Five ways to promote creativity at work

The world runs on great ideas, which make for unique stories, concepts and campaigns that make people sit up and take notice. Brinda Dasgupta shows how senior management can adapt the workspace to promote creative thinking among employees



Create Settings

Having a work environment that’s out of the ordinary will inspire unique ideas. Quirky things like allowing employees to paint their own walls can be a great step in this direction. “Informal settings can be the perfect catalyst for creative thinking,” says Mohan Krishnaraj, global head — user experience, Harman International.

Use Colours

“Bright colours can selectively be used to create high energy zones within the workspace,” says Sameer Khanna, VP and head of HR, Ericsson. “Using colours with creative art and graphics can also provide strong visual stimuli to get the creative juices flowing.”

Play With Lighting

Install mood lighting in select spaces. Bright colours can also be used to create ideation zones. “Visual stimuli can inspire employees to approach an idea differently,” says Khanna.

Invest In Gadgets

Having access to the latest technology can get creative wheels moving. “Every new device that is launched can help employees experiment with ideas to spur innovation,” says Krishnaraj

Change Posture

Now, thinking on your feet is more than just a nifty phrase. Recent research shows that a change in posture — from seated to standing up — releases enzyme pathways which are suppressed in the seated state.