Businesses love to talk about innovation - the buzzwords, the workshops, the endless ‘continuous improvement’ initiatives. But let’s be honest, you can’t expect people to innovate in their spare time. If you want innovation to fuel a culture of growth, you’ve got to invest in it properly – with real time and real intent.
Right now, there’s a widening gap between what companies say they need to thrive and what their people are realistically willing, or able, to give. And that tension is self-inflicted.
Employees are asking leaders for help balancing work and life, not more ‘transformation projects’ that just add to the load.Most workers are already stretched thin. Yet every shiny new change initiative rolls out pre-loaded with efficiency targets and no real space for creativity or input from the people who actually have to live with it.
And listening programmes? They’re great at collecting feedback, but companies are terrible at doing anything with it. Listening without action is theatre. No wonder only 9% of employees say they’re motivated by innovation.
If you’re serious about real, sustainable growth and culture change, innovation can’t be an afterthought. It must be the engine.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Get brutally clear on what you want
Stop hiding behind the word innovation. Do you want incremental tweaks, or are you ready for ideas that could upend your business model (and your comfort zone)? Define it. Be explicit. Own it. Because clarity creates momentum, and momentum is how culture and businesses grow.
2. Make time for it
Innovation doesn’t happen between meetings or in the margins of a day job. It happens when people have the space to think, test, and experiment without fear or burnout. If growth is your goal, build innovation time into the job, not on top of it.
3. Recognise and amplify what’s working
Shine a light on the change makers. Celebrate what’s happening. Tell stories that show how innovation is shaping your customers’ world and your company’s future. Because people don’t just want to work for a business, they want to be part of one that’s growing and making a difference.
Innovation doesn’t happen by accident. If you’re ready to make it real, get in touch at hello@unitedcultureco.com.
