How much creative potential is expressed at work?

Various approaches have been developed to examine the degree to which organizations support or inhibit creativity. One approach involves comparing creative behavior expressed when a person is at work with that displayed when they are not at work. The present investigation compared creative behavior at work vs. outside of work with a sample of 164 participants who completed online measures of creative activity and accomplishment. Comparisons revealed that less than half of the variance was shared, even when controlling for the length of time that participants had spent in their jobs. Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that certain personality traits negatively predicted engagement in creative activities that were required by work. The frequency of non-required creative activities at work, on the other hand, was predicted by level of education, longer job tenure, and the perception that creativity was a part of one's job. Nearly half of the participants believed that they were most likely to display creative behaviors equally at work and at home, and when alone or with other people, though generally individuals felt that their creativity was better supported in their personal lives. These findings indicate directions for future research and have implications for the development and expression of creative potentials in the workplace.