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Putting people first: using communication and data to create safer workplaces

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What does transparency really mean in production? And how do we make it more than just a buzzword?

In this episode, Elizabeth Peyton-Jones - founder of Talent Trust - an organisation that helps productions create safer, more inclusive sets through anonymous, real-time crew feedback - joins Keith Arrowsmith and Tacita Small to break down why transparency, preparation, and communication are essential ingredients in creating psychologically safe and inclusive working environments on set. 

They explore how small missteps at the start of a project can lead to silence, burnout, and costly fallout later on, and why data-driven insights matter when it comes to supporting diverse crews and creating a culture of trust.

With plentiful experience and evidence gathered from anonymous surveys, Elizabeth shares practical steps production teams can take from the hiring process to the wrap party - to ensure teams feel heard, protected, and proud of the projects they’re part of.

The WorkWise for Screen podcast is supported by the BFI, awarding National Lottery Funding.

This episode covers:

  • What transparency really means in screen work
  • How miscommunication early on erodes trust and morale
  • How Talent Trust uses anonymous feedback to improve productions in real-time
  • Why inclusive hiring is just the beginning - and what comes next

Episode Topics

Introductions, why transparency matters, power dynamics and spotting issues early (0:00-06:40)
 

Why whistleblowing happens, why psychological safety matters, the importance of strong leadership (06:40 - 10:50)
 

The power of anonymous tools, creating feedback loops that actually work, how small changes prevent burnout and future crises (10:50 - 14:55)
 

Buildig trust, survey data reveals support gaps for diverse teams, diverse teams need tailored support - not one-size-fits-all(14:55 - 21:20)
 

Maintaining good communication, boosting morale and trust, where to find resources (21:20 to end)

Episode Highlights

“By the time somebody's whistle blown, it's because they've had so much - so many problems, so many things unchecked, unseen, unheard, so much damage that they just don't care anymore. They don't care about their own jobs, they don't care about anybody else's, they're just out to really voice it. And so we try, well, we try, do, at Talent Trust, we're picking up what's happening down the pipeline so we can better understand, you know, how people are feeling as it unfolds so that it's a preventative tool.” - Elizabeth Peyton-Jones (06:10 - 06:40)

“We know our data is very clear that psychological safety is up there with performance and everything, physical safety as well as conduct, et cetera. But how do you make people feel psychologically safe and it feels like it's one of those things that are unobtainable or, you know, you can't predict or do. But actually that's not true. What our data has found very, very clearly is that it starts at [the] very beginning. You're talking about contracts and you're talking about signing that contract and knowing what your role is. When it starts there, I mean, often these people are pushed into a contract so late, they haven't even read it, which means that later what happens is, is if they do want to complain, someone says, “Well, you signed the contract, you knew what you were set up for.” - Elizabeth Peyton-Jones (09:45 - 08:20) 

“Hiring more diverse talent is essential, but it's just one step. It's not the finish line. And that's what our data really is saying, because, if someone is cast or booked, that feels unsupported or unseen or unsafe, that's not inclusion. You know, that's exposure.” - Elizabeth Peyton-Jones (00:20:45 - 21:05) 


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