Business leaders diligently pursue productivity – after all, a productive workforce is what keeps the cogs of the corporate wheel turning. Naturally, businesses are required to be productive in order to remain competitive and ultimately make profit. But how important is creativity in this process? In short, is creativity as important to businesses as productivity?
Following Part 1 of our Creativity vs Productivity blog series, where we examined whether you can be creative and productive at the same time, our second instalment explores what’s more important to business – creativity or productivity.
Creativity may initially be disruptive but can lead to greater productivity
As Boland Jones, Founder and CEO of PGI, writes on Forbes in a feature about how creativity leads to productivity:
“[Creativity] is inherently disruptive. It’s the burst and spark of a new idea so brilliant that it interrupts whatever you’re doing just so you can get it onto paper. At a glance, it also appears to be completely opposed to productivity. You can’t quantify it. You can’t measure it. It simply is. That’s great for developing big ideas but maybe not so much for those looming deadlines.”
Creativity, the brainwave of a new idea, product or vision, can, initially, disrupt the ‘status-quo’ of a typical working day. For example, imagine a production line at a factory is working as usual, with each part of the line doing their part to ensure production runs smoothly and targets are met. ‘Joe’ from the manufacturing department comes up with a brainwave on how to speed up the production process and ultimately make things run faster. Joe calls a meeting, and the working day is disrupted for an hour or so, meaning the manufacturing team is behind schedule to meet its target. However, when Joe’s fabulously innovative idea is finally implemented, the production of goods quickens its pace, more products are made in a day, and ultimately the company makes more money.
This is an example of how, initially, creativity may be a disruption but can ultimately lead to greater productivity.
Thinking outside the box
A productive workforce knuckles down and gets tasks churned out to ensure the production wheel keeps spinning, customers are satisfied and the business keeps making money. This is when hiring creative people and encouraging creativity within an existing workforce can prove fruitful for businesses. Companies don't embrace new innovations and trends often get left behind by more disruptive and less risk averse contemporaries. As the Real Business list of the top 50 most disruptive British businesses shows, creativity and disruption can bring huge growth and leaps in revenue.
Thinking outside the box and adapting new trends, innovations and ideas can be key to company survival and success.
By encouraging employees to think creatively, productivity becomes more meaningful. In this sense, creativity can have a bigger business impact than merely carrying on with business as usual.
Boosting staff morale
Employee morale can be boosted if staff know that their creative ideas are welcomed, listened to and may be implemented. This leads to greater employee satisfaction, loyalty to company (and ultimately) improved staff retention rates.
High staff morale is directly linked to increased productivity. As Marcus Erb, senior research partner and senior consultant with the Great Place to Work Institute, writes in Entrepreneur:
“Low morale can lead to poor concentration, low productivity and increased turnover… and ultimately hinder a business from reaching its goals.”
By encouraging employees to put forward their creative ideas, business leaders can significantly boost staff morale and effectively improve productivity.
Working in a creative space, with areas away from the working desk and plenty of opportunity to network, can also be a great way to boost staff morale – and resultantly boost productivity. Visit co-working offices, flexible office space, business meeting rooms, or any kind of working environment, and you’ll find that the most productive of spaces are often those in which creativity is abundant. Let creativity thrive and you’re ultimately helping to nurture greater productiveness.
If you’re looking for co-working space Leeds businesses and professionals can work in to reap the benefits of working within both a creative and productive environment, get in touch with Carrwood Park. Our flexible office space and business meeting rooms in Leeds provide the perfect place for businesses and individuals to benefit from a creative and productive day’s work.
