PRESS RELEASE 6 June 2005
East of England business leaders reveal secrets to creating an ideas culture in the workplace
East of England businesses are being led by champions of innovation and creativity, according to a survey in which a staggering 96% of the region’s directors and managers said they see themselves as ideas people. The survey also revealed two distinct groups of ideas people, suggesting that managers should not adopt a ‘one-size-fits-all’ ideas culture.
The survey was conducted on behalf of the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), to uncover how companies are encouraging the generation of ideas at workplaces across the region. It was carried out between November 2004 and April 2005 and forms part of EEDA’s ‘space for ideas’ campaign, which aims to showcase the East of England as the UK’s ideas region where innovation and creativity flourish.
There are two types of ideas people in the East of England according to the survey results. While some people, dubbed Tribal Thinkers, may thrive on bouncing ideas off other people and working in a busy office, others, dubbed Lone Rangers, may prefer quieter, more relaxed environments with opportunities to think on their own.
The survey discovered that 43% of respondents said the key ingredient to having a good idea is either having people around you or being in a noisy and pressurised environment; whilst 34% answered that being in a quiet and relaxed environment or being alone works better for them.
This suggests that businesses need to recognise that a one-size-fits-all approach to generating ideas may not be the most conducive way of developing an ideas culture in the workplace. Therefore to get the best out of their employees, managers need to identify what type of ideas person each member of their team is and allow their staff the time, space and resources which provide optimum circumstances for them to be creative and innovative.
Respondents’ answers also showed that managers in the region acknowledge the importance of developing good ideas, with many different initiatives currently being used to encourage employees to have ideas.
However, the survey also found that there is a greater reliance on initiatives which involve group get-togethers and communication, as opposed to initiatives which give people time and space to develop ideas on their own. 62% of respondents said they create a team spirit; 52% have informal get-togethers and 49% said that their business holds structured brainstorms / ideas sessions. In contrast, 30% of those questioned create a relaxed environment and 22% allow people time alone. This suggests that businesses could do more to cater for those employees who are Lone Rangers to ensure the potential creativity of all employees is harnessed.
Other popular ways of encouraging employees to have ideas were getting people away from their everyday environment (30%) and allowing people to fail (33%). 64% of respondents also said their business had an ideas incentive scheme, which can be a successful way of motivating and rewarding employees to have ideas and publicly recognising them.
Charles Kitchin, regional marketing manager at EEDA said: “Our survey results show that businesses in the East of England are realising the importance of fostering a culture where ideas are encouraged and innovation and creativity can thrive. This research is the latest stage in our ‘space for ideas’ campaign which has been cementing the reputation of the East of England as the UK’s ideas region. Through the campaign, businesses can build on the theory of ideas generation through accessing the tools they need to grow their business through innovation. For information on how to get involved log onto the space for ideas website, www.spaceforideas.uk.com.”
The best 10 tips that senior business people suggested in the survey are:
1. Suggest and share all ideas, even the ridiculous, as they can start or inspire something in someone else.2. Take time out to look at the business/problem from an outsider’s perspective.3. Be adventurous and be prepared to be wrong.4. No one solution works for all people. Adjust the tools you use to stimulate invention to the team you have.5. Talk to all involved in the business frequently and informally.6. There are no wrong first answers. You need to allow people space to have the idea and then explore it to discover if it is wrong. Otherwise you may miss the right ideas!7. Give thinking time the same or a higher status than doing time.8. Listen to a piece of music and let your mind wander.9. Create time and opportunity for people to express their ideas and be excited – most ideas are lost in the hurly burly of everyday business: "we're too busy to allow ourselves to develop new ideas".10. Make suggesting ideas for improving the business part of everybody's job.
For more great tips and inspiration, visit the ‘space for ideas’ website: www.spaceforideas.uk.com.
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Notes to editors
The research was commissioned by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), for its East of England – ‘space for ideas’ campaign and carried out via direct email and online by The Electric Feedback Company over a six month period to April 2005.
East of England – space for ideas is the campaign to promote the East of England regionally, nationally and internationally and is led by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).
Grounded in the region’s great heritage of original thinking and innovation, the campaign demonstrates to the world that the East of England is the UK’s ideas region where innovation and creativity flourish. It is this spirit of ingenuity that is at the heart of the distinctive East of England – space for ideas brand.
For further information visit www.spaceforideas.uk.com or www.eastofengland.uk.com.
For more information or to arrange an interview with Charles Kitchin please contact Kirstie Aldrich or Christina Lundberg at Band & Brown Communications on 01603 417722 or email christina@bbpr.com
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