Five smart ways to stimulate creativity

December 2021

The worldwide trend of more project-based working in the office will only increase in the coming years. Employees are left with time and space to focus intensively on creative solutions and innovation. This is due to the fact that complex and labour-intensive work is increasingly being taken over by robots, computers and artificial intelligence. So we are working in completely different ways than before. Creativity and collaboration are therefore becoming increasingly important in the office.

A whopping 69 percent of employees say they cannot fully utilize their creativity and that their environment does not invite creativity.

Research by Steelcase and Microsoft shows that 77 percent of employees see creativity as one of the most important qualities in the future. At the same time, a whopping 69 percent of employees say they cannot fully utilize their creativity and that their environment does not invite creativity. How is it possible that something so important is so rarely put into practice? But more importantly: how do you stimulate creativity in the workplace? We lists 5 relatively simple ways to stimulate creativity in the workplace and let your employees work with more pleasure and productivity.

Here are five relatively simple ways:

Maintain a good posture: the creative thinking process is promoted by changing posture, moving but also relaxing during the day. Create an environment where it is possible to focus, consult with colleagues, relax and move. For example, look for a Gesture, the office chair specifically designed to support new postures. Handy when you’re working on your mobile device and don’t want to experience back pain at the end of the day. Definitely avoid the position at your desk where you rest your head with your hand supported on the worktop.

Material choices are important: activate the senses with different types of fabrics, patterns and colors that can calm, but also stimulate. Choose different products and materials that exude craftsmanship.

Keep enough distance: Where people work together, there should be enough space between them for everyone to feel comfortable. Use acoustic screens, walls, other furniture or plants to define spaces. This creates spaces that feel more permanent and provide a place for focus when needed. Also check out the Brody Worklounge. A combination of these variables for individual work. The work surface can be easily adjusted to bring your laptop or tablet to eye level, the lounge offers semi privacy in an open space and offers just that little bit of distance from the work floor.

Make it personal: Make the space personal, matching your corporate DNA so that the work environment feels more like your own space. For example, use visuals or film on glass, where you can indicate your own pattern work. The growing trend towards more customization and customizable items is getting easier. This calls for radically different collections that go further than just the standard white desks and black office chairs. Be inspired and dare to be different.

Creating an inspiring environment for your employees

Offers choice and control

Give your employees the freedom to work wherever they want. By offering a wide range of spaces with different resources and atmospheres, they can perfectly adapt to the wishes and needs that they have at that moment.

Make it authentic

Create places where a person can and dares to be themselves completely. Light, material, informal places and natural elements are powerful influences on the behavior and communication of the brand and the culture of an organization.

Cherish your people

Also, don't forget about a person's physical and emotional needs. Good coffee and a range of healthy food indicate that you as an organization prioritize the well-being of an employee. WorkCafés and a bar give people the opportunity to meet each other in an informal way and get to know each other better. It's no secret that stronger relationships can lead to better ideas and increase synergy and creativity within a team.

Give space to the best technology

Today it is very frustrating for an employee when technology fails them. It creates frustration and distraction because the work often depends to a large extent on the technology within a company. Therefore, make sure you have good quality equipment that makes it easy to share information and ideas with each other.