Embracing and learning from failure: Fostering innovation at work

In today’s landscape of cute buzzwords, social media trends, and corporate speak, important values like “innovation” can often get lost.

In every organization, innovation is a necessity. The workforces that thrive are ones that adapt and evolve, pushing past the norms, and hiring talented and creative thinkers is a critical part of getting out-of-the-box ideas and reimagined processes.

However, managers can unintentionally be the roadblock preventing their workforce from reaching their potential. Fostering an innovative mindset requires a thoughtful strategy. That’s because great ideas don’t happen overnight – they require creating space for new ideas, experimentation, and learning from the failures that are inevitably going to happen.

Managers and employers play a key role in encouraging innovative thinking, and fortunately there are a few key steps they can take to get started.

1. Give experimentation time

A new idea is just that – new. It’s untested and unproven, so there are no templates or SOPs to follow. Chances are, there will be missteps and unexpected challenges. However, in many work environments, deadlines are tight, and trial and error is viewed negatively.

Managers can step in to create a better balance, and when it’s possible, give teams the opportunity and time to try new ideas without the stressors of hard deadlines.

2. Hear ideas from all levels of your org

Innovation can come from anyone in your organization, not just those in leadership positions. Whether they’re in your HR team or responsible for day-to-day operations, different employees can bring a fresh perspective to the challenges you know about and maybe even the ones you don’t.

Hearing new ideas and feedback can be as simple as creating new lines of communication, such as an open-door policy, regular brainstorming and pitch meetings, or ways to submit ideas anonymously.

3. Build trust

Trust is the foundation of any strong culture. There a many different routes employers can take to build it, so managers shouldn’t limit themselves to just one. Be transparent about your organization’s goals and challenges, invest in workers by offering training resources, and recognize those who go above and beyond.

When workers know their employers have their backs, they’re more likely to take ownership of their day-to-day jobs and voice ideas and concerns.

4. Conduct a project debrief meeting

Also called postmortem meetings, project debriefs are essential for learning and improvement. They provide an opportunity for every member of a project to discuss what went well and what didn’t. Be clear that this meeting is not time to play the “blame game,” but instead, frame it as a way to identify obstacles and suggest new processes.

Innovation often gets framed as a radical new invention or major disruption, but project debriefs can help identify small changes that can lead to massive improvements in communication channels and process flows.

5. Acknowledge your own failures

As a manager, it’s important to lead by example. If you’re a leader who embraces innovation, you’re also likely familiar with failure. So acknowledge it! Let your workers know when your idea didn’t work the way you predicted. Talk openly about your experiences and what you’ve learned from them.

Not only will you be sharing your insights, you’re also showing your team that failure is an important part of the innovation process.

Learn from experience

Fostering innovation requires an intentional shift away from traditional thinking, but it can start with small changes. Building trust, opening communication, and creating space for different ideas are the important first steps in cultivating a culture where creativity thrives and becomes a part of your core values.

At Adecco, we put our decades of experience to work for our clients – and we know that change and evolution are key for long-term success. We recently completely reimagined a staffing strategy because our client wasn’t seeing the results they needed.

If you’re ready for a staffing partner who embraces innovation and can evolve along with your needs. Reach out today to learn how we can support you.