While some people might think that all innovation in a company must go through a product development team or something similar, there are actually many types of innovation in an office that are not related to product development or improvement. And those types of innovation rely heavily on the Human Resources department to succeed. Here are 5 ways that HR managers can lead innovation in the office to help the enterprise grow and thrive.
Encouraging Company-Wide Innovation
HR managers are tasked with the vital role of creating a culture that spans the entire enterprise. This makes them the front lines in making that culture into a culture of innovation. While a lot of the steps involved in fostering this kind of environment do run through direct management, HR managers can certainly lead the way by:
- Encouraging open dialogue about change and improvement throughout the company.
- Celebrating innovation on all levels, from small process improvements to major product innovations.
- Providing time for employees to work on innovative products. (You’ll obviously have to run this by management, but you can still be the leader.)
- Organizing innovation events, like hackathons and mass brainstorming sessions.
By creating an environment that encourages employees to be innovative, you’ll be nourishing creativity throughout the enterprise.
Implementing Reliable Innovation Processes
The HR department is frequently the organizational crux of an enterprise. HR managers are responsible for oiling the gears that keep the cogs of the machine running every day. Innovation is no different; the HR department is often the department responsible for ensuring that there is a process in place for organizing and sorting through employee ideas.
So if you’re looking for a process to make innovation implementation simpler and more streamlined, look for an innovation management software to keep your employees’ ideas organized. This will allow you to ensure that no ideas are lost in the shuffle, and that everybody’s ideas have the opportunity to be reviewed by management--or by you!
Applying Process Improvement Ideas
Not all innovation is related to products and services. In fact, some of the most beneficial means of improving an enterprise is by improving the day-to-day processes you use. So if an idea comes down the line that is related to improving the way the enterprise runs, it may be up to you to implement these ideas. This may include things like:
- Streamlining communication between departments
- Improving fulfillment processes
- Applying changes to payroll and other HR processes
- Instituting new organizational systems
Many other innovative ideas may fall into your wheelhouse as well, so be prepared to take the helm on a number of improvements!
Hiring Free-Thinking Individuals
Hiring, of course, falls under the HR realm of responsibility. Though direct managers and department managers play a major role in selecting members of their team, HR managers are a part of the selection process as well. Make it your goal to seek free-thinking individuals who are quick to adapt to change. Employees who embrace uncertainty and ambiguity are those who will find new ways to do things and ways to improve the enterprise.
Additionally, hiring people from diverse backgrounds can help to provide a diverse range of perspectives, which can be vital to innovation. So make sure that innovation is at the forefront of your mind when hiring new employees.
Rewarding Innovative Individuals
Finally, be sure that those who are innovating for your enterprise are being acknowledge and rewarded. This is a part of fostering that culture of innovation mentioned above, but it is worth mentioning again. If your employees don’t feel their ideas are recognized or appreciated, they’re certainly not going to continue offering up those ideas. Implementing an incentive program is an essential role for HR managers, so don’t overlook it.
Though HR managers have many roles, leading innovation is arguably one of the most vital roles they fill. So, don’t leave innovation up to the product development guys. If you do, a lot of innovation possibilities are going to be overlooked.