” Big names such as Mercedes Benz in the automobile field, Airbus in aircraft manufacturing, and McKinsey in management consulting all have one thing in common: Determination and a commitment to creativity.
Before we address the ways to stimulate creativity, let’s mention briefly the outcomes of firms that ignore creativity in the workplace. I could give you an endless list of companies in which creativity is absent, or worse, discouraged! In fact, companies that encourage and include creativity as part of their strategic agenda are very few.
Failing, however, to encourage creativity can lead to a number of things. Innovation, which is considered the vehicle for growth and improvement, is reduced. In a context in which ongoing competition is fierce both on the local and global scale, failure to innovate will mean one thing: breakdown. Creativity is key for innovation, and not just technology-related innovation, either. Innovation covers many critical areas in business, such as new ideas to reduce cost, attract customers, and manage inventory.
One of the main reasons for bankrupt corporations recently is lack of innovation. Employees who are not encouraged to be creative will simply refrain from suggesting important ideas that can benefit the firm. Not only will employees avoid suggesting new ideas, but in some cases where employees see that there is a deliberate management effort to inhibit their creativity and achievement, they will purposefully ignore reporting operational faults and problems to management. Organizational loyalty hits rock bottom, and companies will eventually suffer.
Given the benefits that innovative ideas made by capable employees can have on corporate performance, it should be part of any manager’s agenda. Let’s not forget that employees are in direct contact with customers and are constantly involved with operations, meaning that their input is very worthwhile. I recommend the following tactics to stimulate creativity in the workplace:
1. Information sharing and employee involvement:
For employees to start suggesting new and smart ideas openly, they should feel that they are trusted and that they are part of the organization. The best way to create such a atmosphere is through sharing information. Corporations that share information with their employees, such as future operation plans, revenues made last year, or new facilities expected, send a very powerful sign to employees that they are trusted. On a more advanced level, to create an ideal environment for creativity, employees should also be involved in decision making and job-related activities in other relevant areas, according to their experience levels and expertise. Training and development, when combined with the proper system, should be in place in order to maximize the benefits of employee involvement.
2. Rewarding creativity:
Creative employee ideas that prove beneficial to the organization should be recognized. Such employees should then be rewarded in order to reinforce their behavior positively and to motivate them to come up with newer and brighter ideas constantly. Rewards are a complex area of study that is beyond the scope of this article. However, for now, it should be mentioned that rewards should be immediate and worthy. They do not have to be in monetary terms only and can also involve promotions or development programs, such a three-month-long training course at a leading university.
3. Teamwork:
It is very important to provide opportunities for teamwork between members of different departments in the organization in order to allow employees to exchange ideas. Furthermore, teamwork creates “synergy,” thanks to group powers and their combined efforts. Senior management should take the necessary steps to ensure that their organization relies on teamwork and make sure that this culture is understood by all employees through the necessary communication programs.
4. Senior Management commitment:
Finally, senior management must be totally committed to the concept of creativity, and ideally, make it part of their functions. Employees who perceive that management is not concerned with it will automatically develop negative and careless attitudes towards creativity, and accordingly, will avoid thinking creatively.
The four steps above are some of the best approaches for successfully stimulating creativity in the organization and succeeding with it. Training and development programs for employees that increase knowledge and expertise are also necessary for developing talent in the organization. Eventually, this will be reflected in huge returns to the organizations in terms of their outcomes via creativity.
Before we address the ways to stimulate creativity, let’s mention briefly the outcomes of firms that ignore creativity in the workplace. I could give you an endless list of companies in which creativity is absent, or worse, discouraged! In fact, companies that encourage and include creativity as part of their strategic agenda are very few.
Failing, however, to encourage creativity can lead to a number of things. Innovation, which is considered the vehicle for growth and improvement, is reduced. In a context in which ongoing competition is fierce both on the local and global scale, failure to innovate will mean one thing: breakdown. Creativity is key for innovation, and not just technology-related innovation, either. Innovation covers many critical areas in business, such as new ideas to reduce cost, attract customers, and manage inventory.
One of the main reasons for bankrupt corporations recently is lack of innovation. Employees who are not encouraged to be creative will simply refrain from suggesting important ideas that can benefit the firm. Not only will employees avoid suggesting new ideas, but in some cases where employees see that there is a deliberate management effort to inhibit their creativity and achievement, they will purposefully ignore reporting operational faults and problems to management. Organizational loyalty hits rock bottom, and companies will eventually suffer.
Given the benefits that innovative ideas made by capable employees can have on corporate performance, it should be part of any manager’s agenda. Let’s not forget that employees are in direct contact with customers and are constantly involved with operations, meaning that their input is very worthwhile. I recommend the following tactics to stimulate creativity in the workplace:
1. Information sharing and employee involvement:
For employees to start suggesting new and smart ideas openly, they should feel that they are trusted and that they are part of the organization. The best way to create such a atmosphere is through sharing information. Corporations that share information with their employees, such as future operation plans, revenues made last year, or new facilities expected, send a very powerful sign to employees that they are trusted. On a more advanced level, to create an ideal environment for creativity, employees should also be involved in decision making and job-related activities in other relevant areas, according to their experience levels and expertise. Training and development, when combined with the proper system, should be in place in order to maximize the benefits of employee involvement.
2. Rewarding creativity:
Creative employee ideas that prove beneficial to the organization should be recognized. Such employees should then be rewarded in order to reinforce their behavior positively and to motivate them to come up with newer and brighter ideas constantly. Rewards are a complex area of study that is beyond the scope of this article. However, for now, it should be mentioned that rewards should be immediate and worthy. They do not have to be in monetary terms only and can also involve promotions or development programs, such a three-month-long training course at a leading university.
3. Teamwork:
It is very important to provide opportunities for teamwork between members of different departments in the organization in order to allow employees to exchange ideas. Furthermore, teamwork creates “synergy,” thanks to group powers and their combined efforts. Senior management should take the necessary steps to ensure that their organization relies on teamwork and make sure that this culture is understood by all employees through the necessary communication programs.
4. Senior Management commitment:
Finally, senior management must be totally committed to the concept of creativity, and ideally, make it part of their functions. Employees who perceive that management is not concerned with it will automatically develop negative and careless attitudes towards creativity, and accordingly, will avoid thinking creatively.
The four steps above are some of the best approaches for successfully stimulating creativity in the organization and succeeding with it. Training and development programs for employees that increase knowledge and expertise are also necessary for developing talent in the organization. Eventually, this will be reflected in huge returns to the organizations in terms of their outcomes via creativity.