What do they do? Sell on-air advertising and sponsorship for
Channel 5.
Good offices? Slap-bang in the middle of Long Acre, a few steps away
from Leicester Square and Covent Garden, so there are eateries, clubs
and pubs galore. Even so, staff grumble about the touristy prices
(unless they’re exercising the Channel 5 expense account).
What’s it like? A 55-strong sales team inhabit open-plan offices.
Employees say a little more room wouldn’t go amiss as things are rather
cramped.
Despite that, staff turnover is relatively slow and the different
departments integrate well. The new Atrium Cafe is at the heart of
Channel 5’s social scene. A large, light, airy space on the first floor,
it was designed as a pleasant alternative for workers fed up with
queuing for an overpriced sandwich in Covent Garden. The long
refectory-style table makes it impossible to eat your lunch without
mingling.
What about perks? The company provides 25 days holiday a year, a pension
plan and an optional health scheme with a 70 per cent discount.
Channel 5 is prepared meet half the cost of any course that a staff
member thinks will be good for self-development. This could be anything
’from underwater basket weaving to learning a language’.
Is it good at training? ’American group-hug sessions’ - otherwise known
as sales conferences - are held every six months. There’s a scheme
called Unifive, which is designed to encourage staff development by
awarding annual bonuses to those who do well. There are regular sales
courses and intensive training is offered to new recruits.
How do you get ahead? Sales is located one floor down from programming,
so if anyone happens to hatch an idea for a TV programme, a receptive
audience is only a flight of stairs away.
