By Catherine Ngo Content writer, presenter and podcaster

Nine Entertainment (Nine) has released an independent review of its workplace culture and practices. The review was conducted by Intersection, an organisational culture consultancy, involved a comprehensive company-wide survey and in-depth interviews with employees in the TV News & Current Affairs department.

The review was initiated in response to sexual harassment, misuse of power and inappropriate behaviour allegations involving Darren Wick, Nine's former director of news and current affairs and other members of the leadership team.

The Nine Board received the Intersection report, which has been shared with its five thousand employees. This report aims to serve as the foundation for ongoing efforts to enhance Nine's organisational and workplace culture.

 

Report findings 

The review highlighted that over half (52%) of Nine employees have experienced or witnessed abuse of power or authority in the last five years.
Additionally, 49% of employees have faced bullying, discrimination, or harassment, with sexual harassment affecting 24% of employees. A systemic issue at Nine includes abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination, and harassment; and sexual harassment.

These behaviours were driven by a lack of leadership accountability, power imbalances, gender inequality, a lack of diversity, and significant distrust in leaders at all levels.

 

Poor view of HR 

Based on 934 staff survey responses, 122 face-to-face interviews, and written submissions, a report revealed a "strong view" among Nine's Broadcast workforce regarding the company's HR. Respondents expressed concerns about various aspects of HR operations, including:

  • Representing the employer rather than employees.
  • Prioritizing bureaucratic processes over genuine resolution of reports or complaints.
  • Lack of a trauma-informed approach.
  • Insufficient local presence.
  • Viewing complaints as a burden or making employees feel uncomfortable for raising issues.

One respondent criticised HR saying, "They are very much on the side of the company. Their attitude is 'it's not our fault this happened.' We need a new HR department. It is a huge failure."

 

Recommendations and commitment to action

The report presents 22 essential recommendations categorized into foundational, intermediate, and advanced changes, aimed at transforming the culture at Nine. Following a thorough review, the Nine Board has pledged to implement all 22 recommendations.

To enhance the company's culture, management will create a comprehensive action plan by November 2024. This plan will be presented to both the Board and employees.

On the release of the report, Nine Chair Catherine West said, “The behaviour outlined in the report is unacceptable. Abuse of power, bullying, sexual harassment, and inappropriate conduct is not okay. This behaviour has no place at Nine.

“We acknowledge that too many of our past and present employees have been harmed by poor workplace culture, the prevalence of inappropriate workplace behaviours, and an inadequate response in the past from Nine to those behaviours.

“To any individual who has experienced inappropriate conduct that does not meet the values of Nine, we are deeply sorry. On behalf of the Board, I unreservedly apologise.
“The strength and courage these individuals have shown in sharing their stories as part of this process will allow us to move forward as an organisation with a clear understanding of where we went wrong, and their insights will help strengthen Nine’s culture for the better. For that, we thank them.

“Despite the proactive culture change agenda already underway, the reality is much more needs to be done and a cultural reset is required. Nine’s Board and leadership team are united in their commitment to accelerating and driving the required change.”

Matt Stanton, Nine's Acting Chief Executive Officer, expressed his deep concern after reviewing the Intersection report. He acknowledged that the accounts of unacceptable behaviours experienced by many employees across the organization were distressing. He emphasized that such behaviours are unacceptable in any workplace and fall short of the standards that Nine employees should expect.

While reflection is important, Stanton emphasised the need to move forward with a commitment to do better. He acknowledged Nine's responsibility to create a safe and respectful work environment that enables employees to perform at their best, as they deserve nothing less. Stanton's statement reflects a recognition of the need for change and a determination to address the issues raised in the Intersection report.

Natasha de Silva, the Principal of Intersection, stated that their report presents the results of the most extensive examination of culture ever conducted in the Australian media industry. While the review revealed concerning findings, the high survey participation rate indicates the Nine workforce's eagerness to contribute to cultural transformation.

The review's recommendations aim to create a safe, respectful, and inclusive culture for Nine into the future. The Board and management's commitment to transparency, evidenced by the release of the full review report, and their dedication to implementing the recommendations, are encouraging.

The report is available here.