Encouraging Creativity in a Remote Work Environment

Much has been made regarding the, “Should we work in-office, hybrid, or remote?” debate. CEOs, managers, and employees have all made their voices heard in the past three years, and the consensus seems to be that there is no consensus. However, companies who instituted a fully remote work policy at the onset of COVID-19 are returning to a hybrid or in-office arrangement at a rapid pace.

Recent research shows that 35 percent of workers with jobs that can be done remotely are working from home all the time – down from 55 percent in October of 2020. However, it hasn’t been easy trying to convince remote workers to return to office. One survey of 3,000 remote workers showed that a whopping 98 percent would prefer to work remotely at least some of the time for the rest of their careers.

It’s clear that one big reason for CEOs implementing a return to in-office work is the lack of conversation. Sallie Krawcheck, CEO of Ellevest, says, “We’re hitting deadlines like never before. But, ‘Let’s have a Zoom to brainstorm?’ Not many people do it, and you can’t run into each other at the coffee machine when you’re on Zoom. We are more productive and we are less creative.”

How can creativity happen when working from home?

While most employees agree that their productivity has improved since starting to work from home full-time – only 7 percent of employees feel that working remotely hinders their ability to meet deadlines – some executives lament the lack of spontaneous creativity and innovation. So how can an environment of creativity be fostered when employees are hundreds of miles apart?

• Acknowledge the benefits of flexibility: Not having to tackle a 90-minute commute, or worry about asking for time off to stay home with a sick child, or having the freedom to do a load of laundry on their lunch break will take away stress. This allows people to think more freely. Because stress is one of the biggest inhibitors of creative thought, allowing employees to choose which days they’re in the office if enforcing a hybrid policy, and permitting adjustments to that schedule if they need it, will only improve their innovation.
• Model the creativity you want to see: Don’t just say you want to see people communicating and sharing ideas more; start the conversation yourself. Share an interesting article you saw, email someone a question about work processes, use the intra-company chat to ask someone what they have planned for an upcoming vacation. The more you talk to someone, and the more curiosity you show in their work, the more comfortable they’ll eventually be to ask their own questions or share their own thoughts.
• Try to avoid brainstorming meetings: Sometimes they might be necessary if a discussion is needed about how best to tackle a specific problem or project, but having a meeting just for the sake of having one will feel forced to the attendees. It takes away the spontaneity that often spurs the best ideas. If you’re modeling creativity, employees are more likely to take it upon themselves to have a chat over Zoom to brainstorm.
• Foster a safe work environment: This means that no idea is a bad idea. It takes courage to speak up, so acknowledge that. Even if you know an idea won’t work, don’t dismiss it out of hand. Sit down one-on-one and take the time to explain what you know and what’s been tried before. This increases the likelihood of them saying, “Ok, well what if we try this instead?” This type of back-and-forth is where some of the best ideas originate.

Working remotely means the “water-cooler” conversations and bumping into co-workers in the hallway are gone. A knock on the office door is replaced by a chat message and waiting for a reply. Unplanned interactions with coworkers have been shown to improve creativity; and while a quiet, solitary environment working from home may improve productivity, it can drag down creative impulses.

If you’ve noticed this happening, demonstrate how you want to see ideas shared amongst your team. Show new hires what it looks like to brainstorm freely and without judgement. Eventually, you won’t always have to be the one who starts the conversation.