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new perk!! FREE LUNCH
Benefits & Compensation
new perk!! FREE LUNCH
Exchange ideas about health plans, retirement, work/life benefits, and employee assistance.
Your reaction to this idea, please:
Employer purchases a limited number (10-20 perhaps) of lunches on a daily basis to be offered to employees.
Employees may reserve a lunch for any particular d
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Forums » Topic Forums » Benefits & Compensation » new perk!! FREE LUNCH
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new perk!! FREE LUNCH
posted at 12/8/2000 7:42 AM EST
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Posts: 9
First: 12/8/2000 Last: 12/20/2000 |
Your reaction to this idea, please:
Employer purchases a limited number (10-20 perhaps) of lunches on a daily basis to be offered to employees. Employees may reserve a lunch for any particular day until the pre-determined number of lunches purchased by the employer has been exhausted. Benefits to employer: (1) less time out of employees day spent on non productive lunch decisions and "lunch runs" (especially in areas where lunch options are not within walking distance) (2) recruitment/ retention tool Agree? Disagree? Would you provide the lunches? |
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new perk!! FREE LUNCH
posted at 12/8/2000 9:42 AM EST
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Posts: 34
First: 11/2/2000 Last: 3/31/2004 |
I used to work in the hospitality industry and our employees got free lunches every day. It was a great recruitment tool since in some cases it was the only hot or good meal the employee got. Some positions don't make much money and can't afford the cost of a lunch. If you're company is willing, I say GO FOR IT! |
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new perk!! FREE LUNCH
posted at 12/11/2000 4:55 AM EST
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Posts: 24
First: 10/13/2000 Last: 3/7/2001 |
I agree- free lunches or other meals can be a real incentive for employees. (Food is love to alot of us!)I'm not sure it in my places of employment that it was all that inexpensive, though if you plan 10-20 lunches every week and randomly award them, i suppose it's a very inexpensive proposition. My experiences-I worked in healthcare for many years and free holiday meals were a big deal for employees who worked Thanksgiving and Christmas, for example. My current employer provides lunch for all of us(60+) on Tuesdays every week. Two employees pair up and plan it and order or cook or whatever the whim of the planners are that week. Its a nice team gathering time and as we grow, it's an opportunity to find out what each other is doing as well.
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new perk!! FREE LUNCH
posted at 12/12/2000 2:34 AM EST
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Posts: 33
First: 11/15/2000 Last: 2/13/2002 |
If used as a spot incentive, I really like it. As a "gimmee", I'm not overly fond. Regardless of how the free lunches are dispersed, I definitely appreciate the concept! As I do not have a cafeteria in the office building I work in, I find approximately 15-20 minutes is spent just getting to and from my lunch destination. Not an efficient use of my time. I say go for it an provide the lunches! |
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new perk!! FREE LUNCH
posted at 12/13/2000 3:28 PM EST
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Posts: 2442
First: 2/12/2000 Last: 9/14/2011 |
I have a slightly different take. Here are some thoughts:
First, lunch runs are part of the mental break period that a lot of people need particulatly in streesful jobs. You don't state the size of your workforce but is this a significant portion? Is providing the free lunch a taxable event to the employee that must be added to the W-2? Providing 20 lunches a day will amount to at least $5,000 per year. Do you have a better use of these funds internally? Has anyone asked the employees if this is an issue for them? What data is their to support the rentention recuitment premise? |
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new perk!! FREE LUNCH
posted at 12/14/2000 3:20 PM EST
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Posts: 9
First: 12/8/2000 Last: 12/20/2000 |
Agreed that a break is crucial to clear out the cobwebs, now and then.
The number of lunches needs to be limited, if for no other reason than to control cost. I don't believe it will be a major retention tool, but I do think it will be a small factor, at least. Especially since other lunch options require investing 15-20 travel time as is the case with Lorrie. This will be offered as a perk, not as a taxable benefit. As for expense, I view $5000 as an alternative to several times that amount in turnover costs for one employee only. If this program retains one employee per year, it pays for itself easily and spreads a lot of goodwill at the same time. |
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