Promoting Creativity in Hybrid Workplaces: Beyond the Water Cooler Conversations

Last week, Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, addressed the British Chambers of Commerce Conference in London. In his speech, he reaffirmed his belief that working from the office should be default for UK workers, lamenting the loss of creativity that remote work causes. 

"I worry about the loss of creativity when people are permanently working from home and not having those water cooler moments, where they bounce ideas off each other," he added. "I think that's why businesses are saying they want people back unless there's a reason." 

While there is some merit to his comments, having the office as the default place of work is fast becoming an archaic idea.

Embracing the Future 

A recent survey conducted by Deloitte, found that over three-quarters of Gen Zs or Millennials would start looking for alternative employment if forced back into the office full-time. Kate Sweeney, partner and human capital lead at Deloitte, said that: 

“[younger workers] expect to be able to flex their work to accommodate their personal life". 

"Employers who recognise this desire for choice and support this are more likely to attract, retain and motivate the best talent from these two generations," 

And although business commentaries keep referring to ‘younger generations’, it should be noted that the oldest millennials are hitting 42 years old this year.  

Whether creativity is stunted by remote working or not, one thing is clear. If companies don’t accept the fact that younger generations will compromise on flexibility, they’ll be left to suffer the consequences. 

But fortunately, there are plenty of strategies that business leaders can use to promote creativity and togetherness within a hybrid or remote business. 

Ways to manage worker creativity 

 Since the pandemic forced us to adopt remote and hybrid working, it is something Personnel Checks decided to embrace. Below are some of our tips for managing worker creativity based on our experiences: 

1. Foster a culture of open communication:  
    
   Maintaining open lines of communication can boost creativity by ensuring workers feel free to share and discuss their ideas. This can be achieved through regular team meetings and one-on-ones, as well as creating a safe space for sharing ideas without fear of criticism. 
    
   At Personnel Checks, we have a variety of casual group chats, where meme sharing, jokes, and chat are all encouraged. We even have a dedicated Teams channel for sharing pictures of our ‘Personnel Pets’. We find that these helps simulate the same sort of ‘water cooler’ conversations that are so often cited in criticisms of remote work. 
    

2. Promote health and wellness:
   
   There’s plenty of research out there highlighting how exercise and mindfulness can enhance creativity. Offering wellness programs or encouraging regular breaks can help remote employees maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

3. Organize virtual team-building activities: 
    
   This is incredibly important if you have a completely remote team. Everyone knows that teambuilding can strengthen relationships among team members and foster a sense of belonging and teamwork. This sense of belonging helps contribute to higher levels of creativity. 
    

4. Incorporate asynchronous brainstorming sessions:
   
   A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that asynchronous brainstorming (where ideas are generated independently over a period) can lead to more and better-quality ideas.  
    
   At Personnel Checks, we’ve tried a version of this within teams. One person starts brainstorming, then the next day they pass the document over to the next team member. Over a week's time, you get some well thought out and incredibly creative ideas. 
    

5. Encourage learning and development: Providing workers with opportunities for personal and professional growth can stimulate creativity. This could include webinars, e-learning courses, or resources for self-guided learning. LinkedIn Learning is a great resource for this. 
    

As we navigate the new world of work, it's essential to embrace flexibility and innovation. A return to the office may not be the panacea for creativity, as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt suggests. 

 Instead, companies should strive to create an environment that fosters open communication, prioritizes health and wellness, and nurtures ongoing learning. Remote work may be a different terrain, but with the right strategies, it can be a landscape of limitless creativity and productivity. If we adapt and adopt, we can build workplaces that are not just a product of their time, but ahead of it.