More than just a few ‘bad apples’: the need for a risk management approach to the problem of workplace bullying in the UK’s television industry

Abstract

In an extensive study of management practices within the UK’s unscripted television sector, more than 93% of respondents told us that they had experienced or witnessed some form of bullying or harassment within the workplace. Our findings confirm other similar reports from across the film and television sectors, and come at a time when a great deal of unwelcome media attention has been paid to some high-profile examples of such behaviour. The industry has begun to respond. New systems to facilitate whistle-blowing have been set up, and improved guidance has been issued to managers. Whilst such initiatives are not unwelcome, we argue that they do not go far enough. The problem is not one of ‘a few bad apples’ but rather it is one rooted in a systemic and complex set of underlying structures and processes. Many of the characteristics shown by our study to be commonplace in television work, are precisely those identified in the field of organisational psychology as risk factors for workplace bullying. We therefore call for a risk management approach to this problem; one that systematically recognises, appraises and minimises these risks.