The 20% Rule

Promote creativity, encourage innovation and drive company performance.

What is the 20% rule?

Also known as the “20% Project”, this initiative originated at Google, the purpose of which was to boost innovation by promoting company wide creativity. In sum, 20% of paid work time was allocated to employees’ personal/side projects. Ultimately, the 20% rule sparks ingenuity throughout the company, and gives way to a culture of sustainable innovation.

The benefits

Google Maps, Gmail and many more Google-owned programs, for example, started as employee side projects. These plans were brought to life as the result of the wildly innovative initiative. Furthermore, your company’s potential isn’t the only aspect that benefits from the 20% Rule: it is known that allocating time for personal projects also positively reinforces employee experience! By encouraging creativity and collaboration, your organization will not only significantly reduce negative turnover rates, but also motivate your employees to go the extra mile. Read more about Employee Experience and Employee Turnover.

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