Creativity in the workplace can be elusive even under perfect circumstances. In today’s forced remote working environment it can feel almost impossible as in-face communication has been reduced to email, instant messages and Zoom calls. With that said, company leaders can take certain steps to spark employee creativity to keep the business moving forward.

Ensure Employees Set Boundaries – And Respect Them

One of the challenges of remote work is the feeling of always needing to be “on.” That could be opening the laptop to send some emails at 10 p.m. or finishing a client presentation over the weekend. Encourage employees to commit to certain work times and step away from work when the time comes. While employers appreciate employees who are willing to work hard, burnout can easily happen while working from home. Employers should also keep this in mind and avoid sending messages after work hours. They should respect the importance of employees needing to care for kids, handle small household chores or manage other life matters during the workday.

Creative Weekly Brainstorming Sessions

A little structure can also benefit creativity. Set a weekly meeting to brainstorm ideas for different projects. Ask your team not to mute themselves during these Zoom calls and encourage a back-and-forth discussion. Also use online brainstorming tools such as Mindmeister or iMindMap, which can be used to track brainstorming sessions. The ideas from these sessions should be recorded in a shared document that employees should all have access to in order to add ideas when creativity strikes.

Maintain Employee Morale

The pandemic and the move to remote work has removed many of the social benefits people get from going to work. Simply talking to other employees, whether about work or what show they are watching on Netflix, can boost employee morale. Take the time to set up social sessions not associated with work. That could be a simple lunch over Zoom or a virtual happy hour. Employees that feel happier and more connected to their workplace will bring a renewed creativity and energy to their job.

Let My Admin Co Manage the Non-Creative Tasks

My Admin Co understands how challenging it is to juggle all the responsibilities that come with running a small business, including keeping employees’ creative juices flowing. That’s why we offer reliable, convenient and affordable administrative services, including a call answering service. To learn more about our services and take administrative tasks off your plate, visit us online or call us today at (410) 324-3934.