The importance of being innovative and creative in the workplace

Too often, businesses don’t acknowledge the importance of creativity and innovation in the workplace. Time is money, as the old saying goes, and often, thinking “outside the box” is shelved in favor of the status quo. But, is this the best way to do business in the 21st century? Even if your company won't budge from its "that's the way we've always done it" mindset, you can develop your own sense of creativity and innovation to move your career forward.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

• What is the importance of creativity and innovation at work?

• What is the key difference between creativity and innovation?

• Is creativity more important than innovation?

• Examples of real-world creativity and innovation

• 5 actions you can take to boost your creativity in the workplace

What is the importance of creativity and innovation at work?

Creativity is the ability to think about old concepts in new ways. At its core, thinking creatively and innovatively is essential for a business to discover original, inventive solutions for their customers' needs—sometimes even before they know they need it!  Think about it: without creativity and innovation, there would be no new products, services, and ways of thinking. 

Innovative thinking propels ideas even when they seem “off the beaten path.” And when employees are given the room to do this, it supports a culture of teamwork that gives everyone an investment in the end result. It also helps with job satisfaction when employees know that what they do matters. 

Additionally, creativity and innovation in the workplace can increase employee's problem-solving skills, reduce workplace stress and increase overall morale, and build stronger teams with more efficient collaboration.

What is the key difference between creativity and innovation?

Creativity is the soil in which new and distinctive ideas grow and is how businesses solve problems. Innovation, on the other hand, means finding ways to effectively apply those ideas to solve a problem and create value. In a nutshell, creativity is the act of coming up with new ideas, and innovation is finding ways to apply them. Businesses value results, of course, but placing innovation before creativity is like putting the cart before the horse—all the parts are there, but you won’t get very far. 

Is creativity more important than innovation?

While creativity is vital, without the follow-through of innovation those great ideas go nowhere. Think about it this way: you have an idea for a new washing machine that uses less water, has special stain-removing abilities, and sends a load of laundry straight to the dryer. Great idea! But without innovation, that washing machine doesn’t get designed, built, and sold to the customer. 

Thomas Edison once said, “Innovation is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” It would be a stretch to say creativity isn’t important—clearly, you need new ideas—but without innovation, the ideas go nowhere and a business won’t be successful.

What are good examples of creativity and innovation?

When it comes to problem-solving or creating a new product, creativity and innovation go hand-in-hand. But what does this look like in practice? 

Some real-world examples include:

• Search engines. Bing, Google, Safari, and others gave Internet users a more coherent, organized way to locate the information they need.

• Smartphones. Taking the idea of cell phones one step further, smartphones allow users to not only make phone calls but to access a variety of "apps" and the internet on one portable device.

• Electric cars. These unique vehicles took the need for non-renewable energy such as oil and gas, and found a way to make transportation potentially more efficient and climate-friendly. 

• Light bulbs. The light bulb replaced oil and gas lamps by using electricity to illuminate homes, streets, and businesses.

• Plastics. Biodegradable plastic ware, such as cutlery and straws, are made from corn or other starches.

5 Actions you can take to boost your creativity in the workplace

To keep moving forward, companies need to support and cultivate an environment of creativity and innovation. But what does that look like to the average employee? How can you demonstrate these qualities? Can you get better at being creative and innovative? Absolutely. 

Here are five actions you can take:

1. Create a “List of 20 Different Uses for Your Company’s Product or Service.” This will allow you to flex your creative muscles but also focus on key components of your business and come up with ideas that could be put into practice.

2. Develop a new idea using a Mind Map. Mind Map will help you produce a set of related concepts if you’re solving a problem.

3. Brainstorm with other creative people. This will give you the needed feedback to help you develop your ideas.

4. Set aside time every week for creative thinking. When solving problems that your team or  company is facing, you need time. Companies, such as Google and Facebook, encourage blocking off time for personal interests or brainstorming sessions, and keeping their ideas in a notebook, which may prove useful in the future

5. Get your creative juices flowing by playing games. Before a team meeting, play games like Apples to Apples, Sudoku, or Pictionary. These help you get out of your day-to-day routine, shift your mindset, and be open to new ideas and solutions.

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Key takeaways

1. Without creativity and innovation, there would be no new products, services, and ways of thinking. 

2. Creativity is the act of coming up with new ideas, and innovation is finding ways to apply them.

3. While creativity is vital, without innovation, great ideas go nowhere.