New ideas are always needed in the workplace. But how can you encourage innovation when your company is in a rut?
Below, we’ve listed the various ways corporate entertainment can help you promote innovation in the workplace. Because innovative companies have a competitive edge when it comes to tomorrow’s trends.
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#1. Hire a comedian to encourage workplace innovation
Hiring a clean comedian might not be the most orthodox of innovative ideas. But that’s what makes it an innovative choice!
Comedians bring new ideas to the table with their quick wit
Comedians are constantly engaging in innovation culture, if only in their own minds. Engaging with audiences means having to think on your toes.
It means problem-solving in real-time. So who better to encourage innovation in the workplace than a comedian?
They’re already used to their own innovation processes. Now, it’s time for them to share those processes with you.
Comedians support innovation culture by bringing a fresh perspective
Comedians challenge us to think differently than we normally would. After all, that’s what humor is all about – turning your expectations on your head.
This kind of mentality automatically promotes innovation because it involves creative thinking. If your employees are in need of a little inspiration, a comedian can be the very example they need to teach them that it’s okay to share ideas and act on them.
Comedians can liven up the conference room
How many meetings do companies have a year? Enough to need a little variation here and there, right?
A corporate host will know how to reinvigorate a company during the business meeting. But they won’t skimp over the workplace content.
Instead, they’ll simply allocate time to give your employees a breath of fresh air while still getting business done. This is a small way that you can offer the organization some energy and create a workplace culture that’s open to innovative new ways of accomplishing daily tasks.
#2. Encourage innovation by empowering employees to take action
Innovative companies tend to hire smart people. So why not let those people take action on the great ideas they have to offer?
Empowerment and permission to take action can boost employee engagement
When employees feel that their ideas are valued, they’re more likely to be engaged. After all, they know that the organization can act as a sounding board for their ideas.
So they don’t necessarily feel the need to stifle their creative thinking. When an organization values innovation, it lets employees know that they can dream up as many ideas as they want.
This kind of empowerment not only provides a fountain of resources for the organization. But it also gives the business a competitive edge as it welcomes all ideas to the table.
Company leaders can pinpoint who will be the next generation of leaders
When a business allows employees to act on their ideas, it can feel like a bit of a risk. Of course, employees shouldn’t be given every freedom within the organization.
But let’s say there are some employees who stand out from the pack. They consistently wow customers, they’re particularly adept at problem-solving, and they spend an incredible amount of time dreaming up new ideas that can maximize the resources of the workplace.
These are the kinds of employees a business wants to keep its eye on. Because these are the employees who will become the next leaders of tomorrow.
Empowerment focuses on a crucial element of innovation: trust
Making mistakes is a given in any workplace, whether innovation is valued or not. But if you want to advance an already good strategy, consider trusting the employees with their ideas even more.
This may look like companies who don’t “nanny” their employees every second of every day. This means giving employees the autonomy, space, and freedom to accomplish their work.
This may sound like a risky idea. But such practices will surely create an environment where new ideas are welcome and employees are trusted to get the job done. More often than not, you’ll see folks rise to the occasion.
#3. Bring in a magician speaker to promote innovation
When you encourage innovation in the workplace, you come up with a lot of creative solutions. One of these can be bringing in a magician speaker to the workplace.
Magicians create an atmosphere of endless possibilities
A magician speaker isn’t like any other speaker you’ve witnessed. They bring magic to the table, both literally and figuratively.
Magic tricks are meant to dazzle an audience and push the bounds of what we know as reality. In a company, that’s the perfect kind of mindset when nurturing innovation.
When the possibilities are endless, there’s nothing your company can’t accomplish. For inspiration alone, a magician speaker is worth your while.
Magicians can encourage employees to bring their unique gifts to the table
People can always surprise you with their hidden talents. Take magicians, for example.
They could look like anyone else just walking down the street. But given the opportunity, they can blow your mind with the kinds of tricks and ideas they’re able to come up with.
The same can be said for the employees at your company. All they need is an opportunity to share their ideas and gifts with the rest of their business partners.
Magicians dismantle our beliefs, encouraging innovation to arise
Let’s say you’re looking for new customers at your business but you simply don’t know where to look. You may be approaching the issue with your own preconceived notions which can, in turn, be holding you back.
So maybe it’s time to take a page out of the magician’s notebook and dismantle your own belief system. Innovation asks a company to start from the ground up.
It acknowledges the resources that are at its disposal but views those resources in a new light. With this small shift in attitude, you can view your business from a different perspective and find new ways of accomplishing your company’s goals.
#4. Don’t be afraid to reassess internal processes to make for a more innovative approach
Change and evolution are a given in any industry. That’s why innovation teaches us to reassess our processes on a consistent basis.
Stay abreast of customer demand and encourage brainstorming amongst all your employees
As a company, you want to see growth in your market share through product and service innovation. So, who better to ask about what they want to see than the customers themselves?
Getting customer feedback will keep you abreast of their ever-changing desires. You may find that an awards scheme is to your benefit, for example.
Or, you may find that customers enjoy the one-on-one attention you give them. Each of these strategies comes from a place of innovation that forces your business to keep up with the trends.
Ask employees about the employee experience and how daily tasks may improve
When it comes to innovation in the office, ask your employees upfront about what they think could be better. You never know how employees are experiencing the workplace until you ask.
Plus, opening up a space for feedback may prompt innovation leaders to emerge from the workforce. Either way, getting employees’ input on the innovation practices of the office is tantamount to your success.
After all, they’re the ones doing the work every day. So they really are the best candidates for coming up with unique solutions to their everyday work processes.
Adjust your management approach to meet the needs of innovative employees
When innovation strikes, you want to let it flourish. That’s why it’s just as important for management to evolve at the same pace as employees are being asked to.
You may have certain employees who are pushing the limits on innovation, for example. In order for them to accomplish these goals, you need management to bend.
This is not to say that no authority should exist in the workplace. But having a flexible model will allow for innovation to thrive. Besides, creative solutions tend to arise during these moments as well.
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#5. Let corporate entertainers lead a brainstorming session
If you don’t know where to start when it comes to innovation, let one of our corporate entertainers help you out. After all, they’re equipped to help you navigate the corporate landscape and all with a smile on your face.
Corporate entertainers can encourage employees’ creativity
When a corporate entertainer enters the building, the air shifts. There’s something a little bit lighter, perhaps a bit more carefree than normal.
That’s the exact kind of change of pace you’ll want for innovation to commence. Corporate entertainers will know how to tap into employees’ creativity.
They’ll foster an environment where there are no bad suggestions or questions because the process itself is what matters most.
Entertainers are good at fostering open communication
Communication can be difficult no matter where you are. But bringing a new voice into the mix can help communication flow better than ever before.
Let’s say employees are having a difficult time opening up to one another, for example. A corporate entertainer can come in and get everyone relaxed and laughing.
Already, their guard is let down from such an entertaining act. And now that they’re more open, they can more easily share their ideas and bring innovation to the forefront.
Corporate entertainers can engage all staff members at a time
If you have a particularly big company, it can be difficult to engage everyone all at once. But a corporate entertainer is trained to do exactly that.
Even if the board room is filled to the brim with employees, a corporate entertainer will make sure that everyone’s eyes are on them. After all, they’ve got the entertaining goods that everyone wants.
So the desire is already there. Now that the corporate entertainer has everyone’s attention, it’s time to engage them all in the innovation process.
Entertainers make employees feel special
The daily grind can sometimes seem stifling to employees. And that’s why it’s especially important to reward employees for their hard work.
With a corporate entertainer, you can kill two birds with one stone. You can entertain employees, thanking them for their efforts.
And you can create a productive environment as far as innovation goes. There’s no singular way to institute innovation in the office.
But bringing humor into the mix can liven the room as nothing else can. (Except maybe a box of donuts. But that only lasts for however many seconds it takes people to gobble them down!)
The bottom line
Innovation can sometimes feel like a far-fetched goal. But with Clean Comedians®, it doesn’t have to be.
The simple act of bringing in a corporate entertainer, magician speaker, or comedian tells workers that you’re open to creative suggestions. There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for innovation.
It’s something you have to discover alongside your colleagues. And we’re more than happy to help!
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Adam Christing is a professional comedy magician, virtual MC, and the founder of CleanComedians.com. He is a member of the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and a popular corporate entertainer, magician, and virtual speaker.