Business is not just ruled by numbers and graphs. Creativity is also an essential tool for entrepreneurs who want to become successful in a highly competitive field.

In fact, in a previous survey, 82% of executives agreed that companies gain benefits from being creative. Some of these benefits include increased revenues and greater market share.

Creativity is important in every aspect of a business – from designing eye-catching signage to developing an out-of-the-box solution to a crisis. It grants the business an edge against its competitors.

As a business owner, here are the steps you can take now that will allow creativity to flourish within your own team.

Create a Diverse Team

Creativity goes beyond just bringing creative people into the organization. If you want your team to come up with unique and effective strategies, you need a diverse group of people with different skills, expertise, and perspectives.Each one of your employees should offer something new to the table.

Diversity of ideas can lead to a creative breakthrough. A group made up of members with different ethnic backgrounds and genders is considered more creative than a homogeneous team.

Provide an Environment that Sparks Creativity

Putting a diverse team in one room might not encourage creativity. You need to understand that each member of the team has their own personalities and, therefore, preference when it comes to working.

You might need to grant your team flexibility. Allow them to work outside like in a local park. There is substantive evidence that being around nature can boost one’s creativity.

Give them their own private workstations if they prefer to work on their own without distractions. Although open floor plans have been touted to increase collaboration between employees, some people perform better when left on their own. However, being apart in their own offices or cubicles does not mark the end of collaboration. Members of a team can still work together in private spaces.

Some of them might want to work from home. The traditional 9-to-5 setup is not suitable for every employee. Studies have shown that

Establish an Office Culture that Values Creativity

Creativity within the workforce is nurtured through time.

If you want your employees to think outside of the box, there needs to be openness in the office. Leadership should listen and take note of suggestions from the team. Everyone’s ideas should be welcomed and seriously considered. In many corporations, often, only the executives are allowed to speak in meetings. This kills creativity. It discourages the exchange of ideas which is what leads to breakthroughs.

There should be rewards for creative ideas, but do not punish failure. Taking risks on new approaches should be treated as an opportunity to learn and improve. It should never end with dismissals or shaming. Your employees should not be afraid to come up with strategies that are different.

Allow regular brainstorming sessions between a diverse team and include employees from other departments. Show an appreciation for contrasting opinions.

Everyone Needs a Break from Time to Time

Working endlessly leads to burn out. Those who are stressed out of their minds and have no time to rest cannot be creative.

Everyone once in a while, allow your employees to sit back and relax. They need to be able to recharge their minds and their bodies, so they can be ready for the demands of the next work week.

Pushing everyone to work overtime is hardly productive. Let them go home by 5 p.m. and do not make them come into the office on weekends, even if there is a mountain of work to be done.

Burnout is a serious issue and it should not be ignored.

The benefits of creativity in any business is apparent. For a business to grow and succeed, entrepreneurs should not ignore or downplay creativity when it presents itself in the workplace.