Five smart ways to encourage innovation at your company

Your livelihood relies heavily on your ability to adapt to the times. As the years go by, your needs change. You expect something better. You want something new and different that is going to enrich your life. And you won’t get that without innovation.

Fortunately, the ability to innovate doesn’t rest solely on your shoulders. Look to your talented employees—the meeting of their minds can pave a bright path for your future. All you have to do is foster the right environment and watch the sparks fly.

Don’t fear taking risks

Fear is a giant inhibitor. Understand that you won’t win every time, and that’s part of the learning process. Sometimes, innovation involves major overhaul. If you can’t subdue your reservations, you’ll never make new discoveries.

Incentivize ideas

It’s easy to get stuck in the day-to-day work around the office. Many people will be concerned with taking care of the things that need to get done immediately. The future isn’t as important as what the present requires of them. By incentivizing ideas, you’re encouraging employees to see things differently. If you offer perks and spiffs for people who offer up even minor game changers, people will view their workday differently.

Encourage open communication

Nobody wants to pour out their heart and soul only to feel immediately shut down. Even when things get busy, make time to listen to what everyone has to say. An open exchange allows ideas to blossom. Someone may be on to something without even realizing it. Conversation is give and take, and through deduction, you wind up with valuable points that open new doors.

Meet often

It’s important to get together. Everyone needs to be on the same page about the direction in which things are headed. Important projects, deadlines, and policies changing are all excellent reasons to hold meetings, but how often do you hold meetings just to catch up with everyone? You need to know how people are thinking and feeling. You need a time and a place to present the current challenges you’re facing and allow everyone to talk them out. Everyone deserves a chance to contribute to the company as a whole, no matter what their current position is.

Prevent employee burnout

How innovative is someone going to be if they’re overwhelmed with work? Not very productive. Learn to recognize impending burnout in your employees. Coming in late and exhausted, running to the coffee pot several times a day, and dying to leave the office are some of the most obvious signs to watch out for. Make sure everyone gets a vacation once in a while, and vary everyone’s daily routines. Variety is the spice of life.

Photo: Lauren Kallen

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