“Without changes, they’re just fast tracking the end route to harm. If you bring more women into a toxic space, they are going to be pushed out of it. Or discriminated against within it,” said Akima Brown, Artist, Entrepreneur and Caregiver Activist.
Traditional work hasn’t been particularly female or family friendly. When kids are sick or schools close, Moms are more likely to adjust their professional schedules. According to KPMG research cited in Parents, “1.2 to 1.5 million workers, 90% of whom are moms, have to shorten working hours or miss work each month because of a lack of affordable child care or insufficient availability.”
So, not surprisingly, we continue to seek better professional options. Where pausing work for the pediatrician or college tour, isn’t career limiting. But despite the rise in fractional and consulting roles, studies show that even in gig work, women are paid less than male peers.
Akima advocates for caregivers in the competitive film industry, where most work is project based and gaps for women persist. Caregiving, for kids or adults, only exacerbates age-old barriers for women to advance. So, even if you hire for contract roles, creating the right work/life wellness equation, requires intention.
Project, Consulting and Gig Work is a Growing Part of our Economy
The model of working for one employer for decades broke years ago. A big chunk of our economy runs on non-employee talent. That includes everything from film production, some care workers and ride-share drivers, to stylists and elite athletes. So, how can this environment work better for Mothers, and other caregivers?
Yet it Needs a Refresh to Support Parenting
Akima, set out to improve industry practices for caregivers working in screen production. She said, “In the very beginning we were trying to do what were often described as ‘best practices.’ But that does not work when you’re talking about working parents and caregivers. Or contract workers who move around for transient jobs. So, we slowed down to really look at what does work.”
Caregivers Have Different Career Needs
Although it’s known that women are more likely to have primary childcare and household responsibilities. And that single parenting is common for men and women, this reality is rarely reflected in work norms. But everything from compensation and schedules to flexibility and other benefits can be tailored for the reality of caregiving.
Because Akima is both a mother and eldercare giver in filmmaking, she felt compelled to address the unique needs of this industry. “We’ve got people fighting for family rights and caregiver awareness, which is great but none of it applies to contingent workers.”
This Includes Benefits and Infrastructure
The US is among the least family friendly countries globally. Combined with low worker protections, it creates such high levels of parent stress, it was declared a public health hazard. And among Mothers, rates of anxiety, and depression, continue to skyrocket.
Most people receive healthcare, paid time off, retirement savings and if they’re lucky, subsidized back up childcare, through employers. But that model falls apart for the growing gig workforce.
Women Still Struggle for Parity in Flex Roles
Akima said, “Last year, reports came out about inequity in the screen industry. Specifically stating that access and hiring programs have been predominantly performative. If you bring women in, you must take into consideration their ability to thrive in this space. Including their ability to be retained and advanced. When they are, they need full authority to make the necessary changes for those coming behind them.”
So, Prioritize Worker Wellbeing
Despite the challenges of moving from one production set to the next, working behind the scenes of entertainment is a “dream job” for many. But if you can’t retain people sufficiently, especially A players who care about quality, your business can’t survive.
Parents gain crucial leadership skills and Mothers make innovative contributions in every field. Organizations that get this, know how critical it is to invest in wellbeing. But it needs to go deeper than a list of benefits.
Including a Culture That Sustains It
Akima said, “There’s never been research done on why the numbers are so low for women in leadership within production. Yet, in every other industry caregiving is the number one exit point. So, why do we think that doesn’t apply to this industry?”
Psychological safety, across industries, is still rare for those who are less represented in leadership. And working, while caring for others, requires more flexibility and mutual trust.
When I asked, ‘who gets this right?’ Akima admitted it’s not common yet. But there are glimmers of hope among the independent film producers. Some of which are led by high profile female actors like Viola Davis and Ava Duvernay.
Onsite Childcare and Shorter Hours Promote Rest
Akima explained that drowsy driving, is a high cause of fatalities for production workers. She said, “We’ve seen productions reallocating their funds to ensure shorter days and provide childcare. They might say, ‘I can’t give you exactly what your day rate is but what I can do, is I can give you something in a median range. But we’re also going to have a 10-hour day instead of 12- or 16-hour day with childcare provided.’ So, that’s a pretty good benefit. Again these are independent films, so the budgets are usually very finite going in.”
Greater Representation in Leadership
Akima explained that most of this innovation starts in smaller organizations. “Independents are not only looking at, ‘how do we diversify the stories?’ But also ‘how do we change the way we make them?’ We’re seeing more women and women of color leaders come into the space and say, ‘I will create my own company to tell the stories I think are important and will lead teams in ways that I think are fair and equitable.’ We’re hoping the larger studio space will begin to acknowledge the need for some systems changes as well.”
And Making Caregiver Support a Priority
All critical infrastructure, including worker wellbeing, requires investment. Akima asserts that the TV and movie sets, fund what they consider important. “We tend to hear lack of parent or caregiver support is about the budget. They’ll say, they ‘don’t have the money.’ But COVID let us know that there’s no such thing as not having that amount. The COVID testing that was taking place, sometimes cost $2,000 per person with 200 people on a set. It demonstrates that if you really want to do ‘the thing’ it’s about seeing the value.”
Every industry needs to focus on caregiver wellbeing. Especially in the influential film and tv space, where strikes have cost studios billions in stalled productions. Akima added, “The truth of the matter is, if you don’t have a structure that is conducive to work/life success you’re not going to have workers.”
Savvy Employers Consider ‘On’ and ‘Off’ Time
Remember, prioritizing humane working conditions includes not only the ‘on time’ but consideration what workers need during their off time. Suitable rest, time to care for family, nurture robust friendships and engage in self-care is key. In addition to competitive wages, childcare, eldercare, and org cultures that elevate and value inclusive leadership.
Many thanks to the talented Akima Brown!
Learn more about Akima and her organization, Reel Families for Change on their website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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About Akima:
Artist, activist, caretaker, and certified equity specialist, Akima A. Brown is a chief disruptor in entertainment, championing justice for underrepresented workers. Her work of nearly twenty years spans the public and private sectors, centering on systemic solutions-building around equity, inclusion, and access needs.
