The review, conducted by an external consultancy, found no evidence of a toxic work culture at the BBC. However, it did find that a minority group of staff behaved unacceptably, and that bad behaviour was not always addressed.
The consultants put forward six recommendations which included enabling a “more rounded feedback culture” in which employees feel comfortable calling out inappropriate behaviour, and ensuring a swift response to reports of unacceptable and inappropriate behaviour, with “independent audits across all aspects of the case management process”.
The review was commissioned last August after BBC newsreader Huw Edwards pled guilty to accessing indecent photos of children.
As BBC officials reflect on the review's findings, we asked commentators how businesses should conduct culture audits.
Culture audits should be implemented as an ongoing practice, explained leadership and culture consultant Jackie Handy.
She told HR magazine: “Organisations should embed a regular process of listening and acting as a leadership fundamental. Training will be key to this. Culture audits should be ongoing, including unique lived experience and supported by genuine psychological safety.
“Questions must be asked to obtain a true reflection of the business on a continual basis. For example, when have you felt safe to speak up? When haven’t you? Include evidence from exit interviews – why are you leaving? – as well as stay interviews – what keeps you here?”
Read more: Foxtons has “more to do” to improve workplace culture, chief executive says
Starting in October 2024, consultants commissioned by the BBC spoke to 2,500 employees and freelancers, the review documentation stated. Consultants held one-to-one meetings as well as group discussions with staff, conducted surveys, and received written submissions.
Consultants also spoke to BBC’s staff networks and organisations that work across the media sector, including external professional bodies, charities, trade unions and production companies.
Among the report's recommendations was a call for the broadcaster to use more real-time culture data, and to accelerate leadership and management development.
Charlie Coode, founder of culture consultancy Cutlure15, urged business leaders to focus on management’s role in improving culture.
Speaking to HR magazine, he said: “Culture in any organisation lives in the day-to-day behaviours of management. Organisations that place culture at the heart of how they operate put the primary responsibility for culture with managers. The BBC seems to have seen it as a board responsibility and solved the problem through more rules. This will not be successful in sustainably shifting the culture as they are seeking compliance from managers in avoiding negative behaviours rather than seeking advantage from an aligned and effective culture.
“Rather than a one-off culture audit, it's vital to measure culture on an ongoing basis, and to give managers the data, analysis and recommendations to drive their ownership and action.”
Read more: Real change starts with measuring business culture
Business leaders should also ensure that their employees’ concerns are being heard and recognised, emphasised Paul O'Donnell, managing director at workplace relationships specialist CMP.
O’Donnell told HR magazine: “For there to be real change across BBC workplaces, employees will have to see the difference in terms of how their concerns are received and the resulting actions. They have to see the change for themselves, and not just be told it's happening. It's all about evidence of change, and building up trust over time.
"The BBC has to be careful about next steps. Our experience with large organisations like the BBC, where there's always a range of gaps in power between both senior and junior staff and types of expertise, is that a blunt crackdown on inappropriate behaviours doesn’t work. There's a need for better everyday HR processes that get issues out in the open, and makes sure they're dealt with in reasonable and constructive ways, earlier.”
