In the complex world of gaming, we are all familiar with the thrill of unlocking new characters, weapons or levels. But, what if the next big unlock wasn’t within a game, but behind the scenes, within the games industry itself.

It takes great effort from game development studios to ensure that they are both breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for those who come from underrepresented groups. It is not merely enough to invite diverse talent to the table – studios need to be ensuring that they are giving them the tools to support and thrive.

How Can This Be Done?

Any Feedback is Good Feedback! 
It is super important to ask everyone across your studio for feedback. Where in place, consider speaking with your diversity & inclusion ambassadors, inclusion committees or diversity & inclusivity employee resource group reps to ensure that information pulled can lead to tangible action points.

We think it’s a great idea to send every employees quarterly pulse surveys, as well as more comprehensive annual engagement surveys to gather feedback, set goals and move towards being a more inclusive business.

Some example questions that you could include on a pulse survey are:

- Do you feel that you can be your authentic self at work?

- Do you feel that your contributions are valued by the senior members of the studio?

- How comfortable do you feel sharing your ideas, opinions or concerns?
- Do you feel supported by your manager in reaching your career goals?

- Do you feel the studio values diverse perspectives on a day to day?

Mentorship Programs

Setting up a mentorship program for underrepresented groups to utilise is a great way to provide guidance, career advice and a network of support. By providing these groups with tailored guidance, you are making an active effort to break down systemic barriers.

Remember that a one-off meeting isn’t really enough to make an impact, we recommend conducting a mentorship program that lasts around 6 – 12 months.

Internship Programs

Internships are a crucial entry point into the games industry, although it’s key to note that sometimes they can unintentionally exclude diverse talent. They are more than just simply providing a ‘foot in the door’, they are about providing real opportunities for interns to grow and learn, with the ultimate goal being: get hired.

There is the perception that all interns don't need to be paid but this is not the case. In most cases, internships in the UK should be paid at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW) if they are classed as a 'worker'. This is typically the case if the intern has set hours, responsibilities, and contributes to the business. Unpaid internships are only legal in certain situations such as volunteering, shadowing only, completing a placement that's mandatory as part of higher education. Many talented individuals, especially those who come from lower-income backgrounds, cannot afford to work for free so a paid internship removes this financial barrier and allows for a wider range of candidates to join that pool of potential opportunity.

Training & Development

Leadership teams and people managers need to be equipped with the right tools in order to develop equitable teams by providing equal access to means of development within the business. These types of disciplines within studios could be trained to foster an environment where employees feel safe to voice their opinions, share their ideas and give feedback without fear of judgement or backlash – this is what it takes to build a psychologically safe working environment.

Separate to this, hiring managers should also have a understanding of the complexity of unconscious bias and how this can impact the decision making within the hiring process.

Here at Fresh Seed, we offer plenty of different training and development programs to ensure that your studio is as inclusive as it can possibly be. Follow this link to find out more!

By ensuring that your studio continues to create conditions of which people can truly succeed and thrive, you will actively see the benefits of different perspectives, shaping the games industry into a more welcoming, inclusive sector.