How to encourage innovation in your company?

It is also management that must define the framework for innovation while allowing employees a certain amount of freedom. Delegating and empowering are the keys to creating an environment conducive to innovation. Innovation requires a certain amount of freedom, and the company must give its employees the space and time to experiment with new ideas. Exchanges between departments, cross-functional projects and matrix organizations encourage co-creation and provide each business unit with new ideas that emerge thanks to the fresh eyes of employees from other departments.

Remain ambitious but take it step by step and putting the customer at the center

While disruptive innovation opens up new markets, it remains rare. It is better for an SME to focus on innovations that will improve its processes and products and allow it to remain competitive. Sometimes, this means better computerization, or the digitalization of a process that was manual until now.

This video can explain it:

The idea is not new, but it is by refocusing on the customer that innovation will bring value. Differentiating and improving the customer experience can both capture new markets and retain existing customers. New ideas can come from simply listening to the voice of the customer, through polls and surveys, or by exploring what is being said on the networks. It is also in the company’s interest to focus on securing its revenue: selling services, switching to subscription pricing, are ideas that can make the business model evolve without calling into question the core of the offer.

Leveraging digital

Innovation often comes from digital, but digital can also be used as a tool to foster innovation. There are many accessible tools to foster collaboration, share intelligence, and exchange ideas. Project management, collaborative platforms, and corporate social networks are within the reach of SMEs and can facilitate exchanges and organize thoughts.

You also need to know how to disconnect to free your mind and your imagination. Nature has a positive effect on creativity, this has been proven by scientific studies. A short day in the countryside for a brainstorming session is always very appreciated by teams, and allows them to free themselves from the constraints of everyday life to get into a creative state of mind. You can take advantage of this opportunity to call upon an expert who will be able to lead the debates, animate the groups, bring out the ideas and synthesize the work.