Creative Employee is a Treasure

Creativity in the workplace is becoming one of the most sought-after employee traits. Employers increasingly realize that a technical skill set or industry experience alone is not enough. The true "treasure" for an organization is a creative employee, capable of thinking outside the box, finding novel solutions, and contributing to business innovation. This is the employee who can quickly learn new topics and grasp technical novelties, especially in the face of challenges related to AI. The more versatile, the better, as roles will continue to change and evolve.

What benefits come with hiring creative individuals and developing existing employees in this regard?

Creativity in a business context means the ability to generate original and valuable ideas that can lead to:

• Innovation: Creative employees drive product, process, and organizational innovation, allowing the company to stand out in the market.

• More Effective Problem-Solving: They look at challenges from different perspectives, proposing unconventional and often more efficient solutions.

• Process Improvement: They identify areas needing optimization and suggest improvements, increasing efficiency and reducing costs.

• Greater Adaptability: They help the company quickly react to market changes and customer needs.

• Increased Team Engagement: Their enthusiasm and ideas can inspire others, creating a positive atmosphere conducive to growth.

How do employers seek creative talent?

During the recruitment process, employers use various methods to assess a candidate's potential for creativity:

• CV and Portfolio Analysis: They look for projects, initiatives, or experiences that demonstrate independent thinking, a creative approach to problems, or involvement in implementing changes/innovations. A portfolio (especially in creative industries, but not exclusively) is an excellent place to showcase your originality.

• Interview Questions: Traditional experience-based questions are supplemented with those designed to assess creative thinking. These might include situational questions ("What would you do in situation X?"), behavioral questions ("Describe a time when you had to find an unconventional solution to a problem..."), or intentionally abstract or "trick" questions aimed at observing the candidate's thought process rather than finding a single "correct" answer.

• Practical Tasks and Tests: Some companies ask candidates to solve a real-world problem faced by the team or company or perform a task requiring an unconventional approach. Standardized tests measuring creative potential may also be used, though they are less common in typical hiring.

The key here is not just what the candidates say, but how they think, how they approach a challenge, how they communicate, and whether they can demonstrate collaboration skills within a diverse group.

How can employers develop the creativity of current employees?

Finding creative employees is one thing, but retaining and developing their potential is another. Often, it is also significantly more cost-effective to invest in the development of current employees, who can gain new perspectives and break away from routine. Employers who understand the value of a creative employee often:

• Create an Organizational Culture that Fosters Innovation: They encourage sharing ideas, don't penalize "failures" in experimentation (treating them as learning opportunities), and build psychological safety.

• Provide Space for Experimentation: They allow employees to dedicate part of their time to personal projects or searching for new solutions (e.g., Google's "20% time").

• Grant Autonomy: They allow employees to independently decide on their work methods, which often leads to more creative outcomes.

• Appreciate and Reward Ideas: They implement suggestion programs and reward implemented innovations.

• Invest in Development: They offer training in creativity techniques, design thinking, or other methodologies supporting innovation.

• Encourage Cross-Team Collaboration: Diversity of perspectives fosters the generation of original ideas.

How to showcase (and develop) your creativity?

Regardless of whether you are looking for a job or want to be a more valued employee at your current company, you can actively work to showcase and develop your creativity:

• Be Proactive: Don't wait for ready-made solutions. Identify problems and propose ways to solve them.

• Ask Questions: Challenge the status quo. Ask "why is it this way?" and "what if we did it differently?".

• Experiment: Don't be afraid to try new approaches, even if you're unsure of the outcome.

• Continuously Learn and Develop Your Skills: Expand your knowledge in various fields – it's great fuel for creativity.

• Collaborate in Diverse Teams: Discussions with people from different backgrounds often lead to breakthrough ideas.

• Document Your Ideas: Keep a notebook or digital record of your thoughts and ideas.

• Be a Self-Directed Learner: Today, no one will train you on the latest technologies; it's a path of personal discovery and experimentation. The faster you acquire the skill of independent learning and delving into topics, the better.

A creative employee is a valuable team member who, through their ability to think creatively, drives innovation in business, helps solve problems more effectively, and builds a competitive advantage in the face of dynamic change. Employers actively seek such individuals, using various methods in recruitment and creating work environments that value creativity.

Developing and consciously presenting your creativity is an investment in your career and your future in the job market. Creativity will allow you to adapt to changes and find your niche multiple times throughout your professional career. By focusing on creativity, you will also maintain mental agility and resilience – creativity builds trust in our own abilities and the conviction that every problem or a challenge has a solution; you just need to find it or... create it.