Free Helicopter Ride, Anyone? 40 Awesome and Absurd Tech Company Perks. (Infographic) While many of these benefits are just good policy, others definitely fall into the 'over-the-top' camp.
By Laura Entis
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We've heard it before, and we'll hear it again: Working at a tech company has definite upsides.
Competitive salaries aside, by this point, it's old news that some of the tech industry's hottest companies offer their employees' cushy benefits. Many of these policies – such as Foursquare's decision to subsidize nightly dinners for its employees, Twitter's schedule of free, in-office yoga sessions, and Microsoft's offer of paid parental leave for new mothers and fathers – make real, strategic sense. It's easy to see how free meals can incite longer work hours, wellness programs can lead to a healthier, more productive workforce, and paid parental leave can reduce turnover.
Related: Facebook, Apple to Begin Paying for Employees to Freeze Their Eggs
But as companies continue to try and one-up each other, the perks are getting a little out of hand. Take, for instance, Asana's policy of giving each employee $10,000 to spend on desk decor, Zynga's arcade and video-game packed lounges, Dropcam's tradition of taking every new hire on a free helicopter ride, or Google's complimentary concierge service for its employees. While each of these perks may arguably translate into a more productive, unified workspace, after a certain point, the justifications begin to stretch a little thin.
Regardless of their actual usefulness for attracting and retaining top talent, all of these plush benefits make for fascinating reading. Unum, a financial protection insurer based in the U.K., has compiled an infographic that showcases 40 alternatively useful, over-the-top, and down-right bizarre tech company benefits.
From 'Free Massage Fridays' to team trips to Hawaii, check them out below.
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