There were three aspects of Film Inc’s identity that respondents considered particularly attractive: the product, the benefits, and the financial stability of the organisation.
Above all, respondents were attracted by the product (‘it’s all about the product that really appeals to me’ ‘it’s a very energizing environment, mainly due to the product that you’re involved with’). This was partly because the product was media-related and the media industry was seen as fun and exciting (‘fun - I guess it’s because of the
passion for the product itself (‘I think it’s important for someone who comes to work here to have that passion for the product’), and those who felt this passion experienced a great sense of personal satisfaction from seeing the results of their work (‘the benefit or the joy is when you see the product that you’ve been working on in the shops and it looks good’). In fact, this aspect of Film Inc’s identity was considered highly attractive even by employees who had no direct involvement with the product. For example, one respondent gestured towards a film poster hanging on the wall and explained:
‘I’m looking at that picture up there. Even if I’ve done something silly like hanging that picture or couriered an original of that to somebody, it does make you feel like you’re part of things, versus a person working in a factory packing boxes. You feel like you’re making your mark on the world – it doesn’t matter how small it is – it is leaving a mark, even if you’re not going to see your name up in lights in the credits.’
Respondents also drew attention to the highly attractive package of benefits that Film Inc offered its employees (‘great organisation to work for in terms of the benefits that you are given’ ‘Compared to other studios, it’s not the best moneywise, but you get alot of other benefits that other studios don’t’). Some of these were serious benefits, such as pension and health plans (‘gives staff good benefits – good medical plans and pensions schemes’ ‘like the pensions, medical plans – on a serious level, things like that are really good’). Others were more like perks (‘the benefits from an employee standpoint are amazing, in terms of benefits and general perks’). Examples included free DVDs of major Film Inc releases, free product ordering, and the opportunity to attend film premieres (‘great perks, free DVDs and you can see Film Inc films before general release’ ‘free product ordering and that kind of thing’ ‘you will get the opportunity to go to film premieres and screenings’). However, by far the most attractive of these perks was the a shorter working week in the summer (‘We’ve had summer hours for the last three or four years’ ‘Even if they’ve got to work an extra
suggested that this kind of benefit could be more important than the level of financial compensation: ‘Money’s not that important. Obviously it is – you’ve got to pay the bills – but you’ve got to take into account that sort of thing.’
Finally, respondents were attracted by the financial stability of the organisation. They felt that Film Inc had been around so long that it was unlikely to succumb to the economic downturn, and this meant that their jobs were reasonably secure:
‘It feels solid and even if there was a bad year – especially in the climate that we’re in at the moment – you kind of feel like the company will get through.... If you get your head down and do your best, you’ll come through with it.’
This was seen as a particularly important consideration because the country was in the midst of an economic recession (‘Stable – quite an important one for the times we’re going through’ ‘Especially in the current times, if you get a full time job then it’s very secure’).
On the other hand, one aspect of Film Inc’s identity that respondents generally considered unattractive was the office space. As explained by one respondent, ‘for somewhere that’s inspiring on so many levels, the actual location... It could be in a nicer location...’ They described the office as ‘grim,’ ‘drab,’ and ‘a bit grey,’ and one respondent suggested that ‘it could be a bit brighter.’ Respondents also complained that the lift often broke down (‘this is quite an old building and the lift always breaks down’) and the building was very poorly air conditioned (‘the air conditioner will go on and off in a world of its own – it’s either really hot or really cold’). Overall, they felt that Film Inc’s office did not compare favourably with those of the other studios (‘if you go to any other studio, the offices are really nice. Ours are not’), and they felt that these seemingly small issues were important (‘little things like that do make a difference to people’).
5.6.3.2 Quantitative Results
Based on the 99 responses collected in stage 2, the attribute that employees considered most important was ‘Offers good benefits (medical, pension, etc.)’ (7.1 points), followed by ‘Is financially stable’ and ‘Provides opportunities for employees to learn and grow.’ The attribute that they considered least important was ‘Is governed by strict rules and protocols’ (1.7 points), followed by ‘Sometimes operates at a hectic pace’ and ‘Is proud of its heritage.’ The average number of points allocated to the most important attribute was more than four times the number allocated to the least important. However, there was no clear cut off point between the important and unimportant attributes; every one of the twenty five attributes was allocated at least some points, with each one receiving just a little less than the one before. This gradual change is shown in Figure 15.
0.8 1.7 2.0 2.2 2.6 2.7 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.1 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.8 3.8 3.9 4.2 4.3 4.5 4.8 5.1 5.4 6.0 6.3 7.0 7.1 0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 Other
Is governed by strict rules and protocols Sometimes operates at a hectic pace Is proud of its heritage Has a clear organisational structure Expects employees to work very hard Is results (rather than process) driven Employs people who are passionate about film Is growing rapidly Is a global company Has a culture of innovation Employs people who are exceptionally bright
and/or dynamic
Generally distributes fun and/or cool content Has a proactive approach to business strategy Is a media distribution company Has a brand name that is known throughout the
world
Expects employees to use their initiative Is responsive to the needs of employees Encourages open communication among
employees
Is a fun place to work Is a friendly place to work Is well managed Offers good perks (Membership to lovefilm.com,
summer hrs, etc.)
Provides opportunities for employees to learn and grow
Is financially stable Offers good benefits (Medical, pension, etc.)
11 49 52 56 58 62 62 66 66 67 68 70 72 74 74 74 75 78 81 83 86 88 88 89 90 92 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Other
Sometimes operates at a hectic pace Is governed by strict rules and protocols Is proud of its heritage Expects employees to work very hard Is results (rather than process) driven Employs people who are passionate about film Is a media distribution company Has a clear organisational structure Is growing rapidly Is a global company Generally distributes fun and/or cool content Employs people who are exceptionally bright and/or
dynamic
Has a culture of innovation Has a brand name that is known throughout the
world
Has a proactive approach to business strategy Is responsive to the needs of employees Is a fun place to work Expects employees to use their initiative Encourages open communication among employees Is well managed Is financially stable Is a friendly place to work Provides opportunities for employees to learn and
grow
Offers good perks (Membership to lovefilm.com, summer hours, etc.)
Offers good benefits (Medical, pension, etc.)
5.7 CASE 6: TV INC