Workplaces supplying food...is this a new thing?

[Luv Bunnies]

My husband started his new job yesterday (after 20 months of being unemployed, but that's another thread!). His new company has about 70 people right now but is growing fast. When he got home, he couldn't wait to tell me about all the free stuff the company provides. They cater in lunch for everyone every single day. Yesterday it was soup, salad, meat kabobs, rice and vegetables...not cheap stuff by any means. There's a kitchen that's always stocked with organic fruit, nuts, granola bars, etc. along with soda, water, energy drinks and a Keurig coffee maker with tons of k-cup flavors. My DH was excited about being able to make his own mocha sometime. The office manager showed him where she keeps her shopping list and said he can add almost anything he'd like!

My sister is the controller of a 100+ person company. A couple of years ago, her admins were asking if they could have some budget to stock the kitchen with snacks for the employees. It seems some of the newer, younger employees expected to be supplied with snacks based on other companies they'd worked for. People were even asking during interviews what the company provides. My sister is more old-school in terms of expecting people to bring their own snacks, but she gave in since it became such a big issue.

Is this a common practice? I was surprised to see the free snacks at my sister's company, but even more surprised when my DH told me what his company has. I've worked in several corporations and we got free coffee, tea and hot chocolate. That was it. You had to buy bottled water and soda from the machines. I currently work at a school and we get nothing. The people who drink coffee take turns buying it. I bring my own commuter cup of coffee. If I forget my lunch, my only option is the school cafeteria! Why do companies feel they need to supply so much free food for their employees? With so many people looking for jobs right now, I can't imagine the lack of free food being a deal-breaker!

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

I wouldn't say it is new, but I would say it is more commonplace, especially for those who work extended hours. The company my wife works for brings in food whenever they expect to work late.

It is fairly common in computer / software companies... especially quickly growing ones.

You should read what Google does for their employees!

 

[mamacatnv]

My former employer supplied coffee. I was thrilled when I came to where I am now and we got fake powdered creamer and 2 forms of fake sugar.

My DS's company does it for inventory when they are working round the clock and DH's company will sometimes if they are working OT to get a project out the door but as for a stocked pantry, daily meal and a shopping list, wow, I have not heard of such niceties but I hope it becomes the trend!

 

[njmom47]

I work in the office for a supermarket company and lunch is supplied to the supervisors and managers here. The clerks don't get lunch; we bring own or order out. We do get free hot beverages and bottled water though, and occasionally muffins and bagels. We do get samples, sometimes from outside vendors (Indian food or new flavors of products) or from our bakery. It's not a consistent thing though; I'm surprised it's commonplace to ask about this.

 

[busyshrew]

My husband is a programmer in the software development industry. We always took it as a big negative if the company was offering a big games room, valet services, showers/spa and meals catered in. *Usually*, it implies that you are expected to "live" at that company's premises and away time (or working from home) is frowned upon. That's cool when you're young and have no children, but now that DH is a family man, we have very different priorities.

But of course, every company he has ever worked at provides tea, coffee, hot chocolate and water for free. And usually offers vending machine snacks at heavily discounted prices (25 cent chocolate bars as an example). Because hard-core programmers MUST have their caffeine, I guess that's considered a non-negotiable!

 

[maslex]

I wouldn't say it is new, but I would say it is more commonplace, especially for those who work extended hours. The company my wife works for brings in food whenever they expect to work late.

It is fairly common in computer / software companies... especially quickly growing ones.

You should read what Google does for their employees!

I saw a show on this. All I can say is Those are some lucky ducks!!!

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

Google employee benefits:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/jobs/lifeatgoogle/benefits/index.html

The goal is to strip away everything that gets in our employees’ way. We provide a standard package of fringe benefits, but on top of that are first-class dining facilities, gyms, laundry rooms, massage rooms, haircuts, carwashes, dry cleaning, commuting buses – just about anything a hardworking employee might want. Let’s face it: programmers want to program, they don’t want to do their laundry. So we make it easy for them to do both.”

Eric Schmidt, CEO Google

Google’s founders often state that the company is not serious about anything but search. They built a company around the idea that work should be challenging and the challenge should be fun. To that end, Google’s culture is unlike any in corporate America, and it’s not because of the whimsical lava lamps and large rubber balls, or the fact that one of the company’s chefs used to cook for the Grateful Dead. In the same way Google puts users first when it comes to online services, Google puts employees first when it comes to daily life in its offices.

Benefits Philosophy: We strive to be innovative and unique in all services we provide both to customers and employees, including our benefits and perks offerings. We realize and celebrate that our employees have diverse needs, and that this diversity requires flexible and individually directed support. Our priority is to offer a customizable program that can be tailored to the specific needs of each individual, whether they enjoy ice climbing in Alaska, want to retire by age 40, or plan to adopt 3 children.

Health and wellness
Retirement and savings
Time away
Benefits … beyond the basics
Benefits … way beyond the basics
Health and wellness*
Medical Insurance: 3 Carriers

Carriers for California:

* Blue Shield: PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) or HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)
* CIGNA: PPO or HMO
* Kaiser: HMO

Carriers for Other States:

* Blue Shield: PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) or OOA (Out of Area)
* CIGNA: PPO or HMO

Dental Insurance

Comprehensive coverage through Delta Dental.
Vision Insurance

Exams, contacts, lenses and frames all generously covered.
Flex Spending Account Plan

Includes Medical Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Assistance Plan, and Qualified Transportation Benefit.
EAP – Employee Assistance Program

Services for employees and their dependents include free short-term counseling, legal consultations, financial counseling, child care referrals, pet care referrals, and more.
Life and AD&D Insurance

Automatic coverage at 2 times annual salary.
Voluntary Life Insurance

Option to purchase additional life insurance.
Short Term & Long Term Disability

Short Term Disability Insurance coverage provided at approximately 100% of take-home pay. Long Term Disability coverage provided at 60% of salary once Short Term Disability is exhausted.
Business Travel Accident Insurance

Automatic coverage at 2 times annual salary.
Retirement and savings*
Google 401(k) Plan

Employees may contribute up to 60% and receive a Google match of up to the greater of (a) 100% of your contribution up to $3,000 or (b) 50% of your contribution up to $8,250 per year with no vesting schedule! We offer a variety of investment options to choose from through Vanguard, our 401(k) Plan Administrator. To help you with those tough investment decisions, employees can access Financial Engines to receive personalized investment advice.
529 College Savings Plan

This plan provides employees with a way to save money for post-secondary education.
Time away*
Vacation

* 1st year: 15 days
* 4th year: 20 days
* 6th year: 25 days

Holidays

12 paid holidays (sick days taken as necessary)
Maternity Benefits

Up to 12 weeks off at approximately 100% pay, eligible for an additional 6 weeks if employed at Google for more than 1 year.
Parental Leave (for non-primary caregivers)

Up to 7 weeks off at approximately 100% take-home pay
Take-Out Benefit

To help make things easier, new moms and dads are able to expense up to $500 for take-out meals during the first 3 months that they are home with their new baby.
Benefits … beyond the basics*
Tuition Reimbursement

We’ll help you pursue further education that’s relevant to what you do. You must receive grades of “B” or better. Why a “B” or better? Because we said so. Tuition reimbursement is up to $12,000 per calendar year.
Employee Referral Program

Good people know other good people. Our best employees have been hired through referrals. Google encourages you to recommend candidates for opportunities here and will award you a bonus if your referral accepts our offer. We pay out these bonuses a month after the referral starts at Google.
Back-Up Child Care

As a California employee, when your regularly scheduled child care falls through Google will provide you with 5 free days of child care per year through Children’s Creative Learning Center (CCLC). There are 13 Bay Area locations serving ages 6 weeks – 12 years.
Gift Matching Program

Google matches contributions of up to $12,000 per year from eligible employees to non-profit organizations. Bolstering employee contributions to worthy causes with matching gifts doesn't just mean helping hundreds of organizations, both locally and globally; it’s also a tangible expression. We want Googlers to get involved – and the company is right behind you.
Adoption Assistance

Google assists our employees by offering financial assistance in the adoption of a child. We’ll reimburse you up to $5000 to use towards legal expenses, adoption agencies or other adoption professional fees. Parental leave and take-out benefit also apply. See Time Away.
Benefits … way beyond the basics*
Food

Hungry? Check out our free lunch and dinner – our gourmet chefs create a wide variety of healthy and delicious meals every day. Got the munchies? Google also offers snacks to help satisfy you in between meals.
On-site Doctor

At Google headquarters in Mountain View, California you have the convenience of seeing a doctor on-site. Physical therapy and chiropractic services are also available.
Shuttle Service

Google is pleased to provide its Mountain View employees with free shuttles to several San Francisco, East Bay and South Bay locations.
Financial Planning Classes

Google provides objective and conflict-free financial education classes. The courses are comprehensive and cover a variety of financial topics.
Other On-Site Services

At Google headquarters in Mountain View, you'll find on-site oil change and car wash services, dry cleaning, massage therapy, gym, hair stylist, fitness classes and bike repair.
Other Great Benefits

Halloween & holiday party, health fair, credit union, roller hockey, outdoor volleyball court, discounts for products and local attractions.

 

[pearlieq]

My husband is a programmer in the software development industry. We always took it as a big negative if the company was offering a big games room, valet services, showers/spa and meals catered in. *Usually*, it implies that you are expected to "live" at that company's premises and away time (or working from home) is frowned upon.

Yup, that's usually what I've seen too. Those food and perks aren't "free".

I once worked for a company that provided free beverages, and once for a company that brought in lunch every Friday as an employee perk. My last job constantly had food around, but that's because we dealt with food products all the time. It wasn't so much a perk as just a natural result of what we did.

I don't think it's really a new trend. If it isn't an inducement to work 100 hours/week, it seems to just be a quirk of an individual company or manager.

 

[ilovejack02]

DH works for a large oil company. While daily food is not provided, they cater in food quite often as a thank you for for hard work and when working overtime they are allowed to order food at company expense . They have several restaurants they can order from .

 

[JVL1018]

When my husband worked for Tishman Speyer in NYC(they own Rockefeller Center among other things) they had breakfast items always in stock as well as Snapple and water and sodas. No lunches.
If you worked overtime you got dinner provided and if you worked late until 7 (or 8?)you got a town car home to wherever you lived free of charge.
The perks were very nice!

 

[Pakey]

We keep our kitchen stocked with snacks.

During our busy season, we provide lunch daily. When it's slower, we usually only have lunch brought in once a week as a treat. Our offices are located in the manufacturing section of the city and there aren't many options unless you bring lunch from home.

This is just for administrative employees; not operations departments.

 

[WDWBarb]

I had a client once who supplied lunch every day for their employees. They were not "small" (100+ employees) and I asked the CEO once why they bought lunch (when I was there, they were placing orders for Macaroni Grill!). His response was, "It keeps people here and and they generally take shorter lunches when they eat at the office." He also said it was a good perk and good for morale.

I know of another company with a young, progressive owner and he does something special for all of the employees for lunch every Friday. They have done a crawdad boil (ew...!! lol), gone to a nearby park and spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out and playing games, and they have a frequent and ever-popular "chocolate bar." I always tried to visit with them on Fridays when I knew the "bar" would be open!

 

[ilovejack02]

I had a client once who supplied lunch every day for their employees. They were not "small" (100+ employees) and I asked the CEO once why they bought lunch (when I was there, they were placing orders for Macaroni Grill!). His response was, "It keeps people here and and they generally take shorter lunches when they eat at the office." He also said it was a good perk and good for morale.

I know of another company with a young, progressive owner and he does something special for all of the employees for lunch every Friday. They have done a crawdad boil (ew...!! lol), gone to a nearby park and spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out and playing games, and they have a frequent and ever-popular "chocolate bar." I always tried to visit with them on Fridays when I knew the "bar" would be open!

LOL hush yo mouth, yummmmmooo crawfish boil!!!

 

[ckret01]

When my husband worked for Tishman Speyer in NYC(they own Rockefeller Center among other things) they had breakfast items always in stock as well as Snapple and water and sodas. No lunches.
If you worked overtime you got dinner provided and if you worked late until 7 (or 8?)you got a town car home to wherever you lived free of charge.
The perks were very nice!

I actually worked for them up in CT when they took over the original company I worked for. We got free lunches in the cafeteria

 

[AustinTink]

It is fairly common in computer / software companies... especially quickly growing ones.

You should read what Google does for their employees!

THIS! Austin in a high tech town (Silicon Hills is our nickname) and 90% of the small to mid-sized software companies provide unlimited snacks, lunches, etc for their employees. The big boys like Dell, Samsung and AMD do not, they have cafeterias for their employees.

 

[JVL1018]

I actually worked for them up in CT when they took over the original company I worked for. We got free lunches in the cafeteria

No cafeteria in his building, he lost out on free lunch! LOL

 

[mamacatnv]

We get donuts on Fridays

 

[Imzadi]

You should read what Google does for their employees!

I saw a show on this. All I can say is Those are some lucky ducks!!!

Yes, there is a show on CNBC about Google and the perks their employees get. They believe that a happy employee is a productive employee, one who won't be sneaking out, creating lame excuses to get out of work, because he hates his job so much.

Not only is the food free for the employees, they can invite their families in to eat with them for free, too.

Since Google is one of the top high roller stocks at $600/share and they are able to hire the absolute best in the computer technology field, it's a concept that is working.


Maybe now, companies will finally stop naming their products after foods: Apple, Blackberry, Chocolate phone, Orange. Maybe those companies didn't feed their employees.

 

[epcotprincess]

DH and I (when I was working) have to pay for everything from full price school cafeteria lunch to a simple cup of coffee - $1.50 per cup. Although we do get lucky from time to time and an older kid will bring in cupcakes, or sometimes the cooking classes will bring around something they've concocted. Once per semester we'd get bagels and cream cheese in the front office, but we still have to pay for a cup of coffee when we get there. The benefits of teaching are many, but free food is clearly not one of them!

Most of my friends who work in progressive tech-related positions for younger bosses get a lot of perks like this.

 

[Carnie]

Yup. Teacher here, even the water cooler isn't free. You have to join the "water club" if you want it, which is 5 bucks a month.