How An Office Manager at A&E Networks Helped Increase Productivity & Strengthen Community with Food

A&E Networks is a US Media company that owns popular television channels like Lifetime, The History Channel, and, of course, A&E. The network is responsible for hit shows enjoyed by millions like Unreal, Knightfall, and Live PD.

The company’s LA office isn’t its largest, but employees working there are spread across multiple floors. Because of this, people tended to stay in their own lanes. Employees would see someone they didn’t recognize only to find out that they had been colleagues for years.

This isn’t unique to A&E. The Wall Street Journal reports that immediate desk neighbors account for 40% to 60% of every interaction that worker has during the workday, from face-to-face chats to email messages. And there is only a 5% to 10% chance employees are interacting with someone two rows away. So imagine how difficult it can be to forge a relationship with someone a few floors away. The company’s office manager saw an opportunity to create a stronger sense of community in the office. She began thinking of how she could make it happen.