The Little Questions

The fly on the wall workplace documentary


Listen Later

By rights, the fly-on-the-wall workplace documentary should have died a death the moment The Office became a hit. At that time, BBC shows like Airport, set in Heathrow, and Life of Grime about environmental health workers attracted cult followings with their often banal interviews, wobbly camerawork and acerbic voiceover narrations. Ricky Gervais' masterpiece took these stylistic devices and turned them up to 11 with the fictional Slough-based paper company Wernham Hogg, where "life is stationery".

Since then almost every conceivable place of work has been considered – from registrars to zookeepers and cruise ships to police stations. Airlines, banks, butchers and bakers even a candlestick maker.

Their appeal lingers. It's not hard to imagine why: we all work somewhere, we're inquisitive (ok nosey) animals. We want to peer into others' lives, and imagine what it is like, or thank our lucky stars we don't work there.

A question to ask then might be: who in their right mind would invite a camera crew into their business, with unhindered access? With minimal, if any, meaningful editorial control?

Quite a few firms it would seem.

Clearly the Corporate Affairs Directors who signs off on this (or perhaps even came up with the idea in the first place) see more upside than down.

So. Why would you? And why would you not? And if you do manage to persuade your boss, and your ExCo and your board what do you need to think about? What controls need to be in place? What might cause you sleepless nights?

These questions are answered, and more, on this edition of The Little Questions. Hosted by:

Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.

Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.

You can get in touch by emailing [email protected] and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Little QuestionsBy Apella Advisors


More shows like The Little Questions

View all
Coffee House Shots by The Spectator

Coffee House Shots

175 Listeners

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson by BBC Radio 4

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

117 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

744 Listeners

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett by DOAC

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

8,854 Listeners

What Most People Think with Geoff Norcott by Geoff Norcott

What Most People Think with Geoff Norcott

53 Listeners

The Slow Newscast by The Observer

The Slow Newscast

168 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,849 Listeners

The News Agents by Global

The News Agents

1,242 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: Leading by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: Leading

845 Listeners

When It Hits the Fan by BBC Radio 4

When It Hits the Fan

48 Listeners

Electoral Dysfunction by Sky News

Electoral Dysfunction

126 Listeners

How To Win An Election by Times Radio

How To Win An Election

25 Listeners

Political Currency by Persephonica

Political Currency

149 Listeners

Politics At Sam and Anne's by Sky News

Politics At Sam and Anne's

37 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: US by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: US

2,534 Listeners