It’s one of life’s most commonly-asked questions: how can I be more creative?
Creativity is sometimes treated as a given – in many industries, you rely on the creativity of your staff to consistently generate ideas and suggest solutions for clients.
But how can you foster a culture of creativity in the workplace? We give our suggestions below.
Encourage your team to be themselves at work
It’s important to allow your team to be their true self at work as ultimately, they will feel happier and more comfortable. Doing this means you build a community spirit in the office, so your staff will see your organisation as more than just a place of work, and are more innovative and creative as a result. When people feel trusted and at ease, they are inclined to take more risks.
Current trends in office design reflect this theory. Home-inspired pieces such as big rugs, warm lighting and products made of natural wood are taking centre stage as the boundaries between work and home life become blurred.
The popular Jig social table and super-comfortable Yak chairs help to cultivate a sense of belonging and comfort in the work environment.
Further, it is a great idea to implement fun elements into the office, too! Take inspiration from companies such as Bruntwood, who have replaced the traditional meeting table with a ping-pong table. It’s about putting people in a situation that inspires them to think differently.
The emergence of new technologies means staff are always ‘switched on’. Incorporating home-inspired products in the workplace helps to communicate the message that they don’t need to leave the office to switch off.
Watch your staff
Let your team choose how to be creative. Often, it’s only by observing that we see how a process truly works. Allow your staff to pick their coffee mugs, choose items for their desks and day-to-day, look at how they create.
Everyone is different – some people create by putting pen to paper, some with computers, some need to get up and write on a wall. It’s only by watching that you can see what truly works for them.
It’s likely that your staff will have different creative styles, so it is important to create a range of different spaces to suit their varying needs. Essentially, your staff are looking for two things: choice and control. They want a variety of places in which to work, at a time of their choosing.
More often than not, creativity blossoms in informal, casual spaces where it is easy to collaborate and connect with others. The B Free High Table and stools are the ideal solution for creating informal workspaces where staff can connect with colleagues and hold impromptu meetings.
Clever products such as the Smart Board and Media:scape can supplement this, enabling staff to share ideas and work together in an informal setting.
Accept that people also need privacy
On the flipside to those who are more collaborative, some people are at their most creative when they are given some privacy. Once again, it comes down to giving staff a range of spaces in which to work. If your office is open plan, stop and think of the spaces in which a member of staff can go and do two or three hours of concentrated work alone where they won’t be interrupted.
Comfy lounge seating, intuitive technologies and fabric walls work well in areas such as these and we have a whole host of products to suit these needs at Penketh Group.
The super-comfortable Hosu Chair provides fantastic seating for workers looking for a place to be alone in comfort. It’s another home-inspired product with which workers feel at ease. The Hosu chair allows staff to relax, rejuvenate and focus.
Alternatively, staff looking for an area to house themselves away from the noise of the office need look no further than Ocee’s Den! A fantastically innovative product for those looking to minimise noise and distractions, the acoustically-enhanced Den is a range of work areas aiding productivity and providing a space for staff to complete their work without distractions.
There are eight styles to choose from and many different configurations, enabling you to build the Den that suits you best!