For this, creativity, or the ability to do things in a new, unique way, is an essential ingredient. A study by Forrester and Adobe showed that 82 percent of companies see a strong connection between creativity and business results. But how do you facilitate creativity in the workplace?
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The connection between creativity and positive business results translates into hard numbers. Companies that actively encourage creative thinking perform better in terms of revenue growth, market share, and competitive leadership, according to researchers from Forrester. Google's well-known 20 percent program, where employees were allowed to spend twenty percent of their working time on their own initiatives, aimed to fully utilize employees' creativity and resulted in some of Google's most successful products, such as Gmail, Adsense, and Google Talk.

Encourage risk-taking

Google's 20 percent program is a good example of an initiative that clearly encourages employees to engage with their creativity. When you, as an employer, do not actively show that you need creative thinkers, there is a risk that people will not take risks and will not dare to make mistakes. An important aspect of creativity is that it involves risk: after all, it is about new ideas and concepts that still need to be tested in practice. So make sure your employees know that there are no sanctions for overly wild ideas and that taking risks is the norm in your organization. Transforming a business into a creative enterprise takes time, but it starts with management that does not judge too quickly and is open to suggestions.

Provide your staff with the means to be creative

Most people are not particularly inspired by long, boring meetings with endless PowerPoint presentations. With the right tools, you can transform meetings, workshops, and brainstorming sessions into the inspiring, interactive, and dynamic gatherings they should be. For example, make sure you have a supply of Magic-Chart Notes ready, with a marker for everyone (that actually works!) and invite all attendees to write down their ideas. Install a wall that is completely writeable, or a meeting table with a whiteboard surface where everyone can freely express their thoughts. This way, you ensure that people are not framed and your employees will think without limits – and thus more creatively –.

Design the environment for creativity

Our serious, business-like work environment is not the most ideal breeding ground for creative ideas. Expecting more creativity from your employees? Then design the workplace in a way that stimulates creativity. We already discussed in a previous blog the rise of 'huddle rooms', smaller spaces or even open meeting spots that are informally and invitingly designed and where employees can easily share information. By, for example, replacing fluorescent lighting with ambient light, making room for comfortable chairs instead of a meeting table, and exchanging closed meeting rooms for open spaces, you create an environment where creative ideas will thrive much better.

Ensure diversity

The exchange of ideas will not yield much if everyone thinks the same way. It can therefore be useful to bring together people with different backgrounds, qualifications, specializations, and experiences. This starts with your organization's recruitment policy and ends on the work floor. Bring people from different departments together on projects and organize informal meetings where employees who otherwise would never speak to each other are brought together to exchange ideas. You will be amazed at the unique insights this generates.

Work with innovation teams

If you want to take a more structured approach to achieve creative results, the well-known scrum method can be helpful. Scrum works with small, multidisciplinary teams that preferably work in one space, so that consultations can happen easily. The team is guided by a Scrum Master, who has a facilitating role. Do keep in mind to preserve spontaneity. Creativity often results from the chance meeting of unexpected things. Therefore, setting up innovation teams should not come across as an extra task, and the systematic approach should not be too rigid to allow creativity to flourish.