Stimulating creativity among employees is not as easy as it sounds. It’s a given that brainstorming sessions should be all about fresh ideas without wasting time. There are so many things employers can do to amp up the meetings and stimulate their workers to be even more creative, focused and deliver original ideas. The tips below will ensure that you have the most productive meetings with your team.
Make it short
No one likes long, exhausting sessions! That’s why you should make it short, but effective. The chances are the employees already mentioned some of the best solutions and suggested the greatest ideas during the beginning of the meeting.
The fact that you’re making them stay for hours does not guarantee that they’ll be more efficient. Also, make a list of activities and try to set up a time when you expect them to reach a goal. That way everyone will be focused on doing their best and meet the deadlines. If it’s a big project, you can split it up in several sessions.
Visualise it
Brainstorming is not just a group conversation that ends with several ideas that you’ve already forgotten by the end of the meeting. Remember that all the members of the group need to write down their suggestions. The best way to do this is set up a board where you’ll pin, draw, write down, all of the potential solutions everyone comes up with.
This also prevents that people forget what they’ve said at the beginning by the end of the session. Use plenty of visual tools; that’s one of the fastest ways to reach the goal. So many employees are additionally stimulated when they actually see what they’re working right in front of them.
A change of venue
No one enjoys being at the office all day long. It would be such an amazing gesture to take your team to a whole new venue for the upcoming brainstorming session. After sitting on their desk with the laptop in front of them for hours, the employees will find it so relaxing to escape that familiar scenery. It doesn’t matter if it’s the local park next to the office, a quiet restaurant or a co-working space. If you need help finding a good spot for venue hire in London there are a bunch of platforms out there that will enable you find and compare the right space.
Send invites
Think very hard about whom you want to invite to this brainstorming gathering. Not all of your employees are equally good in the same departments. However, that doesn’t mean that you should stick to the same profile of people. The group should be diverse, with several different levels of management and departments included.
Another thing to consider is a smaller group. This does not only boost productivity but also creativity at the same time. The larger the group, the more space there is for escaping the conversation and goal of the meeting. Also, when employees get invites, they can prepare beforehand and get amazing ideas while they’re at home, or simply anywhere out of the office. There are always people who feel much more comfortable and confident when you announce brainstorming sessions in advance.
How about snacks?
No one can think with an empty stomach. Employers can benefit so much by bringing snacks to brainstorming gatherings. It’s just another way to stimulate workers to not only be present but also distract their mind of how hungry they are.
Long working hours can really affect creativity, so snacks, drinks and coffee are the best ideas ever. It’s a given that everyone is more focused and at their best when all their needs are taken care of. It’s not a big expense, but it does work like a charm.
