How To Tell If Your Workplace Embraces A Culture Of Curiosity

How To Tell If Your Workplace Embraces A Culture Of Curiosity

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Curiosity is one of the strongest predictors of innovation, engagement, and resilience, yet most companies never stop to measure it. Many leaders assume employees will naturally speak up with questions or share bold ideas, but the reality often looks very different. According to SAS’s Curiosity@Work Report, 67 percent of U.S. managers say curiosity is a very valuable trait, yet nearly a quarter admit their organizations do not do enough to encourage it. Leaders may believe they are promoting curiosity, while employees experience something entirely different. You see it in meetings where ideas are limited or in talented employees who avoid new projects because they are worried about failing. Curiosity will only grow when leaders take an honest look at whether their culture truly supports it.

Do People Feel Safe Showing Curiosity At Work?

The quickest way to gauge a workplace is to pay attention to how questions are received. If employees believe asking a question could make them look unprepared or invite pushback, curiosity is already gone. But when they know their curiosity will be taken seriously, they are more willing to share ideas and challenge how things have always been done. Leaders should ask: Do employees believe their curiosity will be respected, or do they see it as something that could work against them?

Are Employees Willing To Experiment With Curiosity?

Curiosity depends on having the chance to try things without needing a guaranteed result. If success is the only acceptable outcome, most employees will avoid taking chances. That limits learning and slows growth. When mistakes are treated as a normal part of progress, people are more open to experimenting. They test ideas, explore new methods, and learn from what happens. Leaders should ask: Am I creating an environment where curiosity can be tested, or am I sending the message that it is safer not to try?

How Do Past Experiences Shape Curiosity?

It is challenging to know how much past experiences have weighed on employees. If they were ignored, dismissed, or criticized for asking questions, they may decide it is not worth the risk to put themselves out there. Those moments can silence curiosity and leaders might have no idea that the impact has come from past experiences. That is why recognition is so important. When leaders acknowledge a thoughtful question in a meeting or take time to explore an employee’s suggestion, it builds confidence. Even small signals can show that curiosity is valued. Leaders should ask: Do employees have reasons to believe their curiosity will be taken seriously, or do their experiences suggest otherwise?

Are People Practicing Curiosity Beyond Their Roles?

Curiosity is often seen in employees who want to understand more than their job description requires. A finance professional who asks about how marketing strategies affect revenue, or a customer service manager who wants to learn how products are developed, is practicing curiosity that strengthens collaboration. When employees feel free to look beyond their immediate responsibilities, silos start to break down and people see the bigger picture. Leaders should ask: Am I rewarding employees only for doing their assigned tasks, or am I also encouraging curiosity about how the business as a whole operates?

What Is The Relationship Between Curiosity And Technology?

Technology can either support curiosity or undermine it. If employees rely on tools only for quick answers, curiosity weakens. But when people see technology as a way to explore, compare, and learn, it sparks curiosity instead of replacing it. Employees who feel comfortable experimenting with new tools, even when they are not experts, bring adaptability and resilience that organizations need. Leaders should ask: In my organization, is technology used to fuel curiosity, or has it become a shortcut that discourages deeper thinking?

Are Leaders Modeling Curiosity Themselves?

Employees look to leaders for cues. When leaders ask thoughtful questions, admit when they do not have all the answers, and show interest in learning, employees feel permission to do the same. When leaders act as though they always need to appear certain, curiosity fades. Leaders set the tone, and their actions send a clear message. Leaders need to ask themselves: Am I showing my team that curiosity is a strength, or am I signaling that knowing everything matters more?

Does Curiosity Strengthen Collaboration?

Curiosity often leads to stronger collaboration. When employees are encouraged to ask questions, they begin learning from each other and combining perspectives. That shared curiosity helps teams avoid tunnel vision and come up with better solutions. When curiosity is missing, people stick to their own areas and the organization misses out on valuable connections. Leaders should ask: Are teams in my company learning together because curiosity is thriving here, or are they operating in isolation?

Do Employees Have Time For Curiosity At Work?

Even when curiosity is encouraged, it can disappear if people feel overloaded. If every day is filled with back-to-back meetings and urgent deadlines, there is no space left to reflect. Curiosity requires time, even if it is just a few minutes to think differently about a problem. Some of the most forward-thinking companies create room for curiosity by allowing employees to pursue side projects or by setting aside time to explore questions outside their immediate responsibilities. Leaders should ask: Do I give people room to think and explore, or have I structured the work so tightly that curiosity has no place here?

Is Curiosity Seen As A Core Workplace Value?

The clearest sign of whether curiosity matters is what employees believe. If they say curiosity is encouraged, they will show it in their behavior. If they say it is not, curiosity will fade. Culture changes based on the daily signals leaders send: who gets recognized, how questions are answered, and whether ideas are considered or ignored. Leaders should ask: Do my employees see curiosity as part of who we are, or do they view it as something that gets talked about but not lived?

What Can Leaders Do To Build Curiosity?

To build a culture of curiosity, leaders have to make choices that show it matters. That means giving employees psychological safety, recognizing curiosity when it happens, creating time to explore, and modeling curiosity at the top. It also means asking honest questions about whether the culture rewards curiosity or punishes it. Leaders who take curiosity seriously are preparing their organizations to adapt and succeed. Those who overlook it risk leaving growth and innovation on the table.

Curiosity As A Core Value At Work

Curiosity is central to whether organizations grow or stagnate. The companies that thrive are the ones where leaders move beyond assumptions and treat curiosity as essential to daily work. They show it through their own behavior, recognize it in their employees, and give it room to flourish. When curiosity is part of the culture, employees do more than complete their tasks. They explore, they learn, and they help shape the future of the business.