Labor-heavy industries are often seen as being resistant to change and innovation. However, there are many opportunities for businesses like ours to break molds and innovate! You can also Improve efficiency, safety, and employee satisfaction by doing so.
Here are a few tips I believe in when it comes to nurturing creativity out of our labor-focused team:
- Encourage and embrace diversity. A diverse workforce will bring a wider range of perspectives and ideas to the table. This can lead to more creative and innovative solutions to problems.
- Provide resources and support. Give employees the resources they need to be innovative. This could include training, funding, gear and outerwear, and access to technology.
- Foster a growth mindset. Encourage employees to believe that they can learn and grow. This will help them to be more open to new ideas and challenges.
- Break down silos and encourage collaboration. Create opportunities for employees from different departments and teams to work together. This can lead to cross-pollination of ideas and new ways of thinking.
- Celebrate success. When employees come up with new and innovative ideas, be sure to recognize them. This will help to reinforce the message that innovation is valued.
- Get buy-in from leadership. Innovation needs to be supported from the top down. I work hard in creating a culture of innovation and making sure my team knows it a priority, along with their ideas and input.
- Experiment and fail. Don't be afraid to try new things and fail. Failure is a normal part of the innovation process. With safety, we take no risks. With updating processes and new ideas, we take all the risks!
- Create a culture of feedback. Encourage employees to give and receive feedback. This will help to identify opportunities for improvement.
By asking each member of our team to actively engage in our new ideas and growth, my employees know their value to me, but also to our clients. We work hard on some of the biggest projects in NYC and Miami. How could I not ask the people out doing the job to contribute their input from the front lines?
