According to Jason Fried, co-founder and CEO of 37Signals, when you need to boost creativity, you shake things up. His company makes some pretty wild changes during seasonal shifts, like eliminating an entire day from the work week between the months of May and October. The company even provides a weekly community-supported agricultural share for employees.
Fried’s seasonal shake-ups have resulted in increased productivity and an infusion of creativity for his company. Sounds great, right? But what about the companies that can’t make something like that work financially? Is there anything they can do to increase productivity and boost creativity as the seasons change?
Yes they can! And we’ve got a few ideas how to boost your creativity:
Encourage breaks: Getting a chance to step outside to get a bit of sunshine even in the coldest of months can do wonders for increasing your creativity and productivity. But, nothing works better than providing a food break to employees. Edison ParkFast managers will go on Snapple Runs bringing the cold beverages to their lot crews on a hot summer’s day. And those working on Thanksgiving at Manhattan Mini Storage locations receive baked holiday pies from the hands of their management teams. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, a break can boost morale which leads to a more productive employee.
Decorate: Consider decorating the shared office space with seasonal themes. It’s not a new idea but it really gives everyone working in an office space a periodic reminder that the world still revolves outside.
Make your space social: Who said increasing productivity had to be boring? Try touching up some open walls with IdeaPaint and let employees share ideas or thoughts. Sure it could be used to organize the Thanksgiving potluck, but it could also help encourage collaboration on the financial strategy for an important account.
Umbrellas: How often do we forget to bring an umbrella with us and are left drenched going home? Start by placing a few umbrellas in a common area and encourage others to take them when they need them and return them when they are done. It’s a simple idea that solves simple problems, and leads to less stressed out employees.
What other creative or unique ways can you, or your boss, encourage productivity and creativity in the office as the seasons change?
Edison Offices provides bright spaces close to spacious parks that can improve your office productivity and sense of creativity.
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