Everyday innovation report - Nesta

Key findings:
• Organisations tend to use relatively unsophisticated measures of innovative working
despite the existence of validated tools that can measure innovation potential at the
employee, group and organisation levels.
• Diversity is an important ingredient for innovation to occur. One in three survey
respondents endorsed setting up cross functional teams as amongst the top most
effective resources for facilitating innovative working.
• The importance of networking was highlighted with one-fifth of survey respondents
reporting the ‘development of networking opportunities’ amongst the top three catalysts
for innovative working.
• To promote innovative working 60 per cent of organisations reported using ‘leadership/
management training’ with 47 per cent reporting the use of ‘cross-functional teams’
and 32 per cent ‘job rotations’.
• Only 8 per cent reported the use of ‘purpose-built innovation and creativity labs’
despite evidence suggesting their worth.
• Interviewees provided many examples of initiatives that promote innovative working
including job rotation or job secondments, or the dedication of resources in the shape
of a team or a person whose sole responsibility is to improve innovative working.
• ‘Brainstorming’ is reported as the most common method used to foster idea generation,
being cited by 45 per cent of our survey respondents and perceptions of its effectiveness
are high.
• Results suggest that ‘work time devoted to developing new ideas’, ‘team incentives’ and
‘induction programmes that emphasise innovation’ are the most successful at predicting
employee level idea generation.
• Initiatives to enhance innovation are more likely to be successful when they fit the
current culture of the organisation and there is a multi-level approach to initiatives for
innovative working.
Implications:
• Using diagnostic metrics for innovative working at the employee, group and
organisational level can be helpful in directing interventions.
• An organisational culture and leadership that supports innovation is key to facilitating
innovative working.
• Organisations should cultivate a diverse workforce and encourage the development of
networking and relationship building to promote innovative working.
• A skilled leadership is required to manage a diverse workforce.
• Many organisations should consider devoting more time to developing new ideas as well
as introducing incentives and induction programmes that promote innovation.
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