Creativity in the thriving workplace

Living in uncertain times can be stressful. 

That then gets paired with an overwhelming amount of information, regular over-stimulation and a collective tendency to prioritise busyness as a symbol of success. When all this is combined, we find an unsustainable experience for many people in our daily lives. 

A recent report from Umbrella Wellbeing showed that 19% of people felt that “their psychological wellbeing is not prioritised at work”, and also 12% of people haven’t been “supported to lead a healthy lifestyle in the workplace”. 

Of course, there are a range of drivers of this, including 23% of people “not getting enough good quality sleep”, and that potentially this might be perceived on the surface to be an individual issue. But when it comes down to it, these things are often a reflection of the state of where we spend a majority of our time – which for many people is at work.

If work is stressful, with no sense of support for reprieve from that stress, or the systems in place are contributing to unnecessary psychological burden, the triggers for these things are systemic rather than individual.

If people feel their wellbeing is not prioritised, they will spend more time in a stress-response state (flight, fright, freeze) which will result in people being less productive, less able to connect with others, and less likely to engage in imaginative and innovative thought processes that support positive outcomes. 

This can see people disengage from society, become more individualistic, and this can contribute to the decay of social cohesion. This report from the Helen Clark Foundation shows that participation, sense of belonging, and sense of worth are all areas where NZ has been falling behind compared to Australian data. And when much of our time is again spent in work, having a sense of meaning and sense of safety can go a long way in providing the positive outcomes people might look for in their workplace. 

What does all this actually mean in connection to the arts, culture and creative ecosystem and the work of Creative Waikato?

Our 2022 study of Waikato wellbeing showed that “Waikato residents who have jobs that require creative thinking or problem solving are more likely to have a higher level of satisfaction with their work.” 

Another recent book “Art Cure” written by UK Professor Daisy Fancourt as a summary of 20 years of research into the connections between art and health states that Art is the “fifth pillar of health”, which should sit “alongside diet, sleep, exercise, and nature”. The research shows that regular active engagement in arts and creative activity can offer measurable benefits like reduced stress, lower blood pressure, and slower cognitive aging.

So, with all this in mind, it would make sense to find a tangible and reliable way to support people in your workplace to make meaningful connections with art and creativity. 

If we can build regular and reliable creative habits, we develop the skills to remain resilient and have the tools necessary to provide preventative support to navigate periods of increased stress. 

Creative Waikato has developed a “Creativity in the Workplace” policy as well as a set of resources called Creativity Every Day as a way to make it easier for businesses, organisations and leaders to provide meaningful opportunities to utilise creativity and artistic activity in support of their people. 

When thinking about how people can be supported to build helpful habits, the systemic levers can be significant contributors to positive change. But in the early stages, the benefits of a new habit may not be obvious. This is true of encouraging a habit around creative play. The first step may seem simple or silly or even frivolous. But it is through consistency and momentum that the impacts are felt. 

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits outlines the value of the habitual process as an awareness that “In order to improve for good, you need to solve problems at the systems level. Fix the inputs and the outputs will fix themselves.” So, the leaders of our systems have an opportunity to shape and support the conditions for this change. 

More people regularly engaging in creative activity, can support reduction in stress, leading to happier, more productive workplaces. But we have to build those habits and make it part of the way we work. The broader implications could be quite profound. Fancourt shares that “Government commissioned economists in the UK have used our studies to estimate the societal financial impact of improvements in well-being in adults as a result of engaging with the arts. Amongst working-age adults alone, they estimated £15 billion of cost savings a year to society.”

There is a real benefit for supporting the people in your lives to connect more regularly with artistic activity. For people leading organisations who want to learn more about what you can do, please reach out to our team: hello@creativewaikato.co.nz 

Written by: Dr. Jeremy Mayall, Creative Waikato CEO