INNOVATION
Friday Freedom
A technique for promoting creativity and innovation in the workplace
Bees have developed an amazing method of communication called the “waggle dance” which they use to tell other bees where to find pollen and nectar. About a fifth of bees, however, ignore this communication and go off exploring for new sources of food. The latter type of bees are incredibly important, because without them the hive would remain focused on existing food sources and would never discover any new opportunities.
Exploration can benefit humans too. Historically the Naskapi Innu people of Eastern Canada decided where to hunt partly based upon divination. Caribou bones would be held over the fire and the pattern of charring would suggest which direction the hunters should travel. By disregarding the locations where they had previously found food, the Naskapi Innu were removing their biases and creating opportunities for new discoveries, as well as ensuring that locations which had previously yielded food didn’t become over-exploited.
Thinking about this in an organisational context, it’s clear that companies which rely solely on exploiting known sources of income are missing the opportunities to be gained by exploring. The management theorist James G. March postulated that both exploitation and exploration are vital to a company’s survival, but these activities require opposing mindsets — the former requires the ability to repeat an existing formula in a structured way, while the latter requires unstructured big-picture thinking.
The duality of human nature
Some would argue that exploration and exploitation should be undertaken by different individuals, each of whom specialises in that approach. However, significant benefits have been achieved in practice by encouraging people to take a break from their normal schedule and switch their focus.
The fact is, human beings evolved to seek novelty and innovate. The brain has a natural inclination to seek out new and challenging experiences, so when we’re stuck in a pattern of repetitive tasks or behaviours, boredom and disengagement set in. Boredom, from a neurological standpoint, can often be seen as a signal that the brain is under-stimulated or overly focused on repetitive tasks that don’t offer new challenges or rewards. In other words, when the brain engages in exploitation for too long without an opportunity for exploration, boredom sets in, prompting the individual to seek novelty to re-engage the brain’s reward system. The brain actually works best when it can balance both types of activities.
Humans also have a natural drive for autonomy, so giving staff opportunities to explore freely creates a sense of ownership over their work, which makes them feel more motivated and empowered. It also fulfils their need to feel self-directed, and to feel like they’re growing and developing.
Exploration in the workplace
Google famously has a “20% policy” which allows employees to work on a project of their choice for 20% of their work week. Google News, Gmail and AdSense have all emerged from this process.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, runs events called “hackathons” every few months, where employees can dedicate time to projects outside their regular responsibilities. Facebook’s chat function and Like button both emerged from these events.
Numerous other companies have also experimented with allocating a percentage of working hours for innovative tasks. US toymaker Hasbro runs an annual “Hasbro-a-thon” innovation day where staff can invent new products. The BBC calls it “Creative Time” and has experimented with allocating 10% of working hours to innovation - discovering in the process that some employees choose to use the time for studying and learning, or collaborating with people they don’t usually get to work with, as well as coming up with innovative ideas.
Friday Freedom
At SPELK Studio, we call this Friday Freedom. Friday afternoons are when we put aside our usual work and do something different. We’re starting to wind down from the stress of the work week, which creates a mental space for creativity. The anticipation of the weekend gives Friday afternoon a psychological “fringe” status, where people are often in a lighter, more relaxed state of mind. It’s helpful for recharging in preparation for the weekend, plus it also makes better use of a time slot when productivity has naturally begun to dip. We’ve found that Friday Freedom is energising, creating a boost at a time when people would otherwise be struggling to cross the finish line to the weekend.
The goal of Friday Freedom is to give staff the opportunity to dedicate time to projects that align with their interests and foster their personal development, creativity and passion, while simultaneously contributing to the growth and success of the business. This encourages a culture of exploration and experimentation, leading to increased engagement, higher morale and breakthrough innovations that can benefit both the individual and the company.
The idea is simple: On Friday afternoons you can do whatever the heck you like!
The only caveat is that it has to benefit the business in some way. For example, you could:
- Learn a new skill that makes you more effective in your role.
- Work towards a qualification that bolsters your personal expertise (and, by extension, that of the company).
- Research something and acquire new knowledge that creates business opportunities.
- Write an article or prepare a talk to boost your professional profile.
- Go on a mini field trip to a place that provides new knowledge or inspiration for your work.
- Produce creative social media content.
- Use your personal skills or hobbies to create something for the company.
- Work collaboratively or independently on a new idea or product to deliver business benefits.
Implementing your own Friday Freedom
Incorporating autonomy, even in small doses, has been shown to boost creativity, engagement and overall satisfaction. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, but simply giving yourself or your team the opportunity to work on something you feel passionate about, in whatever capacity works best, can spark innovative ideas and increase motivation.
Any day that suits: While Friday is often associated with winding down and being more open to creativity, you might find that Monday morning works better for you. Starting the week with a burst of creative freedom can set a positive tone and energise you for the tasks ahead. Alternatively, some may prefer mid-week for this purpose, as it provides a nice break from the regular grind. Choose a time that aligns with when you feel most productive or when a creative recharge would be most beneficial.
Some freedom is better than none: One of the key benefits of autonomy is the ability to take ownership of your time and direction, but you don’t have to let it be completely unrestricted. Offering even limited choices or control over the project or task can still yield significant results.
Incremental autonomy: You don’t have to give total autonomy at the start. If people aren’t used to having the freedom to choose, you can gradually increase the level of freedom over time. Start by offering some autonomy with guidelines, and as confidence and trust grow, loosen the reins.
Keep expectations low: Not everything that comes out of Friday Freedom is hugely impactful — and that’s ok. Occasionally there’s a superstar idea, but even if the only benefit is to make people more open to creativity, or allow them to feel more fulfilled in their work, then that’s still a positive outcome.
