When we talk about innovation, companies don’t just look at traditional research and development for innovations or cracking new campaigns, but simple ideas from their employees to help drive the organization forward. It is the responsibility of the managers to make their employees innovate. Though not a simple job, managers can try and assist their employees to get more innovative and think unconventionally. So, how to encourage employees to be more innovative and creative ?
whip them and beat them. Nah, only joking. Offer them rewards, make things exciting - move the office space around to make it more interactive. Use brighter lights, maybe different coloured lights, different smells, sounds, etc. Basically stimulate all their senses.
This is what I think : Provide them with ample opportunity to be creative. Provide them with the space to do so, and give them lots of opportunities to practise being innovative and creative. Creativity is a skill, and you need to practise it to get good at it. You are very unlikely to have much success if you simply ask your employees to sit down in their own cubicles and do something creative. You need to provide them with a creative environment to work in, both in regards to their assignments, the people they work with, as well as the actual physical space they work in.
Innovation & creativity comes from people who have time to think of new ideas. If the employees don't have time for anything else other than the normal work. I've free time of about 1,2 hours a day and I usually try to write some automation scripts for my daily work. But i don't have such free time, for sure I won't be able to create such automation stuffs.. The same idea is used by some companies like Google, which on some particular days(usually last day of the week), Give them free time (no normal work at all) to bring up some new ideas. What do you say? Why Google's technologies are changing every few months... getting better every time.. ...
Financial incentives and payments are a short term motivator. The money is soon spent and the motivation lost. Could you organise some other reward, days off, activities, free time as discussed above, team days out paid for buy the business.
Offer financial incentives will help staff getting motivated... Myself also prefer financial incentive.. it help me motivated