On April 27th, HR experts from the media and entertainment industry gathered to commemorate the workplace of tomorrow.
The event showcased an array of sessions, panels, topics, and speakers, featuring some familiar faces from various companies. While the event was insightful and thought-provoking overall, we’ve compiled key highlights from the day.
Led by husband and wife, Chris Williams and Lara Williams, Joint Managing Directors of Momentum 4, the “Quiet Quitting: How Positive Leadership Solves this New Phenomenon” session addressed one of the latest challenges facing businesses today. The insidious nature of quiet quitting can result in disengagement and low productivity, which, if left unchecked, can negatively impact an organization’s culture and effectiveness.
It’s imperative for businesses to develop their leaders with the appropriate skills to tackle this problem. Failure to do so can lead to negative impacts on execution, team morale, talent retention, and ultimately, the bottom line. This session provided actionable advice on positive leadership skills that can effectively address the silent challenge of quiet quitting.
During the “Respect and Dignity in the Workplace” session, we were honoured to host a distinguished panel, featuring Lee Nair, Partner at Lewis Silkin, Waqas Ali, Head of HR at Netflix, Bella Lambourne, HR & Operations Director at Banijay, and Elonka Soros, a D&I Expert. The panel explored the significance of dignity and respect at work principles in fostering a healthy and welcoming environment that is free from bullying, harassment, and sexual misconduct.
The discussion shed light on various aspects of creating a positive workplace for all employees, from the boardroom to the studio. Waqas Ali shared a timely example of how Netflix hired a HR advisor to educate the cast and crew of the hit TV show “Sex Education” about non-binary issues, demonstrating the company’s commitment to diversity and combating discrimination.
During his talk, Russell Brimelow, a partner at Lewis Silkin, covered various current employment law topics pertinent to the media industry. He discussed the employment issues arising after Covid, new laws via Private Members’ Bills, the retained EU Law Bill, current issues from caselaw and politics & horizon scanning and emerging trends.
One key highlight of the session was the emerging trends. Russell delved into the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace, emphasizing the new proactive duty to take reasonable steps to prevent it, with failure potentially resulting in up to 25% uplift in ET compensation.
Another significant topic of discussion throughout the day was menopause in the workplace. Russell explained how there’s been an increase in workplace policies and tribunal claims surrounding it, indicating a shift towards greater awareness and understanding of this issue.
On behalf of Searchlight & Lumina, We’d like to thank everyone again for attending this memorable event, and look forward to seeing you next year!