6 Rituals for a More Creative Workplace
At Flipp, we encourage growth and learning across all of our teams, so that we can be successful not only within our roles, but also outside of work. In fact, we more than encourage it — it’s part of Flipp’s DNA. That’s why, as a design team, we have established a few creative rituals, or practices, as part of our routine to help us grow and improve the quality of our work.
Every workplace and team is different, but these are a few that have worked for us. So whether you’re currently working in a team or a student looking to get into the creative field, here are some “rituals” you could implement for a fresh burst of inspiration.
1. Creative Campfire
No, unfortunately, there’s no actual campfire here. But we do get together to share learnings, wisdom, and stories, which is what campfires are all about. Every month we share work from outside of Flipp’s walls, typically from award shows or other companies, to discuss what makes the work great (or not so great). Learning about what’s being done outside of your school or company can help bring fresh ideas into the mix.
2. Monthly Sync
Our Design team is composed of three specialized teams: Brand Design, Content Design, and Product Design. Every month, the entire Design team gets together, with each team presenting one project. Through this, we have the opportunity to share what each team has been working on and discuss projects in detail. Even though you might not be directly involved in a project, you still get the chance to learn from it.
3. Industry Talks & Workshops
Learning from experts is the best way to get a feel for the industry. Over the last year, we’ve had the pleasure of hosting wonderful speakers from different creative fields. Included in these talks were a creative team from Tribal/DDB, the Creative Lead from the Globe and Mail, the CEO of Product Faculty, and a writer and director who has worked on many renowned television shows and advertising campaigns.
Some of our very own team members have also organized workshops to teach us about their respective roles. We’ve had workshops in photography, film, and animation that anyone in the company can attend. In addition to the talks and workshops in our office, we often attend creative talks outside of work. Miami Ad School Toronto hosts some amazing free talks and workshops every month. You can also check out DesignX events and the CreativeMornings lecture series.
4. Lunch & Learns
If you don’t have a lot of time during your work day, Lunch & Learns are a great option for bite-sized learning. During our lunch hour, we book a meeting room to eat while watching videos or documentaries. We’ve watched things like Invision’s design system series and Skillshare playlists about public speaking. Coordinate with your team to decide on a theme for your Lunch & Learns ahead of time, so that you can take advantage of every precious minute of it.
5. Retros
Retros are bi-weekly sessions where we look back on our team’s wins, learnings, and opportunities for improvement. Here we get the chance to reflect on anything that happened at work, and establish action items if needed. Having this designated time allows us to discuss potential solutions as a team.
6. Design Critiques
Your peers are your most valuable resource, so ask them for feedback. That’s exactly what we do during our bi-weekly design critiques. Two people sign up for 30-minute slots where they can receive feedback on their work, talk about their challenges, or share something they’ve learned. Projects can be work-related, but they don’t have to be! For quicker feedback, we use Wake, a tool that allows us to comment on each others’ work.
You don’t need much to encourage more creativity in your day to day work. All you need is great people and the desire to learn! Which of these creative rituals would you like to try with your peers? Let us know in the comments and let’s get the conversation started.
