5 Strategies and 8 Benefits
of Workplace Curiosity
What’s Curiosity?
An eager desire to know; inquisitiveness[1]
By nature, humans are curious. From the very earliest times humans have been observant and searched for opportunities to change and improve their lives. Despite many setbacks over the centuries, mankind is better off. Curious people have changed the world!
Today, curiosity is the essential requirement of leadership and employees alike. Curiosity is required in government, banking, healthcare, hospitality, IT, manufacturing, institutions of higher learning, science, and transportation. Curiosity is the connecting thread in the global business community.
Why Workplace Curiosity is Important?
Curiosity is a trait to be nurtured! Without curiosity, workplace cultures, workforce engagement, and job commitment deteriorates. Currently, the lack of workplace curiosity is linked to the on-going labor shortage which has created unrealistic demands on individual and team responsibilities. Amid the current labor shortage, long-term COVID-related absences and distressingly low workforce retention, employees are struggling to schedule vacation – vital for a healthy work-life balance. In fact, because of these issues, some organizations now require employees to be on call over the weekend – after they’ve worked 40 hours. Errors and burn out result! No time to be curious =s lost business opportunities!
Current research reflects that the decline in workplace curiosity has another cause. Workplace curiosity is being suppressed due to the lack of Strategic Planning, Succession Planning, and Leadership Coaching. We at Antrim Consulting can help your workforce thrive, despite the many challenges you face. Change creates new opportunities.
We know that change opportunities arise every day. Those opportunities should not be missed. Many in leadership may not know that curiosity and change go together. A highly curious workforce is innovative. Great organizations establish HPTs - High Performing Teams - that identify, support, and implement change opportunities for product and service improvements. HPTs champion qualities that reignite performance. Payoff? A workforce that feels valued and displays greater job commitment. Increased workforce retention is part of a curious workplace.
Curiosity is the fuel for discovery, inquiry, and learning
8 Benefits of Workplace Curiosity
Curiosity drives collaboration and a commitment to excellence
As organizations continue to develop high-tech products and global services, a curious workforce is essential. When your leaders are curious, they encourage curiosity in others. In turn your workforce adopts similar behaviors and a commitment to workplace excellence. Workforce curiosity:
Generates employee commitment to your organization’s Mission and Vision
Strengthens workforce relationships with leadership
Stimulates innovative thinking
Observes change-related possibilities
Develops unique solutions
Ensures implementation of business Objectives and departmental Goals
Builds self-confidence and feelings of value
Results in higher workforce retention
5 Strategies to Boost Workplace Curiosity
These strategies can be quickly and easily implemented by your management team. Human Resources can, and should, work closely with senior management! The Who, What, Where, When, and How methodology will rapidly infuse curiosity into your workplace culture
Who should lead the implementation for workplace curiosity? The simple answer is everyone! However, it’s your leadership’s job to get the ball rolling and invigorate your culture. Will you tire of the questions? You might. But, hey: when you have more leaders, you’ll have fewer followers!
Identify your key stakeholders
Focus on your Champions of Change
Challenge your change resistors
Create a leadership-driven Curiosity Center – invite all stakeholders to the table
Embed a software system that invites ideas, participation, and oxygenates collaboration
What: Begin by asking your Strategic Planning team to consider:
What could improve our brand awareness?
What marketing changes are needed to develop and sell our products and/or services?
What sales strategies can we improve?
What makes our competitors strong?
What are we not doing? Don’t be afraid of the answers!
Where: You should love this question! Where would you like your business to be in two years? To thrive in today’s competitive market, you can reach your Objectives and achieve your Goals when you:
Develop or revise your Strategic Plan. Today’s turbulent market demands your best thinkers. Curiosity stimulates forward thinking and results in solutions and future opportunities.
Commit to a vibrant Succession Plan – identify and prepare your top talent
Design Strategic and Succession Plans incorporating policies and programs that support and implement workforce curiosity
When? NOW!
While you organization may face current labor shortages, NOW is the time to train staff to be curious
Curious leaders attract similarly minded individuals
Current staff will quickly mimic the curiosity of senior management and departmental leaders
How?
Focus efforts on creating a shared learning workplace -- one which values curiosity
Design and implement robust strategies and programs to embed curiosity across your culture
Create a reward system for workforce curiosity
Prioritize learning as a tool to boost self-confidence and self-awareness
Train leadership to encourage curiosity, to welcome questions, and not deny possibilities for change. In short: avoid judgmental or dismissive comments
Train leaders to ask open-ended questions – get leaders to elicit thoughts and opinions from your workforce
Encourage and reward your valued assets
Conclusion
We recognize that as your leaders face daily demands, they may become annoyed by never-ending questions. In fact, they may feel threatened and see questions and curiosity as a challenge to their authority. However, leaders who possess Emotional Intelligence will rise above these feelings and effortlessly use their EI traits to oxygenate workplace curiosity.
Lastly, your organization’s Strategic Plan Objectives and departmental Goals should embed and support individual and team curiosity with one-on-one mentoring and small-group training workshops. As change opportunities arise, your curious workforce will be eager to support organizational Objectives and Goals.
Building a workplace culture of curiosity supports everyone! Curiosity emboldens your workforce to question the status quo and remain committed to learning and change.
Today’s challenging business environment demands all hands on deck. A curious workforce is the lifeblood of your business.
La conoscenza di tutte le cose è possibile
Translation:
Knowledge of all things is possible
Invitation from Antrim Consulting
At Antrim Consulting we listen carefully and use data-driven tools to identify current issues you are facing. Then, we collaborate with you and customize solutions for long-term benefits.
Our on-site workshops and one-on-one coaching sessions provide winning strategies to help you boost workplace curiosity. Our goal is to help your key stakeholders recognize conflict and end its damaging effects. We aim to oxygenate your culture and increase your organization’s bottom-line profitability!
Online &/or Onsite Coaching
Free 1 Hour Initial Consultation
CONTACT ANTRIM CONSULTING
Footnotes:
[1] The Oxford Encyclopedic English Dictionary, Third Edition, New York, Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 349