85% of MENA professionals insist that their jobs require creativity and innovation

A new survey conducted by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 job site, found that 85% of respondents insist that their jobs require creativity and innovation. The survey titled “Creativity and Innovation in the MENA 2023” highlights the importance of nurturing a creative work environment, and the factors that help foster creativity in the workplace.

The survey provides an in-depth analysis of employee attitudes towards creativity and innovation in the workplace. One of the most significant findings was that 92% of respondents agreed that creativity can be acquired and learned, highlighting a potential opportunity for employers to invest in training and development programs to foster a more creative workforce. 

Ola Haddad, Director of Human Resources at Bayt.com said: "Creativity and innovation are integral components of modern-day workplaces, and they go hand-in-hand with business success. It’s essential for employers to recognize the significance of fostering creative work environments and provide employees with the necessary tools to enhance their creative abilities.”

Fostering a Creative Workplace

When asked about the factors that increase creativity in the workplace, 42% of respondents cited conducting brainstorming and group work sessions. Following closely behind, 30% of respondents felt that providing tools for learning and exploration boosted their creativity. In contrast, only 12% of respondents believed that allowing employees to lead their own projects was a significant stimulus, while maintaining a diverse team was cited by 16%.

The survey also revealed that 82% of respondents agreed that their direct manager values creativity and innovation, while 89% of respondents described their workplace culture as creative, indicating that an organizational emphasis on creativity is paying off.

The survey highlights that the hunger for learning and growth (52%), followed by leadership and self-motivation (19%), are considered as the personality traits that correlate the most with creativity at work.

Despite the positive responses associated with creativity in the workplace, the survey also noted that repetitive routines lower creativity at work, with 67% of respondents agreeing with this statement. Resistance to change (27%) and lack of access to information (25%) were identified as other challenges for organizations to foster organizational creativity.

Data for the Creativity and Innovation in the MENA Poll 2023 was collected online from June 28 to July 29, 2023. Results are based on a sample of 3,052 respondents from the following countries: UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Sudan among others.

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