Creative industry tolerates bad behaviour, finds Bectu survey

The figure is contained in a Bectu survey of 5,500 creative industry workers in non-performing roles, from theatre to live events, film and TV, and fashion.

In the survey, more than seven in 10 (71%) creative industry workers reported that behaviours that would be considered toxic and inappropriate in public life are often tolerated in the creative industries. This increased to eight in 10 workers in unscripted TV (79%) and 76% of global majority respondents. 

Additionally, more than six in 10 creative industry workers (61%) have personally witnessed or experienced bullying or harassment in the workplace. Overall, 69% of women in the sector said they had directly experienced workplace bullying and harassment in the last 12 months, while 72% of disabled workers and 63% of global majority workers said the same.

Bectu said the figures show that the creative sector still has significant work ahead to tackle bad behaviour, following a series of scandals such as the dismissal of former MasterChef Host Gregg Wallace.

The survey also found that only around half (55%) of those who have experienced bullying or harassment had reported the incident to their employer or engager. Further, just 12% reported the incident and were satisfied with the response, while 42% said the response when they reported was insufficient.

Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu, said: “The creative industries may be a jewel in the crown of the economy, but they have a dark underbelly, which is driving skilled workers out of the sector and leading to untold misery and exploitation.

“Our survey makes clear that recent scandals are just the tip of the iceberg, with the majority of workers in the sector having seen or experienced this toxic behaviour in the last year.”

Bectu research recently found that nearly half of the TV workforce is out of work, with thousands struggling to pay bills and a third considering leaving the industry altogether. Discover more here.