Impact of resilience and sustainability on workforce creative performance: looking through the lens of digital readiness

The creative industry has experienced rapid expansion in emerging economies, substantially contributing to employment and economic growth. However, despite this expansion, understanding how multiple workforce-related factors jointly influence creative performance remains limited. This study’s main contribution is to offer an integrated perspective on how workforce resilience, sustainability, and digital readiness collectively shape the creative output of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). We used a mixed-methods design to collect data through surveys and in-depth interviews with owners and employees to capture insights on adaptability, well-being, and digital competencies. Results derived from Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) reveal that resilient and sustainable workforces positively affect creative performance, with digital readiness as a crucial mediator. This study highlights the importance of digital adoption strategies and workforce preparedness in an evolving industry landscape. Importance-Performance Map Analysis further identifies psychosocial risk management, employee well-being, and workplace safety as high-priority yet underdeveloped areas requiring immediate attention. By clearly articulating how an integrated approach to resilience, sustainability, and digital readiness advances theoretical and practical discourse, this work provides actionable insights for policymakers and MSMEs practitioners seeking to enhance innovation and maintain competitiveness in the face of ongoing digital disruption.