Company Policies & Priorities

We have an important commitment to Starcatchers’ team, its artists, and audiences across Scotland to provide safe, supportive and welcoming environments for all our company activities. Our priorities and policies share these commitments and outline actions we take to ensure Starcatchers is a trusted employer.

Fair Work Statement:
Starcatchers is committed to the principles of the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First policy:

• We provide appropriate channels for effective voice in the workplace;
• We invest in workforce development;
• We do not use zero hours contracts;
• We do not have a gender pay gap
• We are taking action to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace;
• We have committed paying at least the Real Living Wage and are transparent about payscales and freelancer fees;
• We offer flexible and family friendly working practices for all workers from day one of employment; and we do not use of ‘fire and rehire’ practices.

Effective voice
Starcatchers values the experience, opinions and contribution of all staff and freelancers and welcomes open, constructive dialogue. We place high value on communication, relationships and trust amongst the team and model this through regular meetings and avenues for feedback and reflection.

Opportunity
Starcatchers operates a fair and transparent recruitment process as well as showing current workers clear pathways for progression. The team receives regular training and can benefit from personalised career development opportunities. The Board undertakes skills audits to engage new and diverse members.

Security
We offer meaningful work which provides a reliable income, including offering contracts for traditionally freelanced roles. Salaries and freelance fees are benchmarked annually against Arts and Voluntary Sectors and do not fall below union rates or the Real Living Wage. We do not use or issue zero-hour contracts.

Creative Scotland’s minimum entry point is significantly above the Real Living Wage and has been above both the Living Wage and the Real Living Wage for many years. This also applies to the minimum hourly rate received by agency workers.

Fulfilment
We promote fulfilment at work by adopting a culture of lateral shared leadership, believing that all workers have a unique and important area of expertise. We offer care and support for workers individually, recognising that work can provide a safe and helpful environment when life is more challenging.

Respect
All workers are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity at work and have a personal responsibility for ensuring that they treat others with the way they would expect to be treated themselves. We consider dignity at work to mean being free to work without experiencing bullying, harassment, discrimination and victimisation. We have a clear Code of Conduct that is reviewed by the whole staff team.

The Health and Safety Policy protects our employed and self-employed workers, also acknowledging mental health provision. Starcatchers has recently trained the staff team in Emergency First Aid.

We offer flexible working to all employees and work flexibly with individuals on their needs to balance work and family life.