To celebrate International Women’s Day 2022, The Water Cooler caught up with just a few of the many incredible women of Paramount ANZ.
This year’s theme asks us to #breakthebias. So, we asked these inspiring women to share stories of their career journeys, their tricks to finding balance, how they break biases, and what a bias-free world would look like to them.
Karina Jurisic, Senior Publicist.
Tell us a bit about your role at Paramount?
When you open a newspaper or magazine and see an interview with JLP (Jonathan LaPaglia) – we organised that. Turn on the radio and hear a chat with the latest Bachelor eliminee – that’s us, too. Watching Studio 10 or The Project for a sneak peek of an upcoming show – yep, you guessed. Us.
From creating well thought-out PR strategies, writing press releases, spinning stories, building and maintaining relationships with media, navigating photoshoots and award show appearances, briefing talent on what to say (and what not say!), and much more, we’re here to get the country talking about Paramount.
In short, we’re the business’ cheerleaders (minus the outfit and cool moves).
How do you break the bias?
Since my first role on reception over 15 years ago, to moving into the world of PR, I’ve worked directly under and alongside women. It’s these women, their values, and their support, that have allowed me to be – what I consider – a pretty great working mum.
Pre-kids, you’d find me at work super early, working overtime, weekends where needed, and always “on”. Fast fast-forward a few years, I’m a mum of three and my priorities have shifted.
Does this make me bad at my job? No.
Quite the opposite actually – I’ve got the stamina to clean up messes, work with background noise, multi-task and prioritise efficiently.
Open and honest conversations have allowed myself, as well as many others in the team, to find a balance between work and home life. Sure, there are times where we can’t make everyone happy and something isn’t getting the love it should. But knowing the importance of that balance, and that it’s accepted, supported, and championed in our workplace, is worth sticking around for.
What does a world without bias mean to you?
A world where our level of success and accomplishment is defined by our skills and interests, not our gender. As a famous mermaid once said, “I want to be part of that world”.
Emma Turner – Project Manager, Corporate Communications.
Tell us about your role at Paramount?
I’m part of an amazing team of women who manage the internal events you see throughout the year such as PROUD and NAIDOC Week, to name just a few. I also write some of the internal communication emails and some of the articles in the people’s publication (aka The Water Cooler).
I’m lucky enough to be able to work three days a week as I am currently studying full time and looking after my beautiful and sassy four-year-old.
How do you break the bias?
I was working in the Publicity department on a maternity contract and when that was up, I was extremely fortunate to be offered a role in Corporate Communications. By that stage, I had already decided I was going to go back to uni to study primary teaching – something completely out of left field.
Cat Donovan has always been extremely supportive and flexible when it comes to my situation and there’s just no way I’d be able to do it all without that support.
Being a working mum and a student (ahem… mature age student), is extremely challenging but I’m stronger than I give myself credit for and I’m proud of myself for pushing through. Plus, now that international travel has opened back up, that means I can have a three-month holiday in Ibiza with all my uni mates, right? Right? Is Contiki still a thing?
What does a world without bias mean to you?
To me, a world without bias is a world without limitations.
Before becoming a mum, my thoughts on gender bias were, “it is what it is”.
Now that I have a little girl of my own, I won’t allow anything or anyone to dictate what she can and can’t do.
We’ve come a long way thanks to the generations of women before us and we’ll continue to fight for that equality for the generations after us.
Amy Micallef, Creative Operations Manager – Streaming.
How do you break the bias?
I grew up in a household being told that there was no reason I can’t do anything I want to do if I work hard enough.
I break the bias by keeping this belief and instilling the confidence within myself and others that anyone is capable to do what they love regardless of gender, race, or circumstance.
What does a world without bias mean to you?
A world without bias to me just means true equality; people being recognised for their skills and passion regardless of background or biological factors out of their control. Not just in the workplace, but in social situations, entertainment casting, and every day in between.
A world without that judgement would be a nicer place.
Helen Humphrey, State Marketing Manager QLD/State Marketing Manager Team Leader.
How do you break the bias?
If bias against women in the workplace today was like it was when I started my career in media, many moons ago, I would have plenty to talk about!
Women were mostly secretaries or assistants and men had most or all the management jobs. Companies were careful when hiring women of a certain age – heck they could even ask in the interview if you planned to start a family, and when.
It’s a very different place today, where women are more represented from the very top, down!
The bias was broken by women doing a damn good job when promoted to higher positions, and doing that while juggling full workloads, childcare, household responsibilities, and family life. How you all coped so well with working from home and home schooling during the pandemic, I have no idea. But that’s why you’re all super women in my book!
Three years ago, we all thought that you had to be in the office to do your job. Another bias broken right there! It’s about embracing change and adapting when what we thought we knew proves not to be the case.
I think we’re lucky at Paramount, that management is actively working to make diversity and inclusion a priority within the network and is also providing cultural training – sometimes we aren’t aware of our own unconscious biases.
If you haven’t done the cultural workshop yet I highly recommend it! I was shocked at how much I didn’t know and that’s what breaking the bias means to me – taking action to learn what we don’t know even though we think we do and embracing it.
What does a world without bias mean to you?
Wow. Wouldn’t that be amazing place.
If we treated all people equally regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, income, financial status, race, colour or creed. If we learned more about each other and embraced and celebrated our differences, treated each other with dignity and respect at all times and all people were acknowledged and rewarded for their talent and effort, equally.
Nicole Sinclair, Senior Vice President, Global Content Distribution Group.
How do you break the bias?
I break the bias by recognising that I have my own biases, identifying them and understanding where they might be coming from.
What does a world without bias mean to you?
A world without bias means equality.
Jin Subasinghe, Group Sales Manager – Melbourne.
How do you break the bias?
I call it out when I see it or hear it.
We all have a level of unconscious bias and I know for me, personally, I appreciate when someone corrects me in my biases and helps me learn to want and do better.
I also try not to encourage or follow the unwritten rule of having to act and think ‘like a man’ to progress my career. I remember when I first started in this industry there was this belief that women were only successful if they were ‘like a man’… and the unfortunate part was that women encouraged this among other women. So, for me, I consciously try not to take this approach and stay true to my femininity and embrace it.
What does a world without bias mean to you?
We are fortunate at Paramount to have an equal gender balance, however there are still micro-biases that happen within our workplace and industry which leaves room for us to do better.
I do hope that one day gender equality is the norm and we won’t need to have ONE day to recognise it. It will be a world where women wouldn’t have to ‘plan’ on when they’re going to be a mother due to fear it may set them back in their careers. And where men are given the same opportunity without judgement, to be a full time dads, should they chose to do so.
It’s where all people are respected and given the same opportunity to want and do more for themselves without being set back because of their identity.
Joyce Smith, Director, Regional Licensing.
How do you break the bias?
I strive to be better – not just in my professional role, but as a person.
Having an open mind, the willingness to learn, accept changes, especially those that are out of your control, does make life easier and less stressful.
What does a world without bias mean to you?
A world without bias would mean so much to me.
Imagine not having any prejudice against anyone, but looking at that person as the human being that they are, not focusing on skin colour, race, religion, gender etc. It would be incredible.
Helen Tran, HR Business Partner.
How do you break the bias?
By raising awareness and challenging hidden biases that exist in systems, policies and processes.
Only once we seek transparency and discuss barriers that exist, can we then start a journey towards true equity in the workforce.
What does a world without bias mean to you?
A world where regardless of your background, demographic or how you identify you are valued and respected. A world where everyone has equal access to opportunities and are able to thrive whilst being their true selves.
