The Nine culture review by Intersection found an estimated 57%* of Stan employees had experienced or witnessed abuse of power or authority, while 55%* had experienced bullying, discrimination or harassment and 32%* had experienced sexual harassment – the latter was the highest amongst any Nine division.
Stan, while identified as a Division of Nine for group purposes, operates under a separate organisational structure with a separate Chief Executive Officer and enabling functions. Survey results indicate that there is a heightened risk of inappropriate workplace behaviours occurring in the Stan and Radio Divisions.
Employees in the Stan (62%), Radio (60%) and Broadcast (52%) Divisions were most likely to have been bystanders to bullying, discrimination or harassment. These Divisions also reported the highest prevalence of bullying, discrimination or harassment.
Across the Nine group, almost half (45%) of women between the ages of 25–34 reported experiencing sexual harassment, compared to one in six (16%) men of the same ages. This is a much greater gender-based difference when compared to bullying, discrimination or harassment, where women between the ages of 25–34 (54%) reported similar rates to men of the same ages (50%).
The most recent incident of sexual harassment was most likely to occur at a victim’s desk or where they work
(36%), at a work social event (such as after-work drinks or a function) (32%), or in a social area for employees (such as a break or lunch room) (19%).
The most recent incident of bullying, discrimination or harassment was most likely to occur at a victim’s workstation or where they work (35%) followed by in a meeting with two or more attendees (14%). The public nature of these locations is consistent with the survey finding that over two in five (44%) employees had witnessed bullying, discrimination or harassment at Nine. See Section 4.4.1.1 ‘Witnessing bullying, discrimination or harassment’.
The majority of victims of bullying, discrimination or harassment had experienced this behaviour more than once in the last five years. Women were more likely than men to experience repeated bullying, discrimination or harassment. A quarter of victims reported experiencing these behaviours for more than 12 months.11 Women were more likely than men to experience bullying, discrimination or harassment for more than 12 months.
Bullying, discrimination or harassment across Nine was most often perpetrated by a man (66%) who was most
commonly a co-worker or peer (44%), or a senior leader (43%). In the majority of cases the perpetrator was
acting alone (53%) and was almost always known to the victim (93%).
Men were most likely to report being bullied, discriminated against or harassed by another man (75%), who was
most commonly a senior leader (49%). Women were most likely to report being bullied, discriminated against or
harassed by a man (59%) who was most commonly a co-worker or peer (46%).
The three most cited types of sexual harassment experienced by Nine employees were:
• sexually suggestive comments or jokes (15%)
• intrusive questions about their private life or physical appearance (13%)
• inappropriate physical contact (8%).
The survey results indicate that both Radio and Stan have similar workplace culture issues to the Broadcast Division. These three divisions have similar prevalence rates for all forms of inappropriate workplace behaviours measured in the survey, and employee experiences indicate a lack of leadership action and accountability as a common driver of inappropriate workplace behaviours across the Divisions.
* Due to a smaller sample size, all results reported for Stan should be treated as indicative only.
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