The Human Resources Imperative: Leading a Renaissance of Creativity
This contribution comes from Wilson, a company that defines itself as follows: We are committed to the highest standards of business ethics to help our clients and employees achieve success.
At Wilson—much like with our talent solutions—sustainability is integrated into all our values and business operations. We strive to provide value to the community and society at large by supporting social, cultural, intellectual, environmental, and economic initiatives, while simultaneously contributing to improving the quality of life for our own team members and their families.
Authored by Margaret Heffernan
Dr. Margaret Heffernan is the author of six influential books, including *Willful Blindness* and *Uncharted*. A TED speaker—with over 13 million views—Margaret advises leaders around the world, provides training on responsible leadership, and inspires change. Her upcoming book, *Embracing Uncertainty*, will be published in March 2025.
Talent Strategy
Human Resources Trends
Workforce Sustainability
Table of Contents
From Qualifications to KPIs: The Long Decline of Creativity
Practical Steps to Revitalize Creativity
The Role of Human Resources in Managing This Shift
The creativity crisis is real. Systemic barriers—from rigid selection processes to stifling work structures—are suppressing curiosity and innovation. It is time to “bring nature back” into our organizations and rethink the role of work, writes Margaret Heffernan.
We are in a monumental mess. The systems we have built—in both education and the workplace—are systematically eroding the creativity and curiosity we so desperately need.
In my conversations with CEOs and business leaders, a recurring concern arises: “We cannot find people with creative thinking skills.” Upon closer inspection, the reason becomes clear: we have designed systems that discard the very skills organizations claim to value.
Our recruitment processes are a glaring example. They have become hyper-efficient, yet not hyper-effective: they are automated workflows that treat hiring as a problem to be solved through numbers. Candidates face dehumanizing processes—irrelevant responses to their applications, AI-driven analyses that reject applicants for a simple typo or an incorrect postal code, impersonal tests, and automated interviews—all before having any contact with another human being. This not only fails to identify talent, but it also actively drives away the very people we want to hire.
From grades to KPIs: the long decline of creativity
The problem runs deep, beginning in an educational system that teaches individuals to pursue grades rather than ideas. People are conditioned to seek the “correct” answer instead of grappling with complex questions. By the time they enter the workforce, they are experts at meeting KPIs and objectives, yet they lack the curiosity required for innovation or an interest in continuous learning. By the time they reach their thirties, some employers are already asking: “What are we supposed to do with them?”
This situation is further exacerbated by how we structure jobs and measure performance. Detailed job descriptions, rigid key performance indicators (KPIs), and extrinsic rewards for following rules leave little energy for creativity. Employees are discouraged from stepping outside their predefined roles to explore new ideas or question inefficient processes. When organizations claim they want to foster curiosity and innovation, my response is usually: “You need to reflect deeply on how much of your current system you are willing to abandon.”
If we want to rebuild the conditions necessary for creativity, we must approach the issue from every angle. Human Resources and talent management leaders are essential to this transformation. Here are five ways to get started:
Practical steps to spark creativity
Rethinking Learning and Development (L&D) through the lens of creativity:
Creativity cannot be stimulated through PowerPoint slides or traditional training modules. Consider programs that expose employees to new and dynamic disciplines. One example comes from the Yale School of Medicine, where the study of art history helped physicians improve their diagnostic skills. Similarly, some CEOs I have worked with have found poetry workshops invaluable for sharpening their thinking and connecting with their own inner thoughts. Creativity is not a skill that can be forced upon someone; it is something that must be awakened. It emerges from living through experiences, not from passively consuming information.
Redesigning job structures: Do your job descriptions leave room for innovation, or do they prescribe every single detail?
Do your KPIs reward the achievement of specific targets, or do they encourage experimentation? Employees will not seek out new ideas if they do not feel motivated to go beyond their assigned tasks. They might ask themselves, “What am I supposed to do with this idea? It’s not in my job description, there are no incentives, and I don’t know who to talk to.” To counter this, create space for exploration—whether by dedicating time to interdisciplinary projects or by granting the freedom to question existing processes.
Rebuilding organizational culture: Organizations that truly value creativity must prioritize intrinsic motivation over extrinsic rewards. When individuals pursue ideas that resonate with their own identity, they become more energized, resilient, and engaged. However, culture cannot change without the backing of leadership. If managers do not actively participate in these initiatives, they send a clear signal that creativity is merely an “optional add-on” rather than a serious priority. Create time and space for experimentation: Not long ago, a CEO asked me, “How can I teach people to be curious?” The answer is: you can’t. People are born curious. What you *can* do is create space for it. Give employees time to think, explore, and ask questions. Allow them to engage in artistic activities, interdisciplinary projects, or entirely new fields. It is in these moments of experimentation that innovation takes root.
Promote the arts: The arts are not merely a luxury; they are an economic, psychological, and cultural necessity. Engaging with creative disciplines develops observational skills, resilience, and curiosity. From encouraging participation in artistic activities to integrating the arts into learning within the workplace, organizations must reconnect with the creative processes that keep teams engaged and adaptable.
The Role of Human Resources in the Transition
Human Resources leaders are uniquely positioned to address this crisis. Creativity and curiosity do not need to be “taught” in the traditional sense; they need to be cultivated. This entails designing attitudes and systems that value exploration over efficiency, fostering psychological safety, and creating a space where employees can be their authentic selves at work.
Creativity is not merely an added value; it is a fundamental capacity for navigating uncertainty and driving long-term success. For decades, we have built systems that reward conformity and efficiency at the expense of imagination. Reversing this requires “restoring nature” to our work environments—giving people the freedom and support they need to think differently.
What is at stake is critical. Without creativity, we lose not only the capacity to innovate but also the resilience and adaptability required to thrive in an ever-changing world. It is time to stop managing people as if they were cogs in a machine and start inspiring them to reach their full potential. Human Resources and talent management leaders must spearhead this shift. Let us rebuild the conditions necessary for creativity—before it is too late. *Embracing Uncertainty: How Writers, Musicians and Artists Thrive in an Unpredictable World* will be published by Polity Press on March 25, 2025.
Workforce Sustainability
Discover further insights from other thought leaders in our featured content series, designed to help you build a resilient, adaptable workforce prepared for the future.
The Role of Human Resources in Developing Strategic Thinking
The following contribution comes from the CIPD, which describes itself as follows: We help organizations thrive by focusing on their people—which, in turn, supports our economies and societies. We are the leading professional body for human resources (HR), learning and development (L&D), and organizational development (OD)—and, more broadly, for all professionals dedicated to people management: experts in human capital, work, and change.
With over 160,000 members worldwide—a constantly growing community that benefits from our research, analysis, and training resources—we provide trusted advice and an independent, expert perspective. We are also a prominent voice in promoting “good work” that creates value for everyone.
“People are at the heart of everything. If we want to achieve the best performance from our organizations, we must take care of our people.”
Peter Cheese, Chief Executive
This piece is authored by Charlie Curson, a strategic advisor, accredited leadership coach, and author of *Be More Strategic: 12 Essential Practices for the Life and Career You Want*.
For years, people management teams have driven leadership development, learning, and organizational culture. However, as companies face unprecedented complexity, their role in shaping strategy is becoming increasingly important, notes Charlie Curson.
If strategy is, ultimately, a human capability—relying on the ability to detect and interpret signals, define and make decisions, communicate direction, and act with determination—then Human Resources leaders are uniquely positioned to develop this competency throughout the organization. People management professionals can, and should, become the driving force behind strategic thinking in any organization.
Most strategic problems are, in reality, capability problems.
Research consistently shows that, although senior executives consider strategic thinking to be fundamental, only a small fraction are confident that their organization truly possesses it—let alone those in key leadership positions. Most strategic problems are, in reality, problems of capability.
This is where Human Resources and Learning & Development (L&D) teams can step in. Traditional leadership models remain relevant, but they are no longer sufficient. Achieving a genuine strategic impact requires a combination of four human capabilities: creativity, decision-making, storytelling, and the ability to see the big picture. Human Resources can transform its role—shifting from a mere custodian of processes to an architect of these strategic capabilities—by embedding them into training, development, culture, and behavior.
From a focus on execution to strategic thinking
Most organizations spend too much time on action and execution, and too little on reflection and decision-making. Human Resources can rebalance this by introducing learning experiences that foster curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity across all teams.
It is also beneficial to organize scenario-based workshops, where managers and leaders can practice making decisions under constraints. However, strategic thinking cannot be developed solely in a classroom; it requires ongoing exposure to challenges, reflective processes, and new perspectives.
Enhancing strategic thinking begins with personal development, and Human Resources is well-positioned to help managers and leaders cultivate this competency. This may involve strengthening self-awareness, challenging existing beliefs and assumptions, and helping individuals gain a better understanding of their own decision-making styles.
Furthermore, Human Resources should train managers in active listening, curiosity, and critical questioning, while also fostering a learning culture where people feel empowered to experiment with new ideas. Human Resources has both an exceptional opportunity and a responsibility here.
If Human Resources acts as the custodian of organizational culture, capabilities, and learning, then it is also the custodian of strategic thinking.
The future belongs to organizations where leaders possess imagination, teams remain curious, and decisions are made with clarity. For this to become a reality, strategic thinking must evolve into a collective capability. and Human Resources can drive this change.
The Role of Human Resources in Organizational Creativity and Innovation
The following contribution comes from an HR portal that describes itself as follows: About Us
*HR magazine* is the go-to publication for senior Human Resources professionals and business leaders seeking insights and examples from high-performing, people-centered organizations. We publish daily news, opinion pieces, the latest research, fresh ideas, best practices, and strategic information. *HR magazine* has been serving the Human Resources sector in the United Kingdom since 1991.
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This piece was authored by Rachel Sharp, a member of our team.
Innovation and creativity are becoming increasingly vital to the success of many organizations. Human Resources has the capacity to create the optimal conditions for both.
Do you remember Pepsi A.M.—the caffeinated cola designed for breakfast? Or *Cosmopolitan* yogurt—the women’s magazine’s foray into the dairy industry? And what about Microsoft Bob—that software featuring a smiling, bespectacled character?
Probably not. The fact is, none of these products ever really took off; They were all unceremoniously withdrawn just 18 months after their launch.
Yet, in contrast to these failures, we find examples such as the Ford automobile, the iPhone, or the World Wide Web—products and services that are now part of our daily lives, but which, at the time, were equally eccentric and bold ideas.
Fostering innovation in the workplace:
Why hiring young talent creates opportunities for innovation.
Lessons for SMEs: the right structure to boost creativity.
Does your company suffer from “innovation fatigue”?
Innovation and creativity are considered key factors that distinguish a company that stands out from one that fails to keep pace with trends and ends up disappearing prematurely.
“We still see cases like Nokia’s: companies that enjoy overwhelming success, only to seem to have vanished completely just two years later,” notes Liz Mellon, chair of the editorial board at Duke Corporate Education and executive director of Authentic Leadership.
“That is why it is logical for people to be concerned [about innovation]; there simply isn’t enough of it. If there were, companies would be constantly and successfully reinventing themselves.”
With an average of 77 new start-ups emerging every hour in the United Kingdom, it seems that employees and organizations capable of demonstrating these uniquely “human” skills are all but guaranteed success.
