IMA
September
2014
Innovation at Work: Promoting Creativity Among Your Accounting and Finance Team
Albert
Einstein once said, “No problem can be solved from the same level
of consciousness that created it.” These words are relevant not
only to physics, but also in accounting jobs. In a business climate
where competition is stiff and nothing stays the same for long,
especially technology, innovation
at work is crucial to the long-term success of an organization.
But
how can you inspire greater creativity among your accounting and
finance team? Here are a few ideas:
1. Encourage
teamwork.
It takes only one person to come up with a good idea, but imagine how
much more creative your department could be if everyone put their
heads together and fed off each other’s positive energy. It often
takes the perspective of several employees to come up with a great
plan, shape it, finesse it and make it a reality. Make sure they see
creativity as a team effort and all are encouraged to participate.
2. Solicit ideas the smart way. Take innovation at work to the next level by holding “ideation contests” and providing incentives for participation. Some people prefer polishing their plans on paper instead of pitching them spontaneously during a group meeting. Also think outside the suggestion box. Remember how the math professor in Good Will Hunting put up a difficult problem on a classroom blackboard? Bryan Mattimore, confounder of the innovation agency The Growth Engine, suggests something similar, but instead with business challenges on a whiteboard in a public place. Anyone passing by is welcome to contribute ideas and expound on them. This way there’s interaction and collaboration — elements missing in the suggestion-box concept.
3. Get
fresh.
It happens in every workplace: the same people under the same
environments proposing iterations of the same ideas over and over
again. To reboot innovation at work, add different variables. Some
suggestions:
- Ask an innovator from another department or branch office to sit in on a brainstorming session.
- If feasible, cross-train accounting and finance staff so they have a better understanding of other job responsibilities and to get a fresh viewpoint on departmental issues.
- Bring in a consultant to help brainstorm or even lead a few meetings.
4. Take
the scenic route.
Leave the workplace behind every once in a while. New surroundings
can spur new ideas and unclog mental blockages. Try holding your next
team get-together at a park, museum, cool cafe or retreat center. How
about a walking meeting? Research has shown a connection between
activity
and creativity. While you’re leaving the routine behind, also
ditch the business dress code for a day.
5. Communicate.
A
recent Accountemps
survey cites lack of communication as the main factor dragging
down team morale, which can dampen enthusiasm and innovation at work.
Avoid this negative cycle by keeping staff regularly informed on
company plans that you are free to reveal. Also let them know how
their implemented ideas are driving the company’s success. Positive
feedback and recognition
feed the creative mind.
Savvy
businesses and managers are always on the lookout for ways to do
things better, but they can’t do it alone. To inspire innovation at
work, make your corporate environment a place where creativity is
welcome, new ideas are recognized and risk takers are rewarded.
Accountemps,
a Robert Half company, is
the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm for
temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals.
Accountemps has more than 340 locations worldwide. More resources,
including online job search services and the Accountemps
blog, can be found at accountemps.com.
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