There are so many people in this world doing a job monotonously. But when someone does something different and their work stands out, that is where their creativity comes in. You see, creativity is a quality that one already has. Usually, children are said to be quite creative but as they grow up, they tend to lose their creative edge. It usually happens when they stop doing what they like doing, or their education system promotes rote learning instead of nurturing skills. That leaves very few creative adults and even fewer adults who end up using it to their benefit. But one needs to get out of their robotic work zone and to do that one must choose to work in the field of their choice. This brings out the creativity of their person, satisfying them with their own work and helping their organization in many ways.
For instance, Apple has recently claimed the most valuable company in the world. One may think, it just produces phones and laptops, as so many other companies do. But what makes Apple different from all of its competitors? It’s their creativity. It is not just a brand that focuses on technology, but also on design and innovation. All the other companies may call refer to their devices as phones but only Apple calls it iPhone and it clearly stands out. It is actually the brand that encouraged others to “Think Different”.
The most important reason for being creative in one’s business is that they’re successful. 82% of executives surveyed by Forrester agree that companies benefit from creativity. These benefits are increased revenues, greater market share and better brand value. However, there’s still a huge disconnect as 61% of employees don’t see their companies as creative. For this particular reason, it becomes crucial for every organization to have a system or programs that foster creativity in their employees.
How can organizations foster creativity?
Value creativity: The first and foremost step is to recognize and reward creativity. This shows that the company values creativity and clients also like it.
Take risks: But being creative means doing things differently and that involves taking a fair amount of risk, so one must be open to the idea of taking risks. Not every idea proves to be a success, but big breakthroughs won’t occur if a company plays it safe.
Bring in diversity: A company should also look out for diverse people. This is because diversity brings in different viewpoints, cultural backgrounds and skill sets and that creates an amazing work culture.
Make everyone feel inclusive: In this regard, the “Yes, and…” approach is important because it makes a person realize that their voice is heard. So, first, agree with your colleagues and then add something to the discussion.
Try flexible work hours: Creating various work environments for your employees and providing various work options like work-from-home, other work locations, working at different hours makes employees happy and productive.
Provide ample holidays: Everyone needs to recharge from time to time. Creativity can also burnout. So, encouraging employees to take a holiday is beneficial to their mental health and boosts their creativity.
As Bernard Kelvin Clive rightly said, “If you keep colouring within the boxes and writing on the lines, you may never be able to do something remarkable. Break your spirit free to explore.”
Be gutsy enough to follow your instinct and believe in yourself enough to acknowledge and use that creative voice inside of you. Everyone has it in them, they just need to realize it.
Be creative!
At Dramantram, we cohesively follow a creative work culture and that reflects in the kind of work we do. Since all of our work revolves around creativity, it is something that is close to our hearts and crucial to our final output. Join us for a cup of tea and experience a workspace that promotes creativity like no other.
**Dramantram (Pronounced as Dra-Mann-Tram) is a video production, communication design, digital marketing, and concept photography company that takes a human-centred, design-based approach to innovate, create and communicate. Our flexible approach works in tandem with creativity and innovation.