Connect with us

Success Advice

3 Ways to Nurture Creativity in the Workplace

Published

on

creative in the workplace Large
Joel Brown

The aim of a business, right from company registration through to seeing your first return on investment, is to grow. Innovate, develop and expand in a noticeable fashion. There is considerable competition in the world and to achieve this expansion you must stand out from the crowd. In the first stages of your company, when you are just starting out, this can be an uphill struggle; although it needn’t be.

Where you may lack budget or exposure in the industry you can make up for in other ways. The key way to do this is through the power of creativity. You don’t have to be the biggest fish in the pond to develop a flare. Harnessing the collective creative power of your team from start-up can be a great way to make you stand out from the crowd.

It only takes one brilliant idea to help your business stand out from the crowd. So, you want to create an atmosphere where this creation can be nurtured in the best way possible. But, what is the best way to do this in the modern work environment?

Here are 3 ways to nurture creativity in the workplace:

1. Don’t Think Outside the Box, Expand It

The best ideas are not necessarily new ones. Is Virgin a successful company because it invented the train? No, it is successful because it improved upon the existing base of a train and made it an experience that people sought after above over train companies.

The point is, you don’t have to invent the wheel in order to benefit from it. Obviously, you cannot replicate an idea entirely but creatively developing it is how humanity has reached the point it has today. A new way of looking at things is how the world develops. So, developing your company, in the same way, is the best course of action to take.

“My ambition comes from my passion: finding what I love and then expanding on that.” – Miranda Kerr

2. Environmental Factors

Let’s face it, being creative in a white box would be a tall order for almost everyone. However, you also can’t have an office that is an explosion of an artist’s palette (unless you are someone like Google, of course).

Stifling your employee’s creativity with a boring environment is a sure way to ensure that the ideas in your company do not develop. Promote thought and interaction by investing in an interesting piece of art, partaking in a fun table tennis game in the break room or even just some having some music playing in the background. It makes for a livelier work environment.

Work is work, so it can’t be all fun and games in the pursuit of creativity (although you shouldn’t intend to bore your employees either). Yet, there are certain things that will help to get those creative juices flowing and keep your businesses productivity high!

3. Budget Isn’t Everything

As a start-up company, you may not have an abundance of money to throw into all of the things that a successful, bustling business needs. Marketing, for example, can be key to the success of your new company. But, this can be an expensive process for your business during these first baby steps.

In this case, you may find creativity will stretch a smaller budget a considerable amount. A lot of people equate marketing with spending a lot of money on flashing neon signs and proclaiming how good your business is to the world. Sometimes this is more of a hindrance than a help.

New opportunities for less expensive advertising is around every corner. Imagine being the first person to realise Facebook was a great platform to advertise from, now it is an industry standard. All of these marketing strategies began as a creative idea, a company that thought out of the box in one instance and created a marketing platform that has been extremely successful.

There are a number of roads you can navigate from the steam of a smaller budget. The power of social media should never be ignored, it’s mostly free and you can reach a surprising number of people with the right (high quality) content. In the same way, connecting with local businesses around you can be a free way to create exposure for your business in a local community.

“Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.” – Nelson Mandela

Similarly, reaching out to local publications and the like can also be a great way to gain exposure at a local level. None of which requires a huge budget; just a friendly face and a will to get creative with your methods.

Overall, staying creative is an important aspect of the workplace. It keeps your employees enthused, allows your company to grow in new and interesting ways that will ultimately benefit your business as a whole. Creativity is different for everyone, but if you aim to nurture it then you will often be pleasantly surprised by the benefits it can bring.

How do you help promote creativity in the workplace? Please leave your thoughts below!

Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

Published

on

Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

Continue Reading

Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

Published

on

leadership tips for new CEO
Image Credit: Midjourney

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

Continue Reading

Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

Published

on

Bridging the gap between employees and employers
Image Credit: Midjourney

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

Continue Reading

Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

Published

on

entrepreneurial leadership skills and traits
Image Credit: Midjourney

When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

Continue Reading

Trending