Creativity is gaining recognition as a way for businesses to improve the bottom line and keep employees satisfied. Such workers challenge the status quo. Economists see them as a cornerstone of U.S. competitiveness.

Although still in its infancy, “We’re moving from an industrial economy to a creative economy,” says Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class. He defines the creative sector as “people who think for a living,” including those in the fields of science, technology, arts, culture, design, law, healthcare and education.

Still, a new Ipsos survey reports that while 88 percent of American workers consider themselves creative, fewer than two in three believe they are tapping their creative capacities on the job. “People are no longer motivated just by making money,” notes Florida. “Companies have to provide environments that allow [employees] to express themselves.”

Younger generations and women are especially driven by quality of life and job content. To attract them, companies must stay open to new ideas and encourage their input. Stronger employee collaboration, lower turnover, and profitable innovation that goes beyond the corporate mission statement, emerge.

Source: The Christian Science Monitor