Reduce workload by 30%.
Use 10% of that to shorten working hours and 20% for shifting people into new and creative projects.
Resource new projects by drawing them off low-priority areas.
This shows management commitment to creative projects and makes the time and manpower available to achieve them.
Side effects include boosting productivity and cutting waste.
Example: Toyota did this as part of phase three (‘Business Reform’) of its rejuvenation.
Source: Katayama, O. (1996). Japanese business into the 21st Century: strategies for success.