Forget discounted gym membership and free coffee...these tech companies woo their employees with some seriously quirky benefits...
For most of us, employee perks are limited to a discounted gym membership and some free tea bags in the staff kitchen – and that’s if we’re lucky. But tech companies in Silicon Valley shower their employees with quirky benefits in a bid to attract the cream of the coding crop. Prepare to feel some serious envy…
Google Fancy a little snooze at your desk? If you’re at Google, you can head to one of their Nap Pods for a refresh. Hungry? Load up on free food in the huge canteen. Then chill out in the playroom or take a rainbow coloured Google bike for a ride. The company also runs an annual talent contest - last year’s winners got to open for Bruno Mars at a Las Vegas gig.
Dropbox Working at this San Francisco company sounds more like being in a sixth form common room than an office. There’s a music room, complete with grand piano and electric guitars, a games room where you can get free ping pong lessons, and free lunch every day in their canteen (which is reportedly better than many high end restaurants). They’re also famous for their ‘Whisky Fridays’, where the booze flows freely – and for free.
Facebook Free bikes help employees get around the 57-acre Facebook campus, which also houses a video arcade, free vending machines dishing out headphones and a onsite candy shop stocked with free ice-cream, frozen yoghurt, cakes and sweets. On the company’s birthday each year, all employees get a present each – previous gifts have included pyjamas, watches and socks. Like.
Polyvore The first thing you do when you start work at Fashion startup Polyvore is to go shopping. Each new employee is handed a $100 gift card to spend on the site, so they can learn what the experience is like for their customers.
Twitter Most companies welcome employees with a quick tour around the kitchen and nearest loos. At Twitter, besides attending a week-long ‘flight school’ induction, where they get to gorge on cookies, cupcakes and champagne while learning about the company, new recruits also get a ‘swag bag’ which includes a Twitter branded bottle of wine, t-shirt, notebook, laptop sleeve and notebook.
