"It’s A Trick To Keep You At Work 24/7": Worker Tries To Flex With 'Cool Perks' Her Tech Company Provides, Doesn't Get Jealous Response She Expected

Let’s face it, the last couple of years have truly changed how we feel about working from the office. And employers see that. Companies know most workers are far from happy about being forced to return, so they offer special add-ons to anyone willing to switch out Zoom with a conference room. Unlimited snacks, free drinks, discounts, you name it — these are some of the work perks that should help employees sweeten the sour taste of commuting to and from work. But as it turns out, it's a topic that sparks a broader conversation.

One New Yorker working at a tech company recently shared a video that instantly went viral on TikTok. With over 7.4 million views, Vivvie shows a tour of her workplace and several "cool perks" that make her office life a bit better, including free breakfast, a candy bar, and breathtaking views. After watching the clip, however, most viewers were divided.

Some people applauded the idea of a well-stocked workplace and said it’s a great way to improve motivation and take care of the staff. Others were more critical of this idea and mentioned a darker purpose these amenities serve. So scroll down to see what the video is about, as well as some of the reactions TikTokers posted in the comments. Then decide for yourself whether these benefits actually make workers’ days better, and be sure to share your opinions with us down below!

How many of you wouldn’t like to work in such a benefit-bursting office? Don’t be shy, raise your hands! Well, I can’t see you, but I sense a slight silence on the other side of my laptop screen, so it’s no surprise Vivvie’s viral video has inspired many viewers to cheer her employer’s ideas. After all, free meals, open bars, and arcade games in every corner of the workplace sound fantastic. They’re especially favored at hipsterish tech companies that are known to bend over backward to make their employees feel special. In fact, a 2019 Hired report stated that 26% of tech workers report benefits as one of the most important factors when considering a new company.

Moreover, a 2015 survey by grocery-delivery service Peapod revealed that when it comes to employee perks, few things are as satisfying as enjoying free food and drinks. According to the findings, companies that stock up their office kitchens with free food have happier workers compared to those that don’t. After questioning over 1,000 full-time office-bound souls, it turns out that the majority (56%) of respondents are "extremely" or "very" happy with their current job. However, the number rises to 67% in organizations where people have access to free food.

"What we have going in our favor is Millennials, because they are so interested, I think, in food in general and also in good food, healthy food," Peg Merzbacher, Peapod's vice president of regional marketing, said.

To find out how amenities offered by the organizations affect our attitudes, we reached out to Sunny Patel, a UK-based career-change coach helping professionals find careers that excite them. "These things absolutely can help improve office life, they are small touches that can make you feel more at home in the office," he told Bored Panda.

"As long as they are part of a more holistic approach to making employees feel valued, then all is good. I have been the person, and have also coached people who wake up one day and realize that these things have distracted them from bigger issues, such as several years without a pay review or no clear progression plan to work towards. This is when it becomes an issue as the perks can feel like mere breadcrumbs," Patel added.

It looks like snazzy office benefits aren’t always as innocent as they first seem. There’s a darker side to these eye-catching perks that includes making employees satisfied while keeping them occupied with work or increasing the amount of time they spend at the office.

"In many cases, companies are simply 'breadcrumbing' their employees, breaking off little perks and rewards to either keep people happy enough to stay at the company or in place of things such as a competitive salary, support, mentoring, etc.," career coach Patel said. He often works with people to help them remove these seemingly attractive scraps that cloud their judgment when they analyze whether they are truly happy in their current role.

Patel pointed out that as a manager and senior manager, he always put the company perks aside. "My approach was to focus on developing, supporting, and mentoring my staff so that anything the company can offer becomes a bonus."

"Organizations, now more than ever, need to understand there has been a great awakening through the pandemic and that staff are looking deeper at what matters to them and what motivates them. If your staff aren’t given the opportunity to achieve mastery, have sufficient autonomy, and get regular feedback and support, then there’s only so much longer they’ll stick around for the free food and snacks," he concluded.