Survey conducted with 989 respondents. 10/2023
What is the average salary of a designer in Spain? Is it common not to be paid for overtime? What worries workers in the creative industry the most?
Curiously, in a sector driven by insights, analysis and strategy, data on the working conditions, demographics, training and mental health of its workers is conspicuously absent. Without data, there is no perspective — and without perspective, improvement is impossible.
In November 2023, we shared an open survey with all workers in the industry, with a clear goal: to listen and to make things visible.
In this article, we share the most relevant findings from a survey completed by almost a thousand people, which sheds some light on the reality of the creative sector in Spain.
1. Working conditions.
1.1. Women earn, on average, €5,690 less than men.
1.2. 26% of workers in the sector spend up to 40% of their salary on housing (mortgage or rent). 47% admit they barely make it to the end of the month.
1.3. 25% of salaried workers have a second job.
1.4. 64% of workers regularly do overtime, of which 50% is unplanned (they do not know when it will happen) and, in 80% of cases, it is unpaid.
2. Access to the sector and training. A sector marked by privilege: gatekeeping, private institutions and unpaid internships.
2.1. 40% of workers enter the sector after completing both a degree and a master’s, 30% of them at private or semi-private institutions.
2.2. The average tuition cost for design studies is €4,000. In the majority of cases (64%), it is funded by the family.
2.3. 85% of workers entered the sector through internships. In more than 40% of cases, these were unpaid.
3. Mental health. Frustration, stress and lack of communication.
3.1. The four most common emotions at work are frustration, overwhelm, fatigue and pressure.
3.2. 47% of workers have experienced anxiety at some point, and 43% suffer from stress on a regular basis.
3.3. 70% admit they do not trust their managers to discuss topics such as salary, work-life balance or overtime.
4. Demographics. An extremely homogeneous sector.
4.1. 60% of the workforce is cisgender.
4.2. 60% of management and leadership roles are held by men.
4.3. Over 90% of workers hold Spanish nationality.
4.4. These figures highlight certain areas where much work remains to be done: privilege and homogeneity, salaries that do not reflect the work performed, widespread stress and anxiety, and a lack of internal communication. A generalised feeling reflected in what is probably the most significant figure of all: 56% of creative workers are considering leaving their jobs in the short to medium term.
If we want to change things, the first step is to make visible what makes us uncomfortable. Now it is time to create a safe space for debate and self-criticism that leads to concrete proposals. To make things happen, in other words.
At CASA, we believe the sector can be transformed from within, and the only way to achieve that is to do it together.
We invite you to help us by sharing this article.
