Hi Denise

Your post really spoke to me. I work in a similar industry and faced exactly the same challenges as a standalone in a sector where a lot of people don't actually believe that employment laws apply to them. What proved tremendously beneficial in my case was joining a network of HR professionals in the same industry. We were all facing the same quite specific challenges, so talking through approaches and pooling our knowledge (or, in my case, initially just soaking up everyone else's experience) was really helpful.

Maybe you could get a similar group together? Is there an organisation in your industry that looks after the interests of organisations similar to yours, negotiates with the unions on your behalf or similar? In which case you may be able to ask them to organise a quarterly get together of HR people where you talk through upcoming challenges facing all of you? Even if you can't get an industry group together, are there recruitment agencies specialising in your field that you could use by requesting them to put you in touch with similarly placed individuals? In case some of them do summer parties, you could ask them to introduce you to other HR people in theatrical companies? For example, I have been to "do's" which included HR people from such companies and it would have been quite easy to strike up a conversation.

Individuals will often be helpful if you ask them if you can pick their brains - the worst that can happen is that they say no, but some may remember feeling a little bit out of their depth themselves when first joining the sector and/or will be flattered to be asked to be helpful to a more junior colleague in what is a very niche area, maybe over a coffee or a drink. If you worked in my industry, I would volunteer but I don't know how transferrable my knowledge is.

In terms of training, I am afraid I don't know of anything that would fit. The usual rules of employment law do apply and there may well be rules around taxation of employees/workers that are specific to your sector, so it may just be a case of figuring out practical and workable ways of applying these rules as pragmatically as possible, with an acceptable degree of risk to the organisation.

Good luck and don't feel discouraged - it sounds like you have made tremendous strides in two years and just need a little bit of a sounding board at times? In which case my best advice is not to be afraid to ask for help. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Anke

In reply to Anka:

Hi Anke, Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and yes I have learned a lot but would like a go to person in the same field.  I have made contact with FST and will also reach out to NTS and BECT etc and hopefully start getting some connections.

Thanks again for your encouragement, much appreciated.

Denise

Hi Denise,

Would you be able to share more about the specific issues you encounter? Although I don't work in this sector I would be very interested to know more.

Keighley.

In reply to Keighley:

Hi Keighley... where to start! In some ways we are no different from other multi functioning organisations and the charity sector. But we have the creative arts and freelance contracts, annualised hours, working within BECTU and Equity Unions for the sector. These have specific requirement in regards to breaks, show times, long hours, and then there are a number of very niche roles, wardrobe, cutter, lighting, sound engineers, tutors, actors, musicians, script readers, chaperones, audio describers and many more. There is never a dull moment!
Regards
Denise

In reply to Anka:

Hi Anke
Thank your for your words of encouragement. I am sorry i took so long to reply. I will continue to reach out to my colleagues, some of them have been in the sector a long time and have lots of knowledge to share, which has been great!

Best Regards
Denise

In reply to Denise:

Hi Denise,

I've 'merged' your two "Theatreland" threads to keep the conversation it one place.