12 Best Creative Thinking Activities For Employees

Creative thinking activities for employees can help them develop new ideas and solutions to problems. Do you want to arrange such in your workplace?

Workplaces that arrange activities and training for their employees are productive ones.

12 Creative Thinking Activities For Employees

Let’s discuss some creative thinking activities that you can arrange for your employees:

1. Brainstorming Sessions:

This is one of the most popular creative thinking activities.

Brainstorming means coming up with many ideas, no matter how crazy they may seem.

When you have a brainstorming session, everyone is encouraged to contribute their ideas. No matter how wild they may be.

In brainstorming sessions, employees have to develop as many ideas as possible on a given topic.

For instance:

You want to come up with new marketing ideas. Ask your employees to brainstorm for a few minutes on the topic.

Tip: Make sure that everyone gets an opportunity to speak.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such sessions:

– You need to first come up with a topic or problem.

– Then, ask your employees to come up with ideas related to the topic.

– You can also set a time limit for the session.

– Ask them to sit together in a room and brainstorm.

2. Creativity Challenges:

Creativity challenges are another great way to get your employees thinking creatively.

Challenges are often a way to test someone’s creativity and can be a lot of fun.

In a creativity challenge, employees get a task or problem and are asked to develop a solution.

For instance:

You want to come up with new ideas for your product. Ask your employees to come up with a new product design.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such challenges:

– Come up with a task or problem.

– Set a time limit for the challenge.

– Ask your employees to work together in teams.

Types Of Creativity Challenges:

There are many creative challenges that you can use in your workplace.

For instance:

– The 20 Questions Challenge: In this challenge, employees get a topic, and they have to come up with 20 questions related to the topic.

– The Brainstorming Challenge: In this challenge, employees have to come up with as many ideas as possible on a given topic.

– The Idea Pad Challenge: In this challenge, employees have to develop new product or service ideas.

3. Photo Challenges:

Photo challenges get your employees thinking creatively and with fun.

In a photo challenge, employees get a theme, and they have to take pictures related to the music.

By taking photographs, employees can visually express their ideas.

According to science, visual aids help people learn and remember information better.

For instance:

You want to come up with new ad ideas. Ask your employees to take pictures of creative ads they have seen.

Likewise, you want to develop new ideas for your company’s website. Ask your employees to take pictures of websites they like.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such challenges:

– Come up with a theme for the challenge.

– Give your employees a time limit to submit their photos.

– Ask them to submit their photos by email or online.

4. Creative Writing Challenges:

Another excellent way to boost employees’ creativity is through creative writing challenges.

In a creative writing challenge, employees get a topic, and they have to write a story or poem related to the topic.

Creative writing is a great way to get your employees thinking outside the box.

By writing stories and poems, employees express their feelings and thoughts.

For instance:

You want to come up with new ideas for your company’s logo. Ask your employees to write a story or poem about the logo.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such challenges:

– Come up with a topic for the challenge.

– Get your employees to gather at a designated place.

– Give them a time limit to write their story or poem.

– Ask them to submit their work by email or online.

5. Brain Teasers:

Brain teasers enhance creativity like no other activity.

They are puzzles or problems that require creative thinking to solve.

By solving brain teasers, employees can improve their problem-solving skills. Not only problem-solving skills but also creativity.

In brain teasers, there are no right or wrong answers. The only thing that matters is the creativity of the solution.

For instance:

You want to come up with a new slogan for your company. Ask your employees to solve a brain teaser and then develop a slogan.

Likewise, you want to develop new ideas for your company’s product. Ask your employees to solve a brain teaser related to products.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such challenges:

– Select a brain teaser such as the one given above.

– Print it out and give it to your employees.

– Ask them to solve the brain teaser and then develop ideas.

– Alternatively, you can also ask your employees to solve the brain teaser online.

6. Creativity Quizzes:

Creativity quizzes are tests that measure the creativity of employees.

By taking creativity quizzes, employees can find out how creative they are.

They can also learn the areas in which they need to improve. Such as their problem-solving skills, thinking out of the box, etc.

Creativity quizzes can also help employees learn about their personality types.

For instance:

You want to develop new and better ideas for customer care services. Ask your employees to take a creativity quiz and then create new ideas.

Likewise, you want to develop new ideas for your company’s website. Ask your employees to take a creativity quiz related to websites.

7. Creativity Workshops:

Creativity workshops are the best way to boost employees’ creativity.

These are training sessions that teach employees how to be more creative.

Employees learn about the different techniques that can help them develop new ideas. They also learn how to overcome creative blocks.

Creativity workshops are a great way to improve employees’ skills.

For instance:

You want to come up with a new way to provide delivery services. Ask your employees to attend a creativity workshop and then develop new ideas.

Likewise, you want to develop new ideas for your company’s marketing campaign. 

Ask your employees to attend a creativity workshop and then develop new ideas.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such workshops:

– Select a creativity workshop location

– Arrange a presenting media

– Select a date and time

– Send invitations to your employees

– Make sure that the workshop is interactive and fun.

8. Idea Jams:

Idea jams are sessions where employees come up with new ideas.

In idea jams, employees get together and share their ideas. They also vote for the best ideas.

Employees can come up with better ideas for your company’s products and services.

For instance:

You want to come up with new ideas for your company’s website. Ask your employees to gather at a designated place and then develop new ideas.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such gatherings:

– Select a place where your employee feel relaxed

– Give them a topic or question to brainstorm about

– Encourage them to share their ideas and vote for the best ones

– Make sure that the session is interactive and fun.

9. Idea Boxes:

Idea boxes are a great way to store new ideas.

Employees can write down their ideas and then submit them to the idea box. Employees can pick any idea from the idea box and develop it further.

This helps keep track of new ideas and also develop them.

This is a great way to develop new ideas for your company’s products and services.

For instance:

You want to develop new ideas for your company’s CSR campaigns. Ask your employees to submit their ideas to an idea box.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such a system:

– Select a place where your employees feel comfortable writing down their ideas

– Make sure that the place is accessible to all of your employees

– Encourage them to write down their ideas and submit them to the idea box

– Develop the best ideas and implement them

10. Mind Mapping:

Mind mapping is the technique where employees map their ideas into a chart.

This technique helps employees to structure their ideas and also develop them.

In mind mapping, employees write down one idea and then connect it to other related concepts.

For instance:

You want to come up with new ideas for your company’s website. Ask your employees to mind map the different aspects of a website.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such a session:

– Select a place

– Provide them with paper and pens

– Encourage them to write down their ideas and connect them with other related ideas

– They can connect the ideas with different colored markers or even threads and nails.

11. Fishbone Diagrams:

Fishbone diagrams are the technique where employees list out the problems. They then find the causes for it.

In fishbone diagrams, employees list out all the problems and then find the root cause.

This technique helps to identify the main problems and also solve them.

For instance:

You want to develop new ideas for your company’s marketing campaigns. Ask your employees to make a fishbone diagram. 

Let it include all the problems they face with their current campaigns.

How To Arrange:

To arrange such a session:

– Arrange a quiet room

– Provide them with paper and pens

– Ask them to list out the problems and find the root cause for it

– They can use different colored pens to highlight the causes and effects

12. Arrange Activities Outside The Office:

Sometimes, employees need a change of environment to develop new ideas.

Arranging activities outside the office can help employees relax and freshen their minds.

Outside activities can be:

– A visit to a museum

– A trip to the park

– A visit to a nearby town

– A picnic lunch

Once you arrange a short trip, ask them to relax. And then start a creativity activity from any of the ones mentioned above.

Importance Of Creative Thinking Activities For Employees:

Creative thinking is essential for all businesses as it helps them to:

1. Better Product And Services:

Creative thinking activities help employees develop new ideas for products services.

This helps businesses to stay ahead of the competition. And also gain a competitive advantage.

Better products and services help to retain customers and increase profits.

2. Improved Employee Morale:

When employees think creatively, it helps in improving their morale. They feel that their opinions are of value.

They also feel that they are an essential part of the company and can make a difference.

Morale is essential to keep employees happy and productive.

3. Improved Problem-Solving Abilities:

Such activities help employees to improve their problem-solving abilities.

This is because to come up with new ideas; employees need to be able to think outside the box. And challenge the status quo.

4. Improved Communication Skills:

Creative thinking improves the communication skills of employees.

This is because to communicate their ideas; employees need to articulate them well.

Communication helps in enhancing the overall productivity of a company.

5. Increased Motivation Levels:

When employees get the opportunity to think creatively, it increases their motivation levels.

This is because employees feel that they can make a difference. And contribute to the company’s success.

Increased motivation levels lead to improved productivity.

6. Improved Teamwork Skills:

Creative thinking activities help employees to improve their teamwork skills.

This is because, to come up with new ideas, employees need to be able to work together and share their thoughts.

Teamwork enables employees to work together and achieve common goals.

7. Increased Innovation Levels:

When encouraging employees to think creatively helps in increasing innovation levels.

This is because employees can develop new and innovative ideas that can help the company grow.

Innovation and creativity are two essential aspects of a successful business.

8. Improved Idea Generation:

Idea generation skills improve when employees are encouraged to think creatively.

This is because to come up with good ideas, employees need to be able to come up with a lot of pictures and then filter them down.

9. Better Decision-Making:

Not all have decision-making skills. Thus, providing an open atmosphere to think creatively allows for better decision-making.

This is because creative thinkers can see all the possible solutions to a problem. And, then choose the best one.

10. New Perspectives:

Encouraging employees to think creatively helps in providing new perspectives.

This is because creative thinking helps employees to come up with new ideas. And see things in a different light.

This can help businesses to come up with new and innovative ideas.

Conclusion:

Creative thinking is essential for a business to be successful. 

Such activities can be like a shot in the arm for employees and help them develop new and innovative ideas. 

Creative thinking activities can help employees in several different ways:

– Productivity

– Communication skills

– Teamwork skills

– Problem-solving abilities

– Innovation levels and more.