Leaked Emails Show BBC Chiefs' Concern Over Confidence In Bullying, Harassment & Whistleblowing Procedures
EXCLUSIVE: A BBC staff survey has exposed a 'really concerning' level of confidence over how the corporation handles bullying and harassment complaints, according to internal emails from the corporation's news boss and interim content chief.
The memos from Deborah Turness and Kate Phillips, both sent to their teams this week and seen by Deadline, hone in on misconduct as a key issue, coming as a high-profile workplace culture review gets set to publish in just a few days' time.
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Phillips' email said that, 'really concerningly,' confidence that bullying or harassment concerns will be dealt with appropriately had dropped by 6%, according to the staff survey.
In her email to her team, Turness noted: 'Our scores on how we handle bullying and harassment are not where they should be, with 48% thinking we deal with concerns appropriately and only 43% of people saying they have confidence in our whistleblowing policy.'
Overall, Deadline understands 58% of BBC employees believe bullying or harassment concerns will be dealt with appropriately and 51% say they have confidence in whistleblowing policies.
Turness' email went on to say: 'It's really important that this improves – we are committed to doing better.' She cited how the workplace culture review will 'include changes and actions that will be put in place to address the findings.'
Sparked by ex-BBC News anchor Huw Edwards' guilty plea, the workplace culture review will publish Monday first to staff and then to press and the public, with chair Samir Shah telling staff two days ago: 'This is an important moment for our BBC.'
Bullying at the BBC has been under the microscope following a series of allegations made against top talent and senior figures.
Deadline revealed that one of Turness' top brass, Breakfast boss Richard Frediani, was recently given more power after facing allegations of bullying, favoritism and shaking a female colleague. Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed that the BBC had upheld 39 bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment cases over the past three years, but only 13 people had faced disciplinary action and just one staffer was dismissed.
Director General Tim Davie has previously said he wants Change Associates, which conducted the workplace culture review, to make practical recommendations about how managers can create a culture where there is 'zero tolerance' for wrongdoing. The corporation already offers wellbeing resources, a bullying and harassment helpline and a counselling service.
A BBC spokeswoman said: 'We take all forms of bullying, harassment and misconduct incredibly seriously. We want the BBC to be a place where expectations on standards and behaviour are clear and where people feel confident in raising issues or concerns, if they do occur. That is why we launched the Workplace Culture Review, which will be published shortly.'
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