• by Larissa Faw , October 5, 2016

In the past 12 months, Horizon Media has hired more than 400 new employees. Now, the media agency is introducing Horizon Life, a new initiative to encourage its people to connect with one another beyond their job titles and functions, and simply get to know each other better. 

As part of the initiative, employees film 60-second videos that provide insight into their experience at Horizon. Told in a first-person narrative, conversational-style, these clips feature work achievements, personal hardships, and experiences both inside and outside of the office. 

Every week, staffers receive a new “Horizon Life” story in their inbox where select employees are showcased in an easily shareable format. 

“Horizon Life” will be rolled out externally in the coming months, via a targeted social media campaign. 

This project aims to accomplish two things, according to the agency. First, it hopes to inspire current staffers by helping employees to get to know each other as “whole humans” rather than simply in the context of their job function within the agency. Second, it is designed to help the agency’s HR team fill open positions by providing prospective employees a taste of Horizon’s culture before they walk through the doors for an interview. 

The concept came out of another Horizon program, UpStartU -- which, in collaboration with the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS), encourages intrapreneurship and equips selected employees with a start-up mindset to apply to their everyday roles within the company. Two employees, Kaya Lobaczewski Heitman, VP, communications, and Lauren Johnson, VP, associate managing director, both participated in UpstartU and  presented this new program to senior management.  

"That’s what makes Horizon so different — it really is in the air we breathe here," says Johnson. "If you have a great idea, you will get the support, funds and time to bring it to life." 

Horizon currently offers more than 75 different employee programs, ranging from health and wellness to charitable endeavors.