4 ms·

"on-site laundry machines" Let's just pause and think about how INSANE that is. Are people that work at Google really so hopelessly dependent on their employer

"on-site laundry machines" Let's just pause and think about how INSANE that is. Are people that work at Google really so hopelessly dependent on their employer that they can't handle basic bodily sanitation without help? Let me get this straight. These people are taking their laundry on the Google bus to wash their clothes at work? Hi, reality much?

krapp 12y ago
Why would you assume that because Google offers a service to its employees, this makes the employees hopelessly dependent? Presumably, not using that service won't put more money into Googler paychecks, just take it out (either as laundromat fees or their own water bills.) If it were me, I'd rather spend that money on something else. Granted, they probably make enough that it doesn't matter either way, but unless they're washing buckskins in a river, just about everyone (in the US at least) is hopelessly dependent on their employer for "basic sanitation" to varying degrees of abstraction. And food. And shelter. And healthcare. Etc, etc.
- indubitably 12y ago
  Whatever. Normal people do their own laundry, like they brush their own teeth.
  - wyclif 12y ago
    Lots of professional people pay for services to take care of laundry and dry cleaning. I don't see how that's economically different than getting Starbucks to make your coffee for you instead of doing it yourself.
NickM 12y ago
Plenty of people live in apartments that don't necessarily have laundry on site. I don't have any firsthand experience, but I'd imagine it'd be a lot more convenient to be able to do your laundry at work for free vs. having to take a separate trip to a laundromat, feed quarters to the machines, etc.
- indubitably 12y ago
  People that work at Google live in apartments that have laundry onsite. Because when they saw to it that the people who previously lived in that apartment were pushed out by rent increases, they also demanded that the landlord put in laundry machines. That way, they could do their laundry at work and have the satisfaction of checking off "on-site laundry" in their mental status meters.
- danielweber 12y ago
  I think this is key. I have a laundry machine at home, and would honestly be ashamed to bring in my wash, but if it saved me a trek to the laundromat, and the google laundry facility was a few minutes walk from my desk, it might give me a nice break from my day to mindlessly fold clothes.
zak_mc_kracken 12y ago
> Are people that work at Google really so hopelessly dependent on their employer that they can't handle basic bodily sanitation without help? This makes as much sense as saying "This company has a cafeteria, are the employees so inept that they can't find food by themselves?". Having laundry on site is extremely convenient, especially for younger folks who have roommates or very often rent a cheap bedroom without dryer/washer in the building.
Angostura 12y ago
Speaking as someone who (a) cycles into work (b) has on occasion spilled a cup of coffee down my business suit just before an important external meeting - that sounds very handy.

krapp 12y ago

Why would you assume that because Google offers a service to its employees, this makes the employees hopelessly dependent? Presumably, not using that service won't put more money into Googler paychecks, just take it out (either as laundromat fees or their own water bills.) If it were me, I'd rather spend that money on something else. Granted, they probably make enough that it doesn't matter either way, but unless they're washing buckskins in a river, just about everyone (in the US at least) is hopelessly dependent on their employer for "basic sanitation" to varying degrees of abstraction. And food. And shelter. And healthcare. Etc, etc.

indubitably 12y ago
Whatever. Normal people do their own laundry, like they brush their own teeth.
- wyclif 12y ago
  Lots of professional people pay for services to take care of laundry and dry cleaning. I don't see how that's economically different than getting Starbucks to make your coffee for you instead of doing it yourself.

NickM 12y ago

Plenty of people live in apartments that don't necessarily have laundry on site. I don't have any firsthand experience, but I'd imagine it'd be a lot more convenient to be able to do your laundry at work for free vs. having to take a separate trip to a laundromat, feed quarters to the machines, etc.

indubitably 12y ago
People that work at Google live in apartments that have laundry onsite. Because when they saw to it that the people who previously lived in that apartment were pushed out by rent increases, they also demanded that the landlord put in laundry machines. That way, they could do their laundry at work and have the satisfaction of checking off "on-site laundry" in their mental status meters.
danielweber 12y ago
I think this is key. I have a laundry machine at home, and would honestly be ashamed to bring in my wash, but if it saved me a trek to the laundromat, and the google laundry facility was a few minutes walk from my desk, it might give me a nice break from my day to mindlessly fold clothes.

zak_mc_kracken 12y ago

> Are people that work at Google really so hopelessly dependent on their employer that they can't handle basic bodily sanitation without help? This makes as much sense as saying "This company has a cafeteria, are the employees so inept that they can't find food by themselves?". Having laundry on site is extremely convenient, especially for younger folks who have roommates or very often rent a cheap bedroom without dryer/washer in the building.

Angostura 12y ago

Speaking as someone who (a) cycles into work (b) has on occasion spilled a cup of coffee down my business suit just before an important external meeting - that sounds very handy.