Are Job Perks Coming into Vogue Again? 481
Pharmboy asks: "The Register is reporting on a company that was awarded 'Best Small Company to Work for in America' by the Detroit Free Press, in part, for providing Free beer to their employees. They offer free breakfast, lunch AND dinner, gym and snacks. This sounds similar to the late 90s, where companies were offering extreme benefits to attract extreme talent, before the bubble burst and most workers were just glad to have a job. As the job market gains strength, what are companies willing to do in order to attract the best talent? Are we about to enter another era where employers are willing to make work fun again, in order to attract and keep talent? Will this have any effect on other employers, forcing them to again offer benefits to keep pace and talent? How important are these kinds of perks to the average employee anyway? What kind of perks would you have to have to switch to a job that pay the same?"
The only perks I get... (Score:4, Insightful)
stronger? (Score:5, Insightful)
People are still getting laid off. The example you cite is an exception; it's nowhere near the norm these days, nor will it be anytime in the near future.
How about the essentials? (Score:5, Insightful)
That's nothing... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Would want these employees? (Score:5, Insightful)
1. Its beer...
2. If my employer is handing me a beer it means that the work day is complete and there is no expectation that I'm going to go back to work and do anything more productive than surf the web. Recognition that the day is complete is one of the best perks there is.
Perks? (Score:4, Insightful)
Cafeteria and feeding the employees is nice and all.
What do I consider perks? HOw about a boss that lets me DO MY FSCKING JOB.
Re:stronger? (Score:5, Insightful)
After nearly 23 years with one organization .... to whom I was loyal and faithful ...
My UI benefits were exhausted last month ...
I now own a business: but it is a start up, and we are frantically trying to reach the breakeven point; we arent there yet .... we wont be there for a few months, and even then: we wont be able to pull a salary there for a few months after that ...
Im down to my last $150 in my bank account ...
My rent is due in 24 days ... and I dont have it ...
I have three kids: the oldest could not start college, because we cannot afford her modest tuition ...
We are starting to buy basic staples: rice and bean, pasta and flour ... in anticipation of running out of other 'easier' foods ...
My credit cards are saving my life, for the moment, but they will require another payment in 28 days ...
The job search, which should have already ended with a good job, has stalled, and gone stale: I have four outstanding cover letter/resume packages with prospects for decent work, but they are sitting on them, while I start to sweat it ... badly ....
I have sent each of those four a kindly email to find out my current status, and all four say I am in the running .... but: the clock is ticking ....
I have been thinking about looking up the local food bank ... my thoughts are now floating towards memories of obtaining food stamps, and the shame I felt being in that office, and answering those questions ...
All the while: knowing I have vast technical experience that surpasses nearly anyone else in the local job market, and should have been hired weeks ago .... I think my experience scares prospective employers ... I have been paring it down to the bare bones to try to be more attractive to employers: so far: no dice ....
So as I ponder my near term future: as I fret over how I will feed and house my children and wife, as I wait by the phone, wondering if those whom still consider me a 'viable candidate' for open jobs will actually call, wondering if I should at least find a menial job of ANY kind in the interim: fry cook, janitor, laborer, gas jockey, ANYTHING .... I am resisting making further contect with my 'prospective' future employers, so I dont reveal my ever growing desperation .....
Im going to dig in the phone book: and see if I can find a backdoor into my chosen field ... otherwise: all Im doing is spinning my wheels, waiting for a call that may never come ...
Sighs: dont you wonder how much better this GOP economy can get ? ...
Do you wonder how many jobs 2.4 TRILLION dollars in tax cuts will buy the nation ? ....
Is it trickling down yet ??? ...
Someone tell me if it does: I would hate to miss it ....
Perks? Not on your life! (Score:5, Insightful)
Hearing that some companies are starting to give perks again means that the cycle is turning back. I will be so glad to see employers like mine losing all of their best employees next year, because they'll be playing catch-up -- and it will be 'too little, too late' for most of us.
Re:Or maybe... (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course, the last company I was with made no sales for 2 quarters. their solution? fire the half the develepors, and treat the sales staff to two weeks in Jamaica.
Morons.
Re:Would want these employees? (Score:5, Insightful)
I read the original Register article and thought the best thing was the laundry service, mainly because thats a chore that I *hate* and therefore something like that would improve my quality of life. If an employer offered to do my ironing as well, then I'd probably be an employee for life!!
Although I do like the beer idea also, there's only *so much* of the stuff you can drink, and although drinks are work are fine, my work collegues aren't the people I want to hang out with all the time. And I'm not really a day-time drinker -- even if it is end of working day!
Re:That's nothing... (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm a young coder (not employed at present, I have the luxury of being 18 and still living at home so I have no expenses that I don't want.) and my right now I'm hunting for my ideal job. I'm going to university in the fall to make sure I can get some good jobs in the future, but for now all I want is somewhere that I can code and concentrate on it.
The ideal workplace for me is a desk in a room, no windows, no distractions. A bookshelp, a whiteboard, a couple tables (I plan on paper a lot), a good computer, and enough time given to actually get the work done.
There's a reason why a lot of hackers (trad. usage) work in the middle of the night. There's nothing to distract. No phone calls, no meetings, no people from sales who think that because you're just staring at the code you can't possibly be busy.
I'm convinced that many hackers aren't naturally night owls, we just associate those hours with our best productivity/enjoyment, and we change our schedules for that.
It's not what free stuff they give you, it's how they let you work.
Re:How about the essentials? (Score:3, Insightful)
Perks? (Score:2, Insightful)
I worked for a webhosting company recently called WestHost in their support department, and one of the things that they would do is advertise to potential hires "we offer free pop, and LAN parties!" Then, they would hold this over our heads, and if we didn't perform perfectly and clean up management's messes and smile all the while, we got no LAN parties and they acted like we were not deserving of the free pop.
Oh, and did I mention that they paid us jack crap?
I really would rather be paid more and have no extra 'perks' as long as they treated me right. I will always be willing to work my tail off for an employer who does that.
Re:Would want these employees? (Score:5, Insightful)
Only to those unenlightened souls who believe that by spending more hours at the office you're getting more done. People simply aren't machines... they require more than just food, drink, and sleep.
Sadly, too many people believe in the concept you've brought up.
Re:stronger? (Score:5, Insightful)
When I got the job, I had to leave my wife and kids every week for 3 weeks and drive 6 hours each way to the new job, and only see them on the weekends. I eventually was able to get an apartment, and have been in the same job for 2 years. My debt load continues to increase and my credit rating is about as low as it can get because I have not had the funds available to pay off my existing debt. However, I am able to buy food and keep up with the car payments (the one thing I was able to keep through all this, and believe me it hasn't been easy).
Now, I'm going back to college. I work full time during the day and take classes early in the morning and late at night. It is difficult, but I'm doing it. As a previous poster noted, you can get by on loans and grants quite easily. Currently my loans and grants pay my tuition, books, plus around 3 grand extra per semester, which I use to make car repairs, buy the kids clothes, and pay off the loudest debt collectors as I can.
My point is, things can always get worse, but you can also always adjust your standard of living to get through the lean times. You mentioned you started a new business, and I have to question the wisdom of that when you are having trouble with basic necessities. Starting a business is a huge risk, and taking that kind of risk when you are so close to financial ruin already is not the smartest thing to do.
As for food stamps, yes it is humiliating, but keep in mind that these things are designed to help people like you who are normally able to support themselves, but have fallen on hard times. You have spent 23 years paying into the welfare system, you should not hesitate to take what you need back out of it when you are having a tough time.
If these four prospects are taking their time, go after more jobs. Sometimes, when you get desperate, you have to simply accept the first offer you get just to make ends meet. Also, if a fry cook job will put you in a better situation than you are now (and it looks like it will), then get one. Neither you or anyone else is "too good" for that kind of job. It's honest work, and it pays the bills. Do what you have to do to support your family, including swallowing your pride.
Re:Are jobs coming into vogue again? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:stronger? (Score:3, Insightful)
Is your daughter really that submissive that when you tell her not to go to college she really wouldn't? I hope she finds a nice guy to support her, cause her only chance for a good life is that the guy who takes her is nice. (as opposed to a jerk who will beat her, and it seems most of the guys who want a submissive wife want to beat her)
I paid my own college by working at McDonalds on weekends. I graduated with no Debt! Didn't cost my parents much either (dad paid my car insurance which was a nice benefit, but that is all) I could have paid for everything from loans if I wanted to, but I hate debt so I made the choice to not graduate with any. Your daughter could too if she put her mind to it.
Re:Perks? Not on your life! (Score:4, Insightful)
Moreover, benefits often are valued by employees at a level beyond the pure monetary value. One of the more interesting books I've read on employee compensation, Strategic Human Resources, makes this point:
- Benefits and perks can also be particularly powerful symbols of gift exchange, moving the employment relationship from one with purely economic connotations to something more along the lines of a kin or friendship relationship. Salary, wages, and even bonus payments all have the connotation of an economic exchange in which each party should attempt to extract the best possible (narrowly selfish) deal. Some forms of benefits and perks are of an entirely different flavor and can cause the worker to respond with reciprocal gifts or by internalizing the welfare of the organization.
Seems like Google understands this. They offer a particularly exceptional benefits package [google.com].The psychological leverage associated with providing benefits is likely to depend on whether the employer is a pioneer in providing this perquisite or instead simply seen to be matching the competition.
Re:Would want these employees? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I would. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:You pay for it, one way or the other (Score:3, Insightful)
Kinda, except for the fact of the big black hole that is taxes. Normally many perks are not taxed, so you get 100% of them instead of the taxed 50%.
Eliminate the income tax. Vote Libertarian.
Re:I know many hate to admit it... (Score:5, Insightful)
Random slashdot guy,
Do NOT, repeat NOT take that counter-offer. It is the end of your career there, because they know you've been interviewing and are on your way out. The reasons you were leaving in the first place hasn't changed. Now, you'll be at the same place, but they'll be making sure they can get rid of you in 6 months.
I'm not saying that you're going to be fired in a few months automatically, but you'll be miserable.
Apples and oranges... (Score:5, Insightful)
Not to mention that, while the number of new jobs created was pretty small, at least it was positive. Or that unemployment fell from 5.6% to 5.5. That's pretty low to be called 'bad.'
I just finished off 8 months of unemployment by landing a new gig at a much better salary than my old job, and in the past month have received an increasing number of calls from recruiters. I'm not saying we've warped back to 1998 (oh, the glory), but it is getting better.
The sky is not, in fact, falling.
Free Beer's nice and all but what about benefits? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I know many hate to admit it... (Score:5, Insightful)
NEVER EVER take a counter-offer. More money isn't going to change why you were looking in the first place.
A couple of things the parent post didn't mention:
If they have layoffs, your name will be on the top of the list.
Salaries are generally in one pool of money. If you get a raise now, you'll either NOT get one next time raises go around. It's also probable that the people you work will think they won't get as big of a raise because of YOU if the raise they get doesn't meet expectations.
Plus, if you really want to work for that other company, turning them down how will make it much much harder to go back there to ask for a job. Oh, you can do it, but they'll likely say "oh, that's the guy who was just looking to make more money at the place he was at... don't bother".
There are MANY more reasons never to take a counter-offer. Do yourself (and your career) a favor, and don't take it.
Good luck
Re:Perks? Not on your life! (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:But SW Engineering jobs dropped 15% last quarte (Score:1, Insightful)
the perks that matter (Score:2, Insightful)
But you know what? I'm not going to particularly care about free beer (though I do like beer), or a foosball table, or free dinner. The kind of "perk" I want is not having to have my dinner there. Good maternity (and paternity) leave. Flexible hours. Maybe day care. I want to work at the kind of place where it's OK for me to bring well-behaved kids into the office if I need to. Where it's OK for me to be part-time for a year. I don't want my career to suffer unduly if I think my family is important. I don't want to work long hours until I burn out.
And as I'm writing this, I wonder what the hell is wrong that I regard this sort of basic sanity and moderation as a "perk". The perks of the dot-com boom were great fun for self-absorbed twenty-somethings... which is what I am now, but I won't be forever.
Re:stronger? (Score:3, Insightful)
I honestly can't see how that could be the make-or-break decision for your child going to college or not.
Was this year going to be the "save up my entire salary so my child can get a post-secondary education"?
Not wanting to hire (Score:1, Insightful)
Best perk: leave after 8 hours, no unpaid overtime (Score:2, Insightful)
Besides, what's the point of a gym membership "perk" if you are too tired to go after a 10+ hour day coding, +2 hours commuting?
Re:stronger? (Score:3, Insightful)
We can argue pluses an minuses all day...
Personally I think everyone would be better off if financial aid was illegal, including aid from parents. When kids have to work to put themselves through school maybe they will appreciate it... If nothing else this would bring competition into schools. Is a MIT education really 10 times better than a public university? (YMMV, MIT is very good)
Re:Are jobs coming into vogue again? (Score:4, Insightful)
You know what folks, the parent is the real American. He/she realizes that noone hands anything to you. They work their butt off to make something of themself and if the job market turns bad (here's a thought) they work harder.
Funny, I'm a young engineer and my company is laying people off. Yet, somehow they keep me around. I wonder if it's because I EARN MY KEEP.
Sorry, just a little conservative ranting.
Instead of "perks" (Score:2, Insightful)
With a raise I can choose to buy my own donuts and beer and consume them at a time of my choice, rather then my employer's.
Re:stronger? (Score:3, Insightful)
On the other hand, any government should realise the benefits of having a large segment of their population educated. Personally, I think the Australian way is pretty good. The government will give any Australian citizen a loan with no interest for their first degree (indexation applies, but not interest). If you pay a part of your fees each semester up front, you get a discount. When you start earning more than $15,000, then you have to start making repayments through your tax return. Everyone has the opportunity of getting an education, government doesn't spend too much money (it spends money on people who get a degree, but never earn over $15,000 a year, and for the subsidised discount when people pay up-front, but for the vast majority, it breaks even.) and young people are given incentives to keep themselves debt-free.
Re:Free Beer's nice and all but what about benefit (Score:2, Insightful)
I know of a place local to me where the company offers 50% 401k matching (up to 3% company contribution), there is a pension-plan that is contributed to at about that same rate, (contingent on the company making a profit, and it hasn't failed to make a profit for over 20 years), there is a monthly bonus consisting of 5% of the company's after-payroll revenues distributed among the employees, and at the end of the first year, you'll have acrued 2 weeks of vacation time, usable in hourly increments, with the amount of vacation that you acrue going up each year. Also, there is a flex-time program that allow employees to take time off on one day and make it up on other days.The company health and dental plans are, I believe, ~50% funded.
Sound good?
Well, it's a maufacturing job, and I'm pretty sure that they are only hiring for production positions. Starting wage is $7/hr.
Still sound good? Didn't think so.
Benefits aren't everything.
What kind of perks are we talking about? (Score:4, Insightful)
But what kind of perks? You can separate several distinct types:
As an employee, things like flexitime and "pillow days" are great for me. Options are nice as-well-as but not instead-of your regular package -- I'd be very unlikely to accept a below-par salary/bonus package in exchange for options. I have no interest in the third kind of perk, and would much rather have the money to spend on my first home, since houses are ludicrously expensive around here.
I'm not sure this discussion makes much sense until you've identified what sort of thing you're going to call a "perk".
Re:What kind of perks are we talking about? (Score:3, Insightful)
Health care, gym membership, etc.
Obviously the point is to encourage the staff to work out, since taking up exercising usually leads to healthier employees. This pays in a smaller amount of sick days, more productive employees etc.
Now, if they gave the cash, they would arguably not see the same benefits.