New inclusive recruitment toolkit for the screen industries

06/07/23

This new toolkit offers organisations in the screen industries a step-by-step approach to improving diversity.

Recruitment in the screen industries needs to change – and this toolkit, produced by the Bridge Group and commissioned by the Screen Industries Growth Network (SIGN), shows that change is possible.

The toolkit reviews the latest evidence to identify inequalities in the sector in relation to gender identity, ethnic background, socio-economic background and geography. It provides valuable insight into the underlying challenges, gleaned from a series of expert interviews with senior people working in the sector.

Most importantly, the toolkit identifies solutions. It highlights national and regional examples of good practice; and presents practical step-by-step advice on improving diversity and inclusion in relation to hiring, progression, outreach, culture, data collection and geography. Options are tailored to the size of an organisation.

These alternative approaches will help the screen industries to move away from the currently widespread reliance on informal recruitment practices and trusted networks. The toolkit also suggests how to change the organisational structure of the screen industries and the project-based nature of contracts. Inclusive recruitment practice, in this wider sense, is a vital tool in improving diversity in the screen industries.

Accessing the toolkit

The toolkit was launched at a workshop which presented key findings from the research, case studies from organisations in the sector, and a discussion regarding implementation practices.

Download the toolkit and an Action Plan template from the SIGN website

Summary of report

Current inequalities: a snapshot

While women comprise 38% of those working in the screen industries in the UK, they comprise only 14% of directors on British film productions – with this figure dropping to 1% for women from ethnic minority backgrounds. In general, people from ethnic minority backgrounds are underrepresented in senior positions in the screen industries. And of those working in the screen industries, only 25% come from working class backgrounds, 13 percentage points lower than across all UK industries. There is also underrepresentation relating to age, disability and caring responsibilities; and there are stark regional inequalities.

Employers’ views

The toolkit is informed by senior people working in the sector. They acknowledge that the context in which the industry operates means that change isn’t easy. For example, the screen industries are currently experiencing a skills shortage and are operating under the economic pressures which flow from commissioning. Employers reported that experience of working in the sector is widely viewed as the most important factor in gaining work. And they observed that there is an underdeveloped conversation around socio-economic background. But employers also pointed to examples of good practice in diversity and inclusion in the screen industries – while noting that these tended to be ‘pockets’ of good practice, rather than systemic.

Case studies

The toolkit outlines examples of good practice in a range of organisations:

>        Resource Productions for doing apprenticeships well

>        Vanitas Arts for developing inclusive training programmes

>        TAPE for practising co-production

>        Ukie for hosting events with purpose

>        The BBC for collecting the relevant data

>        Idle Work Factory for working with local trainees.

The case studies illustrate that organisations of all types, both large and small, can contribute to the diversity and inclusion agenda.

Action plan

Commissioning organisations have a key role in developing a more diverse and inclusive screen industries sector, since the requirements they set drive much current practice. For example, they can factor in geography when commissioning and look locally for skills and experience when setting up a project. They can explore the options for remote working. And it is important to ensure that budgets and timelines reflect respectively the resource and time required to recruit accessibly and inclusively.

There are plenty of practicable options for small organisations too. These include advertising roles beyond traditional professional networks, including relevant practical information in job descriptions and allowing enough time to recruit inclusively. And all organisations can commit to hiring a minimum number of people with no prior experience on each project.

The toolkit also provides advice on how even small organisations can provide training and development opportunities for their staff; and undertake outreach to help grow the numbers of people from diverse backgrounds applying for jobs.

Networking and collaboration are key areas of development for both large and small organisations. Working together and co-ordinating across the screen industries helps organisations to pool resources, share ideas and challenge cultural norms. This can achieve large-scale change.

Collecting the right data is critical for understanding the problem. The toolkit provides guidance on what information to collect on employees, contractors, and candidates – and on how to do so, while respecting privacy and confidentiality.