5 Ways to Boost Innovation in Remote Workers

To stay relevant in the business world, businesses need new ideas from all corners of the company—and from employees at every level. But while it’s becoming clearer that business innovation is essential for success, many employers don’t make training to learn critical innovation skills a priority for the remote workforce.  

How can companies shift their priorities to focus on proper training in the remote work setting? The need is significant, as 22 million adults in the United States work from home full time, according to Pew Research Center. Remote work is not just a current trend but represents the future of work.   

Ultimately, successful companies depend on innovative strategies to stay competitive. Comprehensive global research finds that working at a distance degrades innovation and reduces breakthrough discoveries compared to those who work in the same location.  

By creating a company culture that values learning, creativity, and innovation, fostering psychological safety, and building a diverse workforce, companies can open avenues to stay ahead of the competition. Senior leaders play a pivotal role in creating this type of culture.   

What are Innovation Skills and Why Do They Matter?  

Innovation skills are the ability to generate ideas that add value and enhance processes. These skills involve creating and adapting to change, as well as using problem-solving abilities to implement effective solutions. Employees with strong innovation skills are an asset to any company.  

A few critical innovation skills include:  

Creativity. When faced with limitations, employees find imaginative ways to overcome obstacles and maximize available resources. They are open to new creative ideas and fresh perspectives.  

Critical thinking. Objectively analyzing and evaluating problems allows employees to formulate and propose well-thought-out innovative solutions. This kind of out-of-the-box thinking not only allows team members to suggest improvements, but also reduces their chances of resisting changes in the workplace.   

Curiosity. Remote workers with a strong desire to learn are more likely to perform research, attend conferences, listen to podcasts, watch webinars, and take online courses. They then take that knowledge and apply it in new ways where it can be beneficial in the organization.  

Problem solving. By collecting data, collaborating with coworkers, and voicing opinions during meetings, remote workers can formulate valuable solutions to complex problems.   

Risk-taking. Those who like to take risks view challenges as learning opportunities. They believe it’s ok to question the reason behind a process because any changes in that process could result in improvements. Most importantly, risk-takers are not afraid to mess up. Instead, they have a growth mindset that allows them to easily transition into leadership roles.  

How Important Is It to Instill an Innovative Mindset in Remote Workers?  

Companies that prioritize innovation skills enjoy growth and success and easily adapt to changes as they happen. GitLab, a fully remote company, prioritizes innovation by fostering a transparent, feedback-driven culture where employees are encouraged to experiment and improve processes. This commitment to innovation, combined with a focus on skill development, has driven significant growth and success, including their IPO and a multi-billion-dollar valuation. GitLab's ability to adapt quickly positioned them to thrive, particularly during the global shift to remote work. Without a remote workforce that stays passionate about learning and is eager to develop new products, services, and processes, businesses can’t prosper…and certainly won’t pull ahead of the competition.    

 Business innovation also fosters adaptability. Take all the changes that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic: Innovative companies with remote teams who were creative problem solvers willing to take risks were able to stay above water. They conducted meetings remotely, continued to share ideas, and adjusted their strategies to stay relevant. Those who lacked innovation skills weren’t able to keep operating, simply because they weren’t comfortable changing routine operations.   

 When companies don’t move forward and don’t know how to embrace change, their most promising employees get bored. Remote employees who are not empowered likely leave and head for a place where idea generation is encouraged and rewarded.   

5 Ways to Boost Innovation in a Remote Workforce

 By implementing best practices that encourage workers to innovate, organizations can start building remote teams capable of taking the business to the next level. Here are some strategies to get organizations started.

#1.  Diversify the Talent Pipeline  

Hire and promote skilled remote workers from every walk of life. Members of underrepresented groups including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities should be welcome to apply for positions on job listings. 

#2. Build a Culture of Psychological Safety  

Remote employees at every level must feel safe expressing new and innovative ideas. They should be included in the decision-making process and not fear retribution if they disagree or share fresh perspectives. Business leaders should also hold regular feedback sessions where transparent discussions can be held regarding what is working and what can be improved.    

 #3. Encourage Remote Collaboration

Stress the importance of teamwork through virtual brainstorming sessions and teambuilding activities. Encourage different departments and roles to work together on company-wide initiatives. Schedule video calls on platforms such as Microsoft Teams to discuss initial ideas, brainstorm, connect the dots, and build upon other remote workers’ best ideas to develop fresh, new ones.   

When remote employees get to know each other, they develop empathy, share expertise, and learn from each other’s unique perspectives and experiences. Gaining more knowledge and understanding of each other will encourage the flow of creative and innovative ideas.   

 #4. Reward Creativity and Innovative Thinking 

Employees want to see their ideas go beyond ideas. By letting them execute their concept or strategy, they can see what stepping outside the box can do and reap the rewards of coming up with creative solutions. Always encourage creative thinking and set the expectation that all initial ideas should be heard.     

 #5. Create a Learning Culture 

Cultivating a learning culture involves fostering organizational values, processes, and practices that encourage continuous learning and skill development for both employees and the organization. In a genuine learning culture, employee morale and work-life balance improve, turnover decreases, top talent is attracted, innovation is fostered, remote teams become more effective, and overall productivity increases.  

HSI & HSI Blue Ocean Brain Can Help  

Let HSI help create a learning culture for you. Training that inspires new thoughts and business approaches is critical in every company. Remote team members need to learn soft skills such as time management, decision-making, communication, and remote collaboration so they feel comfortable developing ideas and offering suggestions. Ambitious employees with clear goals benefit from customized learning journeys that foster innovative skills while preparing them for their next step.     

It’s also important to focus on eliminating unconscious bias in the remote work environment by scheduling DEI training as part of the onboarding process and throughout the year for all employees. The sooner everyone can appreciate each other’s viewpoints, the sooner they can enjoy the infusion of creativity, innovation, and energy that comes from different perspectives working together.  

If your company is going to prosper, the best way is to instill an innovative culture. HSI can provide the right tools to move your company forward with convenient online courses including microlessons in soft skills, DEI learning journeys, leadership development webcasts, and more that fit into the remote learners’ daily routine.   

HSI offers a comprehensive online learning experience that caters to diverse learning styles and preferences. We offer a multi-modal approach for every learner. HSI’s video-based microlearning provides engaging visual content that captures attention and facilitates comprehension. Alternatively, HSI Blue Ocean Brain's microlearning offers bite-sized, interactive lessons reinforcing key concepts and promoting long-term retention. Together, these approaches create a synergy that maximizes culture change and empowers employees to achieve their professional development goals in the flow of work.   

Contact us today to schedule a consultation.