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“Everyone has some degree of a spark within them -- you just need to do the work of allowing that creativity to flourish,” writes Jaysen DeMars in an online article about inspiriting creativity in employees. “Hiring naturally creative candidates may help, but your primary goal should be to create an environment that nourishes the creativity in everyone.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Allow flexible work schedules…

Studies have consistently shown that flexible schedules lead to higher rates of overall productivity and higher job satisfaction…To lean on an overused buzz-phrase, you’re letting your employees “work outside the box” in order to “think outside the box.”

2. Encourage breaks…

When your staffers aren’t pressured to complete a task, they can approach it in a more relaxed, thoughtful way; instead of trying to force the square peg into a circle hole, they'll have the freedom to walk away, casually think about the problem and ultimately come to a correct alternative solution on their own terms.

3. Listen to new ideas…

Institute a personal policy to listen to every new idea -- even bad ones, and ones that go against your thinking. You don’t have to act on them, but you do have to value them, give honest feedback and reward employees for bringing them up. Doing so regularly will cultivate an atmosphere of positive idea generation, which should self-perpetuate over time.

4. Fill your workplace with sensory experiences…

You might hang thought-provoking abstract art on the walls, regularly fill the office with new scents or play unconventional music through your loudspeakers. Doing so will help employees think in new ways and become more stimulated by their environment. As an added bonus, most of these additions have a calming or satisfying effect on people -- so your team will feel happier and be more productive in addition to being more creative.

5. Facilitate a team mentality…

It’s rare that a creative idea just spontaneously pops into one person’s head…So, facilitate a “team” mentality by…conducting team exercises and giving your teammates opportunities to bond with one another. Doing so will help them trust each other, and work together to bring new ideas to life.

Source: “5 Ways to Inspire Creativity in Your Employees,” by Jayson Demers, entrepreneur.org, March 7, 2016

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