DETROIT – Imagine a team that consistently brainstorms to bring fresh ideas on the centre front, a team that does not hesitate to put forward their opinion, and is committed to providing creative suggestions to deal with every issue. Such a team is sure to drive successful results for the company and provide it a competitive edge in the industry.
Especially when employees need to work in collaboration, team innovation will lead to path-breaking results. Moreover, a team where employees are inclined towards finding innovative solutions will always be brimming with positive energy. This ensures employees stay motivated to achieve project goals as well as organizational goals.
But how do you make this happen? In this post, we will bring to light top 5 techniques that managers can use to encourage innovation in their team:
- Make your team comfortable:
The most important thing to start with is making sure your employees feel comfortable voicing their opinions. Managers who do not pay heed to employee ideas will never be able to get any creative juices flowing in their teams.
Make sure to seek employee suggestions at every important juncture and take them into serious consideration. This builds an environment of encouragement and employees feel their ideas are valued.
- Make them feel inclusive:
The number one reason for any team member putting in the effort to do something out of the box is because they care. If your team members do not care about the project, they are probably not even feeling connected to the company.
This can be changed by making them feel more inclusive in the company environment. Make sure to keep your team involved all through on the project challenges, and seek their input on what strategies to implement. A team that is aware of the project structure and plans from the very beginning is more likely to actively participate and share ideas.
- Provide flexibility:
A team that doesn’t have the autonomy to define the approach for handling a given situation will always feel constrained. Managers must provide flexibility to their team in order to give them the space to come up with innovative results.
For instance, giving your team the convenience to work from home may allow them to work at a place and time that helps them be more productive. You can make use of the best video conferencing software available in the market to stay updated about their work progress through virtual calls.
- Acknowledge efforts:
Managers must recognize and reward any new ideas a team member brings to light, however small-scale they may be. This can be as simple as a public acknowledgement in front of the whole team or a monetary reward.
This pushes employees to keep innovating and think outside of the box. Make sure to show no bias towards any of the team members and treat them equally when it comes to appreciating their efforts.
- Put in efforts to minimize bureaucracy:
Bureaucracy is typically a system that is for maintaining control within an organization and enforcing the hierarchy which often leads to creativity getting stifled. Because of the rigid rules, an employee’s true potential never gets unlocked.
Having such barriers can discourage employees from speaking up and will prevent them from even attempting to brainstorm ideas. It is crucial to managers to break these barriers and make employees feel confident about sharing their ideas.
Conclusion:
It goes without saying that when employees feel their ideas are valued they become even more dedicated to producing better results. This enhances their work experience within their team and within the organization which results in higher employee retention rates. Encouraging workplace innovation not only keeps companies on top of their game, but also builds a reputation of the company as a fun and happy workplace.
This column was provided by Jenny Patel.
