BBC bosses will seek to restore the shine of Strictly come dancing when it returns to television screens this weekend, after some celebrity contestants complained about poor behaviour by their professional dance partners.
The fact that complaints can arise even in the most family-friendly programmes highlights how unacceptable behaviour can arise in pressured working environments – and a greater willingness to report it.
High-profile complaints have affected companies in many different sectors, including finance and law.
Marcus Ryder, chief executive of the Film and TV Charity, who worked in television production for more than 25 years, warned that in his industry misconduct, including harassment, is “a systemic problem that needs systemic solutions”. He said he had witnessed harassment at all levels, from a junior researcher to a senior executive. “It’s not about rooting out a few bad apples … There’s no doubt that harassment is a significant problem in film and TV.”
British broadcasters from the BBC to ITV and Channel 4 have been rocked by a series of scandals, almost all involving high-profile, well-paid presenters – or “talent” as they are known in the industry – who have exploited the industry’s dark side.
The BBC has had to defend itself repeatedly. There is an ongoing investigation into the conduct of former radio DJ Tim Westwood, who has denied any wrongdoing, and last year allegations of sexual misconduct were made against Huw Edwards, the broadcaster’s highest-paid news presenter. The corporation has announced it will review its practices. Strictly contestants’ complaints and introduced additional security measures, such as chaperones, into the programme.
ITV faced claims of failing in its duty of care towards staff after This morning Presenter Phillip Schofield’s romance with a younger colleague, which led to accusations of a toxic relationship, culture in the programme. Channel 4 has launched a wide-ranging investigation into allegations of sexual abuse made against presenter Russell Brand, who has also denied any wrongdoing.
Media executives have admitted to lapses in duty of care, poor handling of complaints and weak line of conduct. management for stars who often earn huge salaries and have their names on the door. Alex Mahon, Channel 4’s chief executive, said after Brand’s allegations that it was “clear… that appalling behaviour towards women was historically tolerated in our industry”. He said this “behaviour is less prevalent now, but it is still a problem and it is something we all need to confront”.
Television production often involves high pressure and late nights, as well as a social environment for young workers and older executives with access to private clubs and bars. There can be an imbalance of power, as poorly paid employees are at a disadvantage compared to the stars they are hired to support.
Labor experts say there is a growing willingness to report misconduct, but barriers to doing so remain. Dr. Richard Wallis, co-author of a study on management practices in unscripted television, said there is “a huge amount of insecurity… It creates a culture where people get away with it.”
Jenny Tingle, assistant national secretary of Bectu, the union representing film and television workers, agreed: “You have to maintain a good reputation and good contacts.” While organisations have made changes, introducing pledges and helplines, “there will always be fear that people will speak up.”
According to Caroline Norbury, chief executive of Creative UK, the independent network for the UK’s creative industries, lines of command can be opaque. “It’s not always clear who’s in charge. There’s an army of freelancers, whose responsibility it is to make sure that [staff] “Behaving ethically can be lost.”
Bad management
Looking Glass’s latest survey, conducted by the Film and TV Charity, found that 46 per cent of respondents said they had experienced harassment, bullying or discrimination. A similar proportion (45 per cent) of managers who had had to deal with harassment allegations felt unequipped to do so.
Another study by the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, a new body aiming to improve conduct, found that almost one in three creative industries professionals were not confident they knew their rights in relation to employment issues. This was most evident in television and film, particularly among those under 35, those in mid-level positions and women. Around half did not feel confident about raising concerns.
“We continue to promote people based on their technical excellence,” said Colin Ellis, author of Detox your culture“Some managers shouldn’t be managers. When we put people in those positions, we don’t teach them the basics of management: how to give feedback and set expectations.”
When the TV and film industry was booming, production companies and broadcasters were scrambling to train staff as a way of retaining them, Wallis added. But as economic conditions have deteriorated, “that has gone out the window. Hiring has dried up. Why would we invest in our workforce when there is no work?” Short-term contracts can act as a disincentive to address management issues. “It’s much easier to let people get to the end of their three-month contract than to address the problem,” he said.
Workplace experts said interventions were needed to help reduce abuse and harassment. “These include making expectations of acceptable behaviour very clear, providing feedback on how one behaves, and ensuring that employees are aware of the situation and are aware of the situation.” [affects] “Most people don’t want to be jerks or be seen as jerks, and they want to be given guidance on concrete actions to minimize harassment,” said Donald Sull, a professor of practice at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. It’s important to bring teams together to agree on standards of conduct and disciplinary procedures at the start of a project.
Norbury, however, is sceptical that management failures are the problem.[The industry] It may not produce traditional managers, but [does] “Producing entrepreneurial managers who are flexible and willing to change.”
Clash of cultures
He Strictly This episode has highlighted the problem of two worlds colliding, where professional dancers, who have grown up under intense discipline, expect the same from their students. Terry Hyde, founder of Stepps, a charity that looks after the wellbeing of professional dancers, and a former dancer himself, spoke of a tradition where teachers would shout: “The old-school way of training is fear. Professional dancers are so focused on getting a result that some go beyond what is necessary.” Hyde realised there were other ways to get the best out of dancers, including visualising movements.
This is consistent with research by Robert Lount, a professor of management and human resources at Ohio State University. Abusive supervision, he said, is detrimental to helping employees develop skills. “Subordinates who succeed under an abusive boss do so not because of the abusive behaviors, but in spite of these unnecessary impediments and challenges.”
However, interpreting this type of behaviour is tricky. “When someone is a high performer, we tend to interpret it in a more benevolent way and believe that they are trying to help us improve our performance because they know how to get results,” Lount adds.
MIT’s Sull cautioned that employees’ perceptions of abuse (such as rudeness, ridicule, and anger) or harassment can differ and “be determined by, among other things, their sense of entitlement, emotional instability, and other personality traits.”
This highlights that while employers are more sensitive to allegations of misconduct, they also need to be firm. “In the past, organizations would ignore them or shut them down. Now, an organization has a responsibility to investigate. Just because someone says someone else’s behavior or culture is toxic doesn’t necessarily mean it is,” said author Ellis.