Interviews — 5 Min Read
Productivity is not Creativity
Prior to the pandemic many leaders worried about productivity of remote workers. Recent research suggests that concerns were unwarranted. 82% of leaders indicate that their companies were equally as productive as before and 44% indicated remote work was more productive.
However, as my colleague Marysia Czarski notes in recent white paper, ‘productivity does not equal creativity’.
Remote Work
Many workers indicated that they were more productive on clear tasks that they could perform independently. But creative tasks that required novelty and collaboration have suffered in the remote working environment. Gone were those impromptu conversations that led to new ideas, options, and connections. The number of leaders who described their company as highly innovative dropped in 2020 to nobody’s surprise.
Today, most employers recognize the inevitability of the hybrid workplace and the need to design carefully to support the needs of the team and the organization. We’re currently working with one leader tasked with designing her new hybrid environment to optimize for creative collaboration.
Optimal Design
Using a researched-based framework we conducted a short online survey to understand the current environment for collaborative creativity. During a highly interactive remote workshop we then explored each scale with the team, both visually and verbally. Then the teams established what they want to keep as they move to their new hybrid model and what they want to design out. Specific actions were defined and will contribute to the process of co-designing their new work environment.
