I was once given a great piece of advice (from the now CEO of Cath Kidston): tell your team what you want them to achieve and by when \u2013 not how to get there. The journey to success should be guided and supported, not managed. Allowing employees the freedom to choose their own path to success inspires creativity and supports staff engagement, which of course breeds innovation.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0<\/b>Be Prepared to Change the Way You Work<\/strong><\/p>\n Not everyone works efficiently 9-5, Monday \u2013 Friday. Be prepared to work flexibly \u2013 we\u2019ve seen a huge improvement in our workforce\u2019s creativity, innovation and most of all productivity by allowing them to choose their own working days (within reason).<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0<\/b>No Idea is a Bad Idea<\/strong><\/p>\n Our MD\u2019s mantra: no idea is a bad one \u2013 even if it is a little far out. Ideas can lead to brainstorming new ideas, new ways of working or new campaigns.<\/p>\n 4. Get the Team Right<\/strong><\/p>\n Finding the right people is always a tough task in business. But at Lightbox we believe personality is just as strong as a formal qualification. The right people will always encourage each other, talk to each other and most of all bounce ideas around; nurturing creativity and innovation almost naturally.<\/p>\n 5. Change It Up a Bit<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019re a big believer in getting out of the office when it comes to brainstorming big ideas or pitches.\u00a0 The same four walls can be stifling \u2013 even in an open and relaxed office.\u00a0 Getting out for a coffee in a boutique caf\u00e9, or even outside in the fresh air will always get the brain cells ticking.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n 1. Open Plan Hot Desks While it may seem a fashionable approach, taking a leaf out of the tech start up and creative industry and utilising open plan offices with hot desks is a great method to drive innovation. At its core they break down boundaries between different roles and get junior and senior staff working closer together. Creating an open environment encourages all colleagues to express their most creative and innovative ideas, all the while developing a collaborative approach within the team.<\/p>\n 2. Desks With Wheels<\/strong><\/p>\n A method pioneered by only a few businesses that at first may seem unorthodox, but has a sound theory to its benefits. Businesses which have cross function projects should encourage teams to work closely together. Employees can be hesitant when it comes to moving desks, either from being comfortable where they are or the inconvenience of moving. With mobile desks, employees can easily move to other areas within the business, encouraging cross functional work. This in turn drives down email and telephone communication, which can hinder creative thinking.<\/p>\n 3. Stand Up Meetings<\/strong><\/p>\n Meetings are a burden on many employees, not just due to the time they take up but also the fact that outputs are not always beneficial. Introducing quick 15 minute stand up scrums keeps it short, sharp and lively. It drives quick thinking on key points and decisions can be made without creating an air of doubt. No one wants to stand in a meeting for an hour \u2013 it\u2019s a great method to keep employees engaged and thinking freely.<\/p>\n 4. Learning Lunch<\/strong><\/p>\n The workplace should not be all about work. Sounds a little strange, but work without learning can lead to the same results each and every time. Create a learning lunch culture: every couple of weeks a member of the team hosts a session to take people through a task from start to finish in their day job, or runs through an innovation in the market that the business would benefit from. It creates a break from the everyday hustle, and creates a one minded environment.\u00a0 The host also organises lunch, and we all know employees appreciate a free lunch.<\/p>\n 5. Dragon\u2019s Den<\/strong><\/p>\n No idea or employee is too small. Opening an ideas forum to the whole business is a fantastic way to generate ideas en masse. My own workplace Mobiles.co.uk<\/a> held its own Dragon\u2019s Den. Employees submitted ideas and presented back to a panel, Dragon’s Den style, but not quite as daunting. It encourages members to think beyond their current roles and generate ideas that may fit within other business functions. It opened up innovative thinking to the whole business and produced ideas that may not have necessarily come from normal sessions, all while creating a competitive buzz around the company.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/b>1. Create Quiet Spaces<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n Today\u2019s modern day open plan offices are fabulous; no more closed doors, no more grey cubicles but no more quiet spaces to think. Nowadays, a major complaint from staff is noise. Creative people often need quiet spaces where they can develop ideas and not be distracted. Teams need spaces where informal meetings can be held, and a table in the middle of a noisy office won\u2019t cut it. Better to use technology such as acoustic pods to create an oasis in the middle of office where people can come together and discuss ideas.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n 2. Eat Together<\/strong><\/p>\n A step up from a chat around the water machine, we are now regularly asked to install a communal dining area (picnic style benches are very popular at the moment) so that people can eat together.\u00a0 Who knows what ideas will come in between bites?\u00a0 The opportunity for different people to sit and chat can often lead to discussions about projects, and different viewpoints can bring about innovation.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0<\/b>Invest in Wellbeing<\/strong><\/p>\n Your most expensive asset is your staff; research by Oxford Economics found that it takes an average of 28 weeks before someone is fully up to speed after they\u2019ve started a job. So keep the people you\u2019ve got, and foster that talent. Invest in a Wellbeing programme, and we are not just talking about a few questionnaires. Today\u2019s wellbeing programmes look to improve people\u2019s health (not react to problems), and the end result is more productive people.\u00a0 More productive people produce better results.<\/p>\n 4. Build a Space Where People are Inspired<\/strong><\/p>\n We are not necessarily talking about a blow-the-budget \u2018Google inspired\u2019 space, but an office where people are proud to come to, and want to work at. Good office design can do wonders for both attracting talented people and inspiring the people that already work there. This is where the skill of a commercial interior designer can help. They can involve the people already working for the company and turn their ideas into a cohesive, inspiring environment.<\/p>\n 5. Pause Occasionally<\/strong><\/p>\n Agile working is the new buzz word, and nowadays employees are required to cope with change. However, we need to build time to develop a business. One company we know takes a day out per quarter. They start the day by tidying office, do a team building exercise (past events include a cookery course and an indoor climbing wall), then devote half a day to discussing the business and what could be improved. Innovation comes from giving people the time and space to grow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thanks to all our contributors for their valuable advice. Do you have any tips on how to encourage innovation within the workplace that you would like to share? Feel free to leave a comment in the section below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In today\u2019s edition of Tips from the Experts, we asked three business professionals to share their top 5 tips for encouraging innovation within the workplace. Kelly Ruston, Communications & PR Director at Lightbox 1.\u00a0Be a Leader, Not a Manager I was once given a great piece of advice (from the now CEO of Cath Kidston): tell your team what you want them to achieve and by when \u2013 not how to get there. The journey to success should be guided and supported, not managed. Allowing employees the freedom to choose their own path to success inspires creativity and supports staff engagement, which of course breeds innovation. 2.\u00a0Be Prepared to Change the Way You Work Not everyone works efficiently 9-5, Monday \u2013 Friday. Be prepared to work flexibly \u2013 we\u2019ve seen a huge improvement in our workforce\u2019s creativity, innovation and most of all productivity by allowing them to choose their own working days (within reason). 3.\u00a0No Idea is a Bad Idea Our MD\u2019s mantra: no idea is a bad one \u2013 even if it is a little far out. Ideas can lead to brainstorming new ideas, new ways of working or new campaigns. 4. Get the Team Right Finding the right people is always a tough task in business. But at Lightbox we believe personality is just as strong as a formal qualification. The right people will always encourage each other, talk to each other and most of all bounce ideas around; nurturing creativity and innovation almost naturally. 5. Change It Up a Bit We\u2019re a big believer in getting out of the office when it comes to brainstorming big ideas or pitches.\u00a0 The same four walls can be stifling \u2013 even in an open and relaxed office.\u00a0 Getting out for a coffee in a boutique caf\u00e9, or even outside in the fresh air will always get the brain cells ticking. \u00a0 Jay Karsandas, Marketing Manager at Mobiles.co.uk 1. Open Plan Hot Desks While it may seem a fashionable approach, taking a leaf out of the tech start up and creative industry and utilising open plan offices with hot desks is a great method to drive innovation. At its core they break down boundaries between different roles and get junior and senior staff working closer together. Creating an open environment encourages all colleagues to express their most creative and innovative ideas, all the while developing a collaborative approach within the team. 2. Desks With Wheels A method pioneered by only a few businesses that at first may seem unorthodox, but has a sound theory to its benefits. Businesses which have cross function projects should encourage teams to work closely together. Employees can be hesitant when it comes to moving desks, either from being comfortable where they are or the inconvenience of moving. With mobile desks, employees can easily move to other areas within the business, encouraging cross functional work. This in turn drives down email and telephone communication, which can hinder creative thinking. 3. Stand Up Meetings Meetings are a burden on many employees, not just due to the time they take up but also the fact that outputs are not always beneficial. Introducing quick 15 minute stand up scrums keeps it short, sharp and lively. It drives quick thinking on key points and decisions can be made without creating an air of doubt. No one wants to stand in a meeting for an hour \u2013 it\u2019s a great method to keep employees engaged and thinking freely. 4. Learning Lunch The workplace should not be all about work. Sounds a little strange, but work without learning can lead to the same results each and every time. Create a learning lunch culture: every couple of weeks a member of the team hosts a session to take people through a task from start to finish in their day job, or runs through an innovation in the market that the business would benefit from. It creates a break from the everyday hustle, and creates a one minded environment.\u00a0 The host also organises lunch, and we all know employees appreciate a free lunch. 5. Dragon\u2019s Den No idea or employee is too small. Opening an ideas forum to the whole business is a fantastic way to generate ideas en masse. My own workplace Mobiles.co.uk held its own Dragon\u2019s Den. Employees submitted ideas and presented back to a panel, Dragon’s Den style, but not quite as daunting. It encourages members to think beyond their current roles and generate ideas that may fit within other business functions. It opened up innovative thinking to the whole business and produced ideas that may not have necessarily come from normal sessions, all while creating a competitive buzz around the company. Jo Blood, Managing Director at Posture People 1. Create Quiet Spaces Today\u2019s modern day open plan offices are fabulous; no more closed doors, no more grey cubicles but no more quiet spaces to think. Nowadays, a major complaint from staff is noise. Creative people often need quiet spaces where they can develop ideas and not be distracted. Teams need spaces where informal meetings can be held, and a table in the middle of a noisy office won\u2019t cut it. Better to use technology such as acoustic pods to create an oasis in the middle of office where people can come together and discuss ideas.\u00a0 2. Eat Together A step up from a chat around the water machine, we are now regularly asked to install a communal dining area (picnic style benches are very popular at the moment) so that people can eat together.\u00a0 Who knows what ideas will come in between bites?\u00a0 The opportunity for different people to sit and chat can often lead to discussions about projects, and different viewpoints can bring about innovation. 3.\u00a0Invest in Wellbeing Your most expensive asset is your staff; research by Oxford Economics found that it takes an average of 28 weeks before someone is fully up to speed after they\u2019ve started a job. So keep the people you\u2019ve got, and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,217],"tags":[93],"class_list":["post-1584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-growth","category-expert-tips","tag-tips-from-the-experts-2"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"kelly21\"](\"http:\/\/uk.instantoffices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/kelly21-179x300.jpg\")
1.\u00a0<\/b>Be a Leader, Not a Manager<\/strong><\/p>\nJay Karsandas, Marketing Manager at Mobiles.co.uk<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Jay](\"http:\/\/www.instantoffices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Jay-Karsandas-1-280x300.jpg\")
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nJo Blood, Managing Director at Posture People<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"jo-blood-photo1\"](\"http:\/\/uk.instantoffices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Jo-Blood-photo1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n