Workers Share The Most 'Insulting' Benefits They've Received From Their Jobs
You're not going to believe the disregard some companies have for their workers.
Mizuno K | Pexels Benefits are supposed to be rewards for workers outside of their salaries, such as paid leave or health insurance — things that will actually improve workers' lives. Some companies realize that job satisfaction plays a huge role in employee retention and productivity, so they provide a variety of benefits above and beyond the norm, including gym memberships, flexible schedules, and even unlimited PTO.
Other companies don't understand this concept or purposefully disregard employee care in favor of saving money. While it may benefit their bottom lines in the short term, a revolving door of employees who don't work to their full potential will always inevitably hurt profits. Employees who have had first-hand experience with these less-than-caring workplaces banned together on Reddit to share what they deemed the most "insulting" benefits they ever received at a job.
Workers shared the most 'insulting' benefits they ever received from an employer.
It says something about the health of the job market when so many workers have horror stories about employee benefits. Essentially, we're in an employer market, and that means the job market is flooded with high-quality candidates looking for work. That gives employers all the power to choose who to hire and what to offer. Since so many people are vying for limited jobs, employers can be stingy because where one candidate puts their foot down, there are many more behind them, desperate enough to say yes to their breadcrumbs.
While employers are celebrating the current climate, workers know all too well the effects of the imbalance of power, especially if their employer or former employer isn't as empathetic to the needs of its talent.
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Workers shared real-life examples of the utter disregard some employers have for their staff.
One of the top comments on the Reddit post simply shared, "'Flexible work hours.' Must be in office between 8 and 5, but you can show up even earlier or stay even later if you want." Wow, I mean, what a benefit. Instead of being rewarded for your hard work with vacation time or a bonus, you get ... more work. And umm ... what is flexible about working from 8-5? Isn't that just normal working hours?
Another worker shared an anecdote that had a rather dystopian feel to it. When working at an Amazon warehouse, employees were told they were the most efficient warehouse in the country and would be receiving a prize. They came to find out the prize was that one of the Kivabots, which delivers the shelves to the workstation, would be signed by Jeff Bezos. "He never actually came to our warehouse so they probably printed a sticker and put it on one of the machines. So every once in a while, we will get to see the great ones signature on the robot that delivers us tasks," the disgruntled employee wrote sarcastically.
This seems like a rather bizarre choice of a prize, considering the workers don't benefit from it in any capacity. It would almost be funny if it weren't for the fact that a company genuinely thought this would be a gift to their workers for the hard work and hours they've put in.
Another employee almost jokingly shared, "Once worked at a place where the 'benefit' was free access to the company gym... which was just a treadmill in a dark, windowless basement room. No thanks, I'll pass on the dungeon workout."
American workers are not satisfied with their benefits.
According to Glassdoor, approximately half of American workers weren't satisfied with their 2024 benefits packages. The most dissatisfied employees worked in marketing, healthcare, and insurance, but dissatisfaction was consistent across genders and generations.
After all the time and energy that workers put into their jobs, they deserve to be compensated properly, not just with appropriate salaries but also with appropriate benefits. Employers should really be bending over backward to reward employees for devoting the bulk of their daily lives to the success of their organization.
When it comes down to brass tacks, benefits make the daily grind an easier pill to swallow. They are the spoonfuls of sugar that make the medicine go down, as Mary Poppins would say. Sadly, they aren't often prioritized despite data-driven evidence that proves happy employees drive profits.
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Workers deserve good benefits for what they do.
Companies need to treat their workers fairly, which starts with paying them fairly but extends to providing them with proper benefits. It especially means they need to stop patting themselves on the back for giving small perks and instead implement larger changes.
Perhaps the burden will lay on workers to advocate for better benefit packages because, with over half the country unsatisfied with their benefits packages, something will need to change so workers are treated well for the work they do.
Sahlah Syeda is a writer who covers relationships, culture, and human interest topics.