Organisations that invest in creativity have happier and more productive employees ⁰

Adobe has released the State of Create: 2016, the latest edition of its global survey of some 5,000 people worldwide to assess the state of the creative sector and gauge the impact of creativity on businesses. The headline finding of the latest study is that organisations that invest in creativity are more likely to increase employee productivity (78 percent) and have happier employees (76 percent). The report also claims that respondents believe that those employers who invest in creativity are more likely to foster innovation (83 percent), be competitive (79 percent), provide better customer experience (78 percent), have satisfied customers (80 percent) and be financially successful (73 percent). Around three quarters (74 percent) of respondents also claim that it is important for businesses to focus on good design, with another 70 percent feeling that design drives a strong brand experience. 45 percent claimed that in the past year they had paid more for a product or service that had good design.

Paradoxically, businesses appear to place more emphasis on productivity than creativity with almost eight in 10 (77 percent) saying there is increasing pressure to be productive rather than creative at work. The report also claims that people working in a creative environment are happier at work (53 percent vs 19 percent of non-creators), more fulfilled (49 percent vs 18 percent of non-creators), more energised (47 percent vs 18 percent of non-creators), and more successful (39 percent vs 11 percent of non-creators). However, only 40 percent described themselves as creative. and only 31 percent felt that they are living up to their creative potential.