As a leader of a company, it is important to encourage managers and other employees to maintain a sense of curiosity. People that are curious about the world and life are often more willing to learn and improve. This translates to greater relevance in their respective roles, and the ability to contribute more to the whole company. Whether it is engaging in creative hobbies outside of work or finding time during the day to learn more about a topic that could make them a more well-rounded employee, leaders should make space for their employees to explore their curiosity. Here are some tips on how to do that.
#1: Provide ample learning opportunities.
A curious person is one that is immersed in learning. Provide opportunities for your employees to learn and grow in their job positions. Send them to role-related conferences, offer employer-paid education that could benefit them in their position, and bring in experts to the office that provide training. When learning is promoted, curiosity is promoted, too.
#2: Encourage employees to foster curiosity with those around them.
Give your employees time to interact together. Each person in your company is one of a kind, with unique talents and abilities. Encourage them to talk to each other and share more about themselves, as this helps expand each person’s capacity for growth and might even pique their interest in something new.
#3: Praise them for cultivating hobbies outside of work.
Encourage your employees to do things that they enjoy doing outside of the office. If they mention a hobby, ask them more about it and make a mental note of it. Later, as part of a bonus or a paid day off, you could provide them with a gift certificate or monetary incentive to encourage them to take part in the hobby they enjoy. Or, if they mention ‘always’ wanting to do something like learn a language, or take lessons to learn a new sport, encourage them to do that and do your part to make that happen.
#4: Have open dialogue.
From the top down, foster an environment of open dialogue. Among teams, encourage the same dialogue to happen. During staff meetings, make time for ‘what if’ questions and stay curious about what good things could evolve from those types of discussions.
Curiosity in the workplace is a necessity to maintain a solid trajectory of growth for your company. So, make time to explore what makes your employees curious, and urge them to pursue those things. The result: your employees will have increased productivity, they will continue to be lifelong learners, and they’ll be more willing to get creative to solve problems.