BBC lures recruits with Peloton classes and Bagel Mondays
THE mockumentary series W1A satirised BBC executives being treated to yoga sessions and a silent disco.
But life is now mimicking art with the Corporation offering membership of the Peloton classes and ‘Bagel Mondays’ to potential recruits.
Bosses at BBC Studios – the Corporation’s commercial wing – hope the unusual benefits will help to fill a series of vacancies at its offices in the United States.
While an advert for a Californiabased job as ‘Coordinator Unscripted’ mentions traditional employee perks such as paid holidays and private medical coverage, it also promises the Peloton membership, free pet insurance and invitations to moraleboosting events such as ‘Bagel Mondays, Thirsty Thursdays and more!’
Vacancies for posts in a number of other areas, including content strategy and programme development, are being advertised along similar lines.
The adverts are also offering staff the elusive ‘work-life balance’.
One broadcaster, who asked not to be named, said: ‘It sounds to me that they are trying to attract young people and what you sometimes do is compensate for not being able to offer the top salaries by offering perks like these.’
The source said the perks were not being offered to other overseas staff, stressing: ‘If you are a BBC foreign correspondent, you are working for Newsgathering in London. The terms and conditions are tough and you would absolutely not be offered things like this.’
BBC Studios, which both produces and sells programming, currently raises around £200million a year for the Corporation.
A BBC spokesman said: ‘These jobs are for the BBC’s commercial arm in the very competitive North American market and are not funded by the licence fee.’
But Tory MP Lee Anderson said the package of perks sent out the wrong signal. ‘At a time when people are worried about their gas bills and the cost of fuel at the pumps, Auntie is giving away free pet insurance,’ he said. ‘It is completely out of touch.’
Critics praised W1A – which ran for three series and took its name from the postcode for Broadcasting House – for its depiction of ‘nodding nonsense and corporate bluff’ among BBC top brass.
Hugh Bonneville played Ian Fletcher, the ‘Head of Values’, with Sarah Parish as ‘Director of Better’ Anna Rampton.