Most employees don’t feel curious at work, and CEOs should be worried

Photo credit: Freepik

History is filled with stories of individuals who were accused of speaking against the status quo. In most instances, their opposing viewpoints came from asking a simple question: Why?

Curiosity seems to be an innate part of human nature, but why are we warned so harshly against it?

I would suggest it’s because the act of questioning the status quo makes some people feel incredibly uncomfortable—especially those in positions of power. Anyone with a vested interest in things continuing the way they are is likely to approach unfamiliar ideas with a certain amount of caution.

Founders and CEOs should be concerned

A recent study conducted by Francesca Gino of Harvard Business Review found that most business leaders fear that curiosity will increase risk and inefficiency in the workplace. The irony? Most of the same leaders claim to value inquisitive minds.

Of the 3,000 employees surveyed (from a range of industries), only 24 percent said they felt curious in their jobs on a regular basis. A whopping 70 percent said they “face barriers to asking more questions at work.”

This data should be concerning to CEOs everywhere. Curiosity is a necessary catalyst for innovation. Numerous studies have linked it to workplace improvements like reduced stress, superior job performance, and more creative problem solving.

If employees don’t feel comfortable voicing their ideas at work, they will either shut down or allow their curiosity to take them elsewhere.

In the early days at JotForm, our small team was overflowing with ideas that sometimes appeared to take us off task. However, many of those “small curiosities” led to significant developments. But as we’ve grown and segregated into more clearly defined roles, we’ve struggled to maintain the same level of enthusiasm for inquisitive diversions.

Here are some ideas to cultivate a more curiosity-accepting atmosphere at the office.

1. Lead by example

According to a 2015 survey conducted by Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, 92 percent of CEOs and CFOs believe maintaining a good company culture improves the overall value of the company.

However, based on the aforementioned Harvard study, we can guess that the majority of the 1,400 North American executives surveyed wouldn’t correlate cultivating curiosity with maintaining a good company culture.

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for individuals to curb their curiosity in an attempt to avoid potential conflict with authority figures. That means the responsibility for creating and nurturing an inquisitive work environment lies 100 percent with upper management.

Remember what happened when Steve Jobs left Apple in 1985? Apple CEO John Sculley faced eroding profit margins, diminishing sales, and declining stock value after departing from the founder’s original vision.

2. Solicit employee feedback

3. Maintain transparency

4. Make time to explore

5. Hire curious people