Why curiosity is a powerful tool in the workplace

Curiosity at work brings with it a variety of benefits. Leaders can maximise potential by putting the work in to build curiosity within their teams.

It may not seem important, but curiosity can make a significant difference to development. Four key reasons why it should be promoted are:

1. It makes your mind active instead of passive.
2. It makes your mind observant of new ideas.
3. It opens up new worlds and possibilities.
4. It brings excitement into your life.

Each of these areas can be extremely rewarding in the workplace. Hays discussed this in “How to build a curious team”, noting that curiosity can fuel “innovation and growth, allowing individuals and teams to explore new ideas, offer fresh perspectives and deliver solutions”.

“Curiosity ignites a cycle of learning, improvement and a more trusting and collaborative environment, allowing both leaders and employees to adapt to changing market conditions in our ever-evolving world of work. By encouraging curiosity from the top-down, companies can greatly improve their way of working,” explained Hays.

Some of the top benefits curiosity can have for businesses, as listed by Hays, are:

• Innovation and creativity
• Stronger team collaboration
• Skill development
• Employee retention and loyalty

In times of uncertainty and persisting talent shortages, enhancing employees’ capabilities while simultaneously keeping them happy and engaged seems too good to be true. Hays believes that curiosity is a powerful tool that can benefit each of these areas.

The importance of promoting curiosity shouldn’t be ignored. Studies show that just 24 per cent of workers reported feeling curious in their jobs on a regular basis. The effects of this were extreme, with 70 per cent claiming they faced barriers to asking more questions at work.

If these issues are allowed to persist, productivity can be hindered and employees may grow unhappy and disengaged.

So, how can employers promote curiosity among their teams? Hays listed four key ways to encourage it, with culture being a major factor in success:

1. Identify the barriers that are inhibiting curiosity.
2. Lead by example.
3. Involve your team.
4. Reward employees.

Employers can benefit by paying attention to these ideas and encouraging curiosity. For individuals who want to improve their own curiosity and learning capability, Zippia listed some tips for personal development:

• Ask a lot of questions.
• Listen to your co-workers and supervisors.
• Try to learn something new.
• Read more books.
• Analyse the world around you.
• Follow your interests.