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Exploring the feasibility of a shorter working day in the TV industry

Following global desk research, a UK poll and shadowing the filming of two productions, we developed a blueprint for a shorter working day for TV crew. The aim is to address wellbeing concerns, and to improve recruitment and retention by making the sector a more attractive place to work.

By Emma Stewart, Co-Founder

It’s almost a year since Timewise reported on ways to increase flexible working in the film and TV industry. Our conclusion back then was that the biggest challenge for people who work in this sector is not so much a lack of flexibility, as simply its long hours’ culture.

With 10+ hours hard-wired into daily film schedules, the problem is structural. And with management fears of additional costs to change the approach, coupled with the absence of any detailed analysis of how to make this work, the working model is in a stalemate situation.

So this latest project has assessed the viability of a shorter working day of 8 hours. We looked at working models in other countries, polled over 800 UK crew members, and shadowed two productions to explore the likely impact of a shorter day on the filming process and its budget.

The result is a blueprint for an 8 hour filming day, with guidelines on how to implement it successfully and projections for the likely additional costs (which turned out to be considerably lower than feared).
The next step? We now hope that our findings will encourage the commissioning of a future drama production on a shorter day model, and are talking with a number of commissioners and funders to take this forward. If successful, the idea is to share the results of the pilot across the industry to drive top down change for the benefit of all who work in this creative but stressful sector.

Published February 2024

The aim of A Question of Time is to capture the whole picture of part-time working in the UK, right now. It’s not a simple story.

In partnership with Opinium, we surveyed both full-time and part-time 4,001 workers and undertook focus groups to gain a deeper understanding of people’s experiences of and views on part-time working.

There’s a mixed story of blocked career paths, conflicting views – and a glimpse of hope (see our video).

Reduced hours are seen as a central way to manage life and health needs. But there are distinct cultural and economic barriers to overcome. Part-time work is perceived to limit career progression, particularly among the ‘gatekeepers’ of career success: managers.

Yet, ironically, managers are the most likely occupational group to express an interest in working part-time in the future.

In this report, we shine a spotlight onto people’s experiences and perceptions of part-time working to contribute much needed new insight into labour market inequalities. By gathering a deeper understanding of the realities of part-time work, and differing attitudes towards it, we’re better able to direct action to deliver change, improving the lives of workers by granting them greater flexibility and choice.

Reasons for working part-time

Part-time employment is prevalent in the UK, especially among women. However, there has been a slow decrease in women’s participation in part-time work, and a slight increase in men’s.

41% of people work part-time to manage either care or home related responsibilities, and 22% work part-time to better manage their mental and/or physical health. The findings highlight the gender inequalities associated with caring responsibilities, yet also draw attention to the health crisis.

Covid has changed things. People want to pursue interests beyond work. Part-time shouldn’t just be for parents.

YOUNGER WORKER, FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANT

Part-time working and career progression

Nearly half of all survey respondents believe part-time working can limit career progression, and over a third of workers consider it to be primarily for parents and carers, rising to 1 in 4 among those in the managerial occupational group.

Differences in the perception of the status of part-time work by age, ethnicity, education and occupation include:

  • While 51% of younger workers (18-35) agree that ‘part-time working limits career progression’, only 37% of workers over 50 do.
  • Asian workers are more likely to say that part-time work limits career progression than workers from white backgrounds (58% versus 45%).
  • People in managerial and professional occupations hold a more negative view of part-time working than those in routine occupations (53% versus 36%). This is significant given that many managers are the ‘gatekeepers’ of part-time and flexible options. Ironically, it’s people in this occupational group that are more likely to say that they would consider working part-time in the future.

Do workers feel empowered to change their working arrangements?

While half of the survey respondents would be happy to talk to their employer about changing their working arrangements, 30% would not be comfortable discussing reduced hours. Of the respondents, younger workers and those with temporary contracts were least comfortable discussing changing their working arrangements. However, this group were more likely to consider taking advantage of the new day one right to request flexible working in a future role, and significantly more respondents from black minority ethnic groups than white ethnic groups would do the same.

The focus groups supported these findings as well as highlighting that workers were more comfortable discussing working arrangements once more established in their role, with a build up of trust between employer and employee.

At junior level, it’s difficult to discuss flex but as you become more senior and gain trust and respect, it’s easier to pursue it. The ‘right to flex’ is seen as a reward for good work and being trusted. It’s something you earn and isn’t something you automatically have.

OLDER WORKER, FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANT

In conclusion

Our new findings show there’s a strong demand for part-time working, regardless of gender, occupation and income, and it has a key part to play in tackling societal challenges such as managing health and wellbeing and the increased burden of social care. There is an urgent need for joined up action by employers, policymakers and government to tackle inequalities in the part-time labour market and create more inclusive workplaces where employees can thrive.

So what can employers do today to make a difference?

  • A range of flexible working arrangements should be available to all roles, enabling people to reduce or increase their working hours if they choose to do so.
  • Showcase the possibilities of working part-time in a wide range of roles, including senior ones, to bust the myth that part-time is a barrier to progression.
  • Adopt a gender- and reason-neutral approach in defining and enabling part-time options so they’re clearly available to all and not just parents and carers.
  • Job share should be seen as a key solution to making part-time an option in senior roles and enabling career development.

Timewise is grateful to our corporate supporters for making the project possible: Diageo, Lloyds Banking Group and Phoenix Group.

Published December 2023


Watch the Timewise A Question of Time webinar below:

Our 9th annual Flexible Jobs Index© reports negligible change on the previous year’s level of job adverts offering flexible working. Only 31% do so, signifying an end to the progress that was made during and since the pandemic, when hybrid working became the norm for many UK jobs.

The stagnation is surprising in the light of the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023, with its accompanying regulation giving people the right to request flexible working from day one in a new job. It suggests that many employers remain resistant to flexibility for new recruits, and are not preparing for the change that is coming when the new law is implemented next year.

To be fair to employers, complex workplace transformation takes time.  And the pressure to adapt to flex coincides with huge challenges in terms of pay rises to cover the increased cost of living, whilst grappling with an economic downturn. However, it has never been more important to look beyond the barriers and consider the evidence that flexible working is a powerful talent attraction tool. Candidates increasingly want and expect to be able to work flexibly, and with new legislation on the way that is not about to change.

KEY FINDINGS

YEAR ON YEAR TREND HAS PLATEAUED

The proportion of job adverts which offer flexible working appears to be stalling. The 2023 rate of 31% represents barely any increase on 30% in 2022, and follows three years of a marked upward trend during and since the pandemic, as many organisations embraced hybrid-working.

GAP BETWEEN SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF FLEXIBLE JOBS

The supply of flexible vacancies lags far behind demand. 6 in 10 employees can access the benefits of flexibility in their current job, and many more people want to work flexibly. Yet only 3 in 10 jobs are advertised with flexible working – or, to look at it another way, people who need flexibility are unable to apply for 7 in 10 jobs.

DIFFERENCES BY TYPE OF FLEXIBILITY/SALARY

The higher the salary, the lower the availability of part-time jobs. Conversely, home-working (including hybrid working) is least available in lower paid jobs and peaks for jobs paid £60k-£79k.

These imbalances create unfairness in the workplace. The lack of part-time jobs at higher salaries traps many people in their low-paid part-time roles. It also creates barriers for those who take a temporary break from work and need a part-time role to re-enter the workforce. Meanwhile, hybrid arrangements, which make up the majority of home-working jobs, are primarily associated with higher-paid office roles and are inaccessible to many.

Greater parity can be achieved, if employers look more closely at what flexibility is possible in a role and design it into jobs.

DIFFERENCES IN FLEXIBILITY BY ROLE CATEGORY

Access to flexible working at the point of hire varies widely depending on the type of role. Those that are largely based around shifts offer flex the most – for example social services (45% of job adverts) and medical/health (38%). Above average access to flex is also offered in a number of office-based role categories, because of increased home-working – for example, HR (39%), marketing (38%), and finance (38%).

But some role categories have stubbornly low rates of flex, such as manufacturing (11%), and construction (10%). This may be gender based – they are male dominated roles where historically low requests for flexibility may have shaped cultural resistance to it.

WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS DO ABOUT THIS?

CIPD research published in May 2023 found that 49% of employers were not even aware of the 2023 legislation on flexible working, and the regulation around the day-one right to request it. So first, employers need to read up on the new legislation and think through how they will incorporate it into their processes.

The best way to gain knowledge and confidence on how to make flexibility work in your organisation is to find successful examples in your sector. Guidance on flexible job design will be helpful, as will advice on how to support line managers to implement flex.

Look particularly at how to make a success of hybrid working, which is currently the subject of much doubt amongst employers. Before you row back on hybrid, or decide not to trial it, invest time in understanding models that are successful.

And finally, it’s a mistake to assume that candidates will know they can ask for flexible working at interview. People who need flex want to know it’s on offer before they waste time on an application. This is especially true if they have been out of the labour market for a while, as they may lack the confidence to ask. So be sure to state clearly in your job adverts which types of flexibility are possible for the role.


Watch the Timewise Flexible Jobs Index© 2023 webinar below:

Flexible hiring – advertising job vacancies as flexible from day one – is a key building block for fair access to work. It is a lifeline for people who need to work flexibly; a tool for employers to attract more talent; and at a societal level, it can help tackle inequality.

Yet the latest Scottish Flexible Jobs Index finds that only 28% of advertised vacancies offer flexible working, barely any higher than the previous year (27%). This rate lags far behind both demand for flexibility and workplace practice – 8 in 10 Scottish people want to work flexibly, with 6 in 10 already doing so.

There are also several underlying concerns. Home-working (including hybrid) is the only form of flexibility that is increasing, while part-time arrangements (highly sought by people with caring commitments) show no growth at all. And potential inequalities between workers are exacerbated by wide discrepancies in access to flex at different salary levels, by occupation and by region.

Employers need to change their approach as a matter of urgency, especially in light of forthcoming legislation on the ‘day one right to request flexible working’. Our report contains recommendations for employers and policy makers on how best to adapt.

With a standard working day of 11 hours, and crew increasingly work back to back on productions because of escalating demand for new film and TV shows, the sector is under immense strain. The drain of skilled and experienced people (especially women) in mid-career is endemic, as the long and unpredictable hours are incompatible with raising a family.

Our action research project explored potential opportunities to improve flexible working – the underlying goals being to reduce long hours, enhance health and wellbeing, and enable productions to attract and retain talent.

We identified several tactical ways to introduce flexibility to some roles within the constraints of the current working model. Alongside our report, we have therefore produced a checklist of practical actions for production teams to consider.

However, there is no getting away from it: the biggest challenge is the length of the standard 11-hour day. The majority of crew and producers we spoke to believe that fundamentally tackling this is the way to change the industry, increase retention and minimise burn out.  Piloting a model for a shorter working day is therefore the key recommendation of our research report.

Published March 2023

Fair Flexible Work for Scotland

In 2020, we were commissioned by the Scottish Government to help improve access to fair flexible working for parents and carers, as part of their Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan. Having carried out a feasibility study, we concluded that we need to take a systemic approach, equipping intermediaries who were already working with job seekers and employers, so they were able to advise on flexible working.

The result was Fair Flexible Work for Scotland, a two-year programme through which we created a network of Change Agents from 70 intermediary organisations. We trained them up to offer the right support, as well as connecting them to a range of wider experts on flexible working, including the Scotland-based Flexibility Works.

This report sets out how we carried out this work, and shares the positive outcomes from the programme. It’s fair to say that it was a resounding success; highlights include 80% of participants saying they have a better understanding of how to influence employers to enable a fairer, more successful approach to hybrid working, and 76% strongly agreeing that “I am motivated to take action to ensure fairer access to flexible work by more people.” We will continue to monitor the impact of the support that the Change Agents are providing, and are currently exploring the potential of replicating this model elsewhere in the UK.

Published September 2022

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In the summer of 2021, we published the report on our Construction Pioneers Programme; and people across the industry sat up and took notice. The programme demonstrated beyond any doubt that it IS possible to introduce flexible working for on-site roles, and that the benefits of doing so are clear.

One year on, we have gone back to our Construction Pioneers to review their progress; and the good news is, flexible working is continuing to be a success story for all four firms. They have rolled out and built further on the learnings from the programme, with no detrimental effect on budgets or timelines and with plenty of positive impact on staff well-being and performance.

Additionally, our Pioneers believe that that flexible working has been a key contributor to a huge reduction in sickness absence – by over one third in two of the firms. They are also reporting increased productivity levels through the use of hybrid working, which they feel is the result of having a happier workforce better able to manage their commitments outside of work.

This review explores our Pioneers’ progress against the recommendations from our 2021 report. It highlights the impact of the changes they have made, and shares insights from leaders about what works. And it also sets out what needs to happen to cascade these learnings across the industry as a whole.

Published July 2022

Science lesson

It’s no exaggeration to say that the teaching profession is in the middle of a staffing crisis. Research from the National Education Union suggests the 44% of teachers are planning to leave within five years, and that it’s getting harder to fill vacancies, with a knock-on effect on workloads and wellbeing for remaining staff.

Introducing flexible working in teaching is less straightforward than in office-based roles, for a range of reasons. Complications around timetabling and culture, the frontline nature of the role and the intensity of the school day all play their part.

But all the evidence suggests that the positive impact it has on staff retention and recruitment makes it well worth the investment. The reasons why schools should implement flexible working are clear; what’s been less certain, until now, is how do it well.

Our Teaching Pioneers Programme sought to close this knowledge gap. Working with eight secondary schools, within three MATs, we spent 16 months exploring how best to champion and deliver flexible working within the profession.

Our learnings from the programme, and the implications for schools, academy trusts and policymakers, are set out in a full report, which you can download below. You can also download a guide, based on what we learned, which provides practical support for headteachers.

Published June 2022

Beyond the hype of hybrid report

With Covid restrictions now lifted across the UK, most organisations are opting for a hybrid blend of in-office and home-based working for non-frontline employees. But because of the in-out nature of the last two years, there has been limited scope to measure what works best.

At Timewise, we are curious about what has really changed, and how much will stick. We are also acutely aware of the inclusion and equity risks of poorly implemented hybrid arrangements, especially for key groups and frontline employees. And we believe that, in order to move successfully to a long-term hybrid model, organisations first need to understand how it is working on the ground.

It’s for these reasons that we have created our report, Beyond the hype of hybrid. Developed with the support of 14 organisations at varying stages of hybrid implementation, it explores the risks, challenges, benefits and successes of today’s on-the-ground hybrid practices, and sets out three critical priorities for businesses to focus on going forwards.

The report also includes advice from experts within the tech, legal and facilities sectors, and shares recommendations from Timewise about what businesses should do next to make the reality of hybrid live up to the hype.

Fair Flexible Futures 3 report

In frontline sectors, which often run on tight margins and with an acceptance that staff churn is high, it’s particularly difficult to make a business case for investment in flexible working. But frontline workers have borne the brunt of the pandemic, whilst seeing other workers reap the benefits of increased homeworking and flexible hours. In the face of acute skills shortages, employers need to level up by seeking flexible solutions for frontline workers, or risk losing even more of them.

Following on from successful pilot programmes in five frontline sectors (retail, construction, social care, teaching and the NHS), Timewise commissioned the Institute for Employment Studies to undertake a break-even analysis of investing in flexible working. IES calculated how quickly the benefits of improved retention and reduced sickness absence could offset the costs of a typical programme.

The findings make a strong case: within just a few years, savings begin to outweigh the costs of implementing flexible working, and begin to deliver financial returns.

We hope this powerful analysis will help fill the evidence gap on flexible working ROI, and provide the impetus for employers and policymakers to prioritise investment in changes to working patterns, for the benefit of business, the individuals they employ, and society as a whole.

Published April 2022

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