Take two - job-sharing in film&TV
Job-sharing certainly has a role to play in every industry. The key, we believe, is understanding the demands and culture of each and adapting to them.
Our core approach though – helping job sharers to establish how their partnership will work before working together – remains constant.
In industries where there is likely to be a long-term employer-employee relationship, the rationale for investing in our services is absolutely clear. The short-term cost is outweighed very quickly by the retention of great staff and organisational knowledge, and by the resultant continuity and diversity.
Where work is more often project-based, like film&TV often is, it is harder to make that case.
And yet, they face the same challenges as other industries – how to retain talented people; how to make it possible to combine work and family life; how to solve problems innovatively. At the same time, the rapid growth in film and TV productions has led to crew shortages.
It is clear the job-sharing can resolve all of these challenges…
…if we can just find a way to support job sharers outside of the employer-sharer relationship. And the really good news is that increasing numbers of Line Producers and HODs are open to job-sharing.
So we were delighted when BECTU Vision approached us to co-deliver a pilot to nurture the growth of job-sharing for film & TV crew in Scotland. BECTU Vision have created a central pot of funding (from Screen Scotland, Scottish Union Learning, BBC and BECTU) to seed job-sharing.
Alongside advocacy, impartial support, and information, practitioners will be able to download a free Job Share Blueprint and also coaching.
As the pilot progresses, we’ll capture case studies from the perspective of the sharers themselves, but also their colleagues and producers, to show the value that sharing can bring.
Creating a central pot of money like this is a great way to grow job-sharing in industries like film&TV.
We’re keen to both replicate in the rest of the UK and build on success stories and encourage the industry to recognise the value and importance of job-sharing and contribute to a long-term funding pot to keep delivering this support.
If you would like to learn more, or think a pilot could lead to a break through in your industry, drop us a line.