On the Road Again: Why Your Theatre Tour Needs HR Support
August 14, 2024
Written by TSHRC
Image by Rob Laughter | Via Unsplash
Hopefully, by now you, when you think of HR support for TV, Film and Theatre -The Small HR Company comes straight to mind. But did you know that we also support touring theatre productions?
HR can be an agile, adaptable force that goes wherever your tour goes. So if you have stops booked all the way from Edinburgh to Exeter, you most probably need an HR provider who can meet your needs wherever you are — throughout your tour and beyond.
Why Bringing HR on Tour is Essential
Utilising HR support on a touring production might seem counterintuitive. Why would you want to do that? Wouldn't it be a hassle?
Maybe you've heard that 'what happens on tour stays on tour'. This is a pernicious, outdated idea that's used to dismiss toxic behaviours and dangerous working conditions. When you have HR support on tour for theatre productions, you can tackle any issues with employees, third-party contractors, and working conditions head-on. Utilising HR proactively while on tour mitigates the risk of legal problems later and helps ensure that your production runs smoothly.
The benefits of utilising HR support on tour extend beyond mitigating risk. Doing so offers a wealth of advantages including:
More consistent hiring practices. Touring productions may need to hire freelancers and third-party contractors in the cities they visit. Asking HR for help reviewing local recruiting practices helps ensure consistent, fair hiring. Your HR provider can support your company and general managers as they work to find and onboard talent. Have questions about interviewing or onboarding? HR support can answer those questions.
Improved accessibility to services. Both on-stage talent and behind-the-scenes members of a touring theatre production need HR help from their managers sometimes. Perhaps they'd like to raise a concern about a teammate who makes them uncomfortable. Others might need help updating their personnel files or accessing resources your organisation provides. When HR support is contracted for your production, teammates and managers can talk to an HR professional over video chat or telephone whenever they need to.
Real-time coaching and training for leaders. The theatre industry demands talented, trained leaders who can spearhead touring shows. But such skills aren't developed overnight. They're the result of personal effort and professional training. Utilising HR on tour is a wonderful way to provide leaders with the resources they need to excel and do their jobs even more efficiently.
Enhanced team engagement. Talent, production staff, and managers work together closely on touring shows. However, dedication to the show may wane over time, especially if employees and contractors have concerns about working conditions or other factors. Having dedicated HR support opens up the lines of communication and increases team engagement.
Improved production culture. Unfortunately, touring productions occasionally develop a toxic culture. This can undermine the show's profitability and reputation—and jeopardise the manager or director's career. Using HR support resources on tour allows for real-time feedback about organisational culture. HR professionals can suggest actions needed to improve a struggling culture or bolster one that's already strong.
The Challenges of Mobile HR
Bringing HR support on tour for theatre productions naturally has challenges. One primary challenge is logistical issues. How will you reach your HR provider if you need to talk? Do you want to schedule regular check-ins with HR support? The best approach for your tour depends on factors such as your budget, how long your tour runs, and what types of support you may need.
Because HR support staff work remotely, communication can be a challenge. It's essential to define hours when HR personnel are available to answer questions and provide support. After all, theatre productions don't follow regular business hours. You might need to contract HR personnel who have afternoon, evening, and weekend availability.
Well-being and Mental Health Support
The demanding nature of theatre production can take a toll on the mental and emotional well-being of the cast and crew. The role of HR professionals within a production is to be attuned to the unique challenges of the industry and implement programs and resources to support mental health including signposting to organisations such as Applause for Thought. This not only enhances the overall well-being of the team but also contributes to a more resilient and focused workforce.
Training and Development Programs
Continuous improvement of the team is key to the success of any production - nowhere is the saying ‘practise makes perfect’ truer. And so, work with your HR function to identify skill gaps within the team. These areas are usually around performance conversations, leadership capability, culture concerns and up to date employment law practises.
Implementing training and development programs enhance the capabilities of the those that manage others and is the biggest and best investment you can make for long term and sustained improvement.
Planning for Effective HR Support on Tour
The Small HR Company (TSHRC) has extensive experience in the theatre industry. We understand the demands of your job and know that you need flexible support. To make the most of bringing HR on a theatre production tour, we suggest planning ahead.
Set Clear Objectives
Making the most out of your relationship with an HR provider means knowing what you want. Before the tour starts, sit down and discuss your primary goals— why do you want to bring HR along on tour? Do you want to improve organisational culture? Do you need to ensure that you're using consistent hiring practices? Set priorities and communicate them to your HR provider to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Identify Target Visit Locations
When you hire HR support for your touring production, you'll work with your provider via video chat, email, and messaging. It's essential to define when you'll schedule check-ins with HR and make HR resources available to crew members. We suggest choosing several tour stops and designating those as HR check-in points. How many times you need to check in with HR depends on the length of your tour and the size of your budget.
Encourage tour members with HR-related questions to chat with personnel during these tour stops. Managers should be prepared to go over any culture or workplace concerns. During a scheduled HR meeting, your HR provider can also gauge how your organisation is doing and suggest appropriate changes or point you to helpful resources.
Enhancing Collaboration Between HR & Tour Managers
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
HR support on tour is the most effective when human resources personnel and tour managers collaborate effectively. To enhance collaboration:
Use technologies that allow seamless communication and operations.
Train people managers in coaching skills, performance management, and handling difficult conversations before the tour kicks off.
Ensure that HR collects regular feedback from managers, directors, actors, and other team members.
Define any legal compliance challenges ahead of your tour departure so your HR provider can ensure all areas are covered.
Tour HR Support: The TSHRC Way
At TSHRC, we're specialists in the entertainment sector. We know that touring theatre productions bring unique benefits—and challenges. We'd love to hear about your upcoming tour and talk about how we can support you from the time you head out until the final curtain falls—and beyond. Contact us to learn how you can incorporate TSHRC support for your troupe's next tour.