Europe – Hierarchies ‘stifle innovation at work’ and Chinese better at fostering ideas from junior staff, claims report

Workplaces in Europe are failing to make the most of innovative ideas from junior members of staff because of an ingrained hierarchical approach, a study has claimed.

Only 8 per cent of European respondents to the KPMG Tech Innovation Survey said that their organization was good at ‘spotting and nurturing innovation from the bottom up’. Many took a hierarchical view of innovation, with one in three saying that innovative thinking is the responsibility of the CEO rather than of people throughout the business.

Asked what would encourage junior and mid-level staff to share their innovative ideas, respondents identified financial incentives (46 per cent), promotion (18 per cent) or internal recognition (16 per cent). However, far from rewarding innovation in this way, many organisations stifle it by valuing conformity and processes over creativity, the report suggested.

Evidence from the survey also suggested that European education systems are worse at developing questioning, challenging thinkers than those of the Asia-Pacific region. Over half (58 per cent) of European respondents to the survey agreed that traditional approaches to education were stifling innovation. Respondents from China did not have the same concerns about their country’s education, with 74 per cent agreeing that it fosters innovative thinkers…

via European hierarchies ‘stifle innovation at work’ – People Management Magazine Online.

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