(NAPSI)—When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, workplace innovation may be near the top of the list for most businesses. Business owners know that their companies must innovate to stay ahead of competition, and that means hiring employees who not only possess the necessary skills for the job but who also bring fresh, new ideas.

Despite the emphasis on hiring innovative employees, 30 percent of hiring managers say that their current employees lack key traits, according to a University of Phoenix survey. In fact, just one in 10 hiring managers say their employees excel at innovation.

Still, nearly half of hiring managers cite innovation as a very important trait in job candidates. More than a quarter said they would be very likely to hire an employee, even if he or she were lacking in technical skills, if he or she demonstrated an ability to innovate. However, according to the same survey, employers may have more to do in terms of empowering their teams to innovate. Nearly 40 percent of employees surveyed said they don’t have access to the necessary tools.

Dennis Bonilla, executive dean, University of Phoenix College of Information Systems and Technology, said the disconnect between managers and employees may be increasing the current innovation gap.

“We’re seeing a discrepancy between what hiring managers expect of employees and the tools and skills employees have access to in order to meet those expectations,” he said. “The innovation gap stems from a lack of understanding of how to innovate or what is preventing a company from innovating. If hiring managers are seeking innovative employees, they have a responsibility to foster a culture of innovation.”

Some factors that may account for this innovation gap include time and funds—more than one-third of employees say a lack of time is a barrier to innovation, while three in 10 cite a lack of funding. Even more respondents—two in five—cited a lack of resources as the biggest barrier.

The survey also found that professional development tools may be able to help employers fill this innovation gap. Nearly half of employees polled said access to the latest technology would help them be more innovative in their jobs. Four in 10 would like to have additional training and dedicated resources that help drive innovation.

According to Bonilla, hiring managers said three key innovation traits are missing from current employees: new approaches to old ideas, creativity and forward thinking. To best achieve innovation and creativity, he suggests the following steps.

• Invest in an incubator department—allow employees to think outside the box and approach problem-solving in a safe environment.
• Value “failing forward”—create an environment in which people aren’t afraid to try new ideas, share them and sometimes falter.
• Offer opportunities for professional development—four out of 10 employees surveyed would like more training to help close the innovation gap.

“Employers should keep in mind that professional development can spark creativity, provide a foundational skill set and offer access to critical tools that can help turn employees into innovators,” Bonilla said. “Ideas are currency in the modern business environment. It’s important that employers provide their employees the opportunity and tools to pursue big-picture ideas.”

To help companies pursue innovation, University of Phoenix launched the RedFlint Experience Center in downtown Las Vegas. RedFlint offers access to the latest technologies and career resources in a hands-on environment. It was created to address the needs of individuals and businesses to adopt new technologies and advance new ideas through education, incubation and acceleration.

For more information on RedFlint, visit www.redflintvegas.com. For additional survey findings, visit www.phoenix.edu/about_us/media-center/news/workplace-innovation-survey-results.html.