3 ms·

So, to be clear, your plan is no different than all the other crappy companies people complain about: replace real process and professional management with call

So, to be clear, your plan is no different than all the other crappy companies people complain about: replace real process and professional management with calling yourself a family, “perks” the employees already pay for through reduced salary like food, and taking advantage of young, cheap labor that doesn’t know any better than to be exploited?

blunte 6y ago
Is that what you read? No, I am creating the kind of company I would have loved to work for. Salary is fine, but I know firsthand that if there is good free food, I will stay and work through lunch (or at least talk with my colleagues about work challenges while eating the nice food). Look, if someone is not happy with their work, free food or free trips is only going to hold them in place for a short while. They absolutely will leave at some point, and chances are they'll either do some damage on the way out or take some IP if possible. If you don't treat people well, you get what you deserve.
- iamacyborg 6y ago
  How about just, you know, letting people have a lunch break that doesn’t involve work. By all means subsidise it if you want, but don't try drag people back to their desks with free food.
  - blunte 6y ago
    agreed. I have just found by my own experience that when nice free lunch is supplied (finance company, not SV startup), we typically talked about work and tech stuff anyway. those who went out for lunch did because they needed some air and distance, and that was not frowned upon at all. but trust me, good free food is a powerful motivator to stick around!
- nitrogen 6y ago
  When fun and camaraderie happens naturally on a project, it's really amazing to be a part of. When an org tries to force "fun", it's awful. I think you are dreaming of the first kind, and everyone against you in this thread is having nightmares about the second. But I've also learned something about dealing with "corporate BS" -- if it's at least reasonably well intentioned, one can still decide to make the most of it instead of fighting everything and killing everyone else's motivation.
  - blunte 6y ago
    Very true. Marketed "fun" is usually not. And frankly, I don't have energy or patience to play the marketing game. But I do know what fun is. I worked in the gaming industry at one point, and later in life I worked in places with Friday parties and foosball and food and spirits. Party play time can be a whole lot of fun - the kind you talk about Monday and even Tuesday and then look forward to next Friday. Foster an environment where people work hard and you all gain, and you get to play nicely on a regular basis, and you have a place where you don't have to compete for talent. People seek you out.
cma 6y ago
> “perks” the employees already pay for through reduced salary like food, Isn't it a big net tax advantage to provide this rather than they pay in after tax (and after employer's portion of payroll tax) dollars?

blunte 6y ago

Is that what you read? No, I am creating the kind of company I would have loved to work for. Salary is fine, but I know firsthand that if there is good free food, I will stay and work through lunch (or at least talk with my colleagues about work challenges while eating the nice food). Look, if someone is not happy with their work, free food or free trips is only going to hold them in place for a short while. They absolutely will leave at some point, and chances are they'll either do some damage on the way out or take some IP if possible. If you don't treat people well, you get what you deserve.

iamacyborg 6y ago
How about just, you know, letting people have a lunch break that doesn’t involve work. By all means subsidise it if you want, but don't try drag people back to their desks with free food.
- blunte 6y ago
  agreed. I have just found by my own experience that when nice free lunch is supplied (finance company, not SV startup), we typically talked about work and tech stuff anyway. those who went out for lunch did because they needed some air and distance, and that was not frowned upon at all. but trust me, good free food is a powerful motivator to stick around!
nitrogen 6y ago
When fun and camaraderie happens naturally on a project, it's really amazing to be a part of. When an org tries to force "fun", it's awful. I think you are dreaming of the first kind, and everyone against you in this thread is having nightmares about the second. But I've also learned something about dealing with "corporate BS" -- if it's at least reasonably well intentioned, one can still decide to make the most of it instead of fighting everything and killing everyone else's motivation.
- blunte 6y ago
  Very true. Marketed "fun" is usually not. And frankly, I don't have energy or patience to play the marketing game. But I do know what fun is. I worked in the gaming industry at one point, and later in life I worked in places with Friday parties and foosball and food and spirits. Party play time can be a whole lot of fun - the kind you talk about Monday and even Tuesday and then look forward to next Friday. Foster an environment where people work hard and you all gain, and you get to play nicely on a regular basis, and you have a place where you don't have to compete for talent. People seek you out.

cma 6y ago

> “perks” the employees already pay for through reduced salary like food, Isn't it a big net tax advantage to provide this rather than they pay in after tax (and after employer's portion of payroll tax) dollars?