Workplace Profiles

2021 Thriving Workplace Score

Rank

#9

of 19

Arts and recreation services

65.6/100

+1.9

65.6

+1.9

0
100

The Arts and recreation services industry includes museum or park operation, creative and performing arts, sports and physical recreation, horse and dog racing, amusement parks and gambling operations.

Graph – Thriving Score and Domain Score for the Arts and Recreation Services Industry over time

Industry Thriving Score: Progress over Time

The Arts and recreation services industry had good gains in all five thriving domains over the last 12 months and is now sitting at the national average overall, with a score of 65.6.

The area with the most room to improve is policy, which includes having a mental health strategy, policies against bullying and harassment, providing confidential counselling and support, and having a good return to work processes. Just over half of workers (51.1%) feel their workplace is supportive of worker’s mental health and wellbeing, indicating room for improvement in that area.

What can you do?

Policies set the tone for how leaders behave and can shape the culture of a workplace to be open and supportive around mental health. A great way to get your mental health policy started is to complete an audit to see what you currently have, how well its working, and where your gaps are.

This graph depicts the Thriving Score and Domain Score for the Arts and Recreation Services Industry over time
This graph depicts the Thriving Score and Domain Score for the Arts and Recreation Services Industry over time

Graph – Thriving Score and Domain Score for the Arts and recreation services industry over time

SuperFriend’s Workplace Wellbeing Audit
Learn how a workplace wellbeing audit can help your organisation

Within this industry…

57.3%

of workers have experienced a mental health condition* in the last 12 months
*Refer to Technical report notes

51.1%

of workers feel their workplace is highly supportive of workers’ mental health and wellbeing

75.4%

of workers plan to stay with their workplace for the next 12 months

Psychosocial Risk Profile

Psychosocial risks are workplace operations that increase stress and reduce mental wellbeing.
Read more

Inappropriate workload

2.6

Low recognition

2.6

Poor change management

2.5

Poor management support

2.4

Low job control

2.3

Poor role clarity

2.3

Poor workplace relationships

2.1

Poor working environment

1.9

Traumatic events

2.0

Key:

Table – Psychosocial Risk Profile for Arts and recreation services industry

Highest Psychosocial Risk

The highest psychosocial risks facing the Arts and recreation services industry are inappropriate workload and low recognition.

How can you manage this risk?

Inappropriate workload and low recognition are key risk areas for the Arts and recreation services industry.

Leaders can support their teams by:

  • Ensuring adequate work breaks are taken where possible where workloads are high and/or opportunities for professional growth and development where workloads are low
  • Regularly reviewing workloads and ensuring staff are properly trained to complete work assigned and/or assigning buddies or more experienced staff to mentor new recruits or those needing upskilling to support balancing workloads, whilst also strengthening culture and connection
  • Consider rotating tasks that are highly repetitive or monotonous
  • Encouraging staff to speak up and have input into the timing and order of work within the boundaries of the task requirements and deadlines
  • Having relief staff available to cover for staff who are on planned or unplanned leave.

Giving workers recognition for their work can boost morale and create a positive team culture. Some ideas for showing recognition include:

  • Praising great work and effort immediately via personal email or one-to-one conversation
  • Regularly and publicly celebrating successes e.g., good news stories from customers, staff award program
  • Rewarding star performers e.g., a gift card to their favourite brand, weekly team meetings shout outs, certificates at end of month for ‘best of’, leader boards, lunch/coffee voucher, organisation’s merchandise or customised trophy
  • Aligning organisational values to team or individual recognition of achievements that reflect these values (monthly/quarterly), and
  • Exploring employee ‘wellness days’ or sessions in support of individual wellbeing to also strengthen connectedness and culture. Included in this could be mindfulness sessions, massages, extended lunch breaks, fitness or yoga classes.

Learn More

Make sure your leaders have the skills they need with SuperFriend’s Leading Teams Well Package. It provides training, coaching and resources to build leader capability and promote mental wellbeing.

SuperFriend’s Leading Teams Well Being Package

The Arts Wellbeing Collective provides resources and services that support positive mental health for people working in the performing arts.

Arts Wellbeing Collective

Support Act has put together free mental health resources for the music industry. Click below to read more.

Support Act: Mental health resources for the music industry

Check out WorkSafe Victoria’s page on how to promote workplace recognition and reward.

WorkSafe Victoria: Work-related stress – low recognition and reward