Random Work Related List
My employer is big on perks. One of them is that every year around the holidays everybody gets some sort of present. This isn't just a cheap little something, I'm talking serious presents that often cost more than my total yearly gift giving budget for four people and a dog.
Here's the list:
2002 - A first generation Xbox. It came with a game that involved rollerblading and graffiti. Once I got bored with the soundtrack, I sold it to my fraternity brother BR on an installment plan. He ended up becoming a Video Game Programmer (currently employed at Square Enix) so that worked out alright.
2002 was the last year that everybody got the same thing. After that, a range of options were offered and you got to pick what you wanted. I'm having trouble remembering what I got each year, let alone the options, but you can rest assured that all of the options were in the same area price-wise.
2003 - A pair of very nice Bose sound reducing headphones. I used them for 3 or 4 years, then the plastic broke. 3 years after that I finally super-glued them back together and they are in use at my office on a daily basis.
2004 - I got my very first iPod. IIRC, it was a second-generation one with a black & white screen, but still very cool.
2005 - The other options aren't weren't enticing enough, so I got another iPod. This one is newer and has the nifty color screen, and remains on my desk at work to this very day. My old iPod was given to my sister.
2006 - This is by far the most practical gift I've gotten from work, and arguably ever. I got a full set of Caphalon cookware (many pans of varying sizes), plus some bakewear and some mixing bowls.
2007 - It's hard to pick which gift was the best, but my acquisition of a Kitchenaid Mixer drove xhollydayx to bake much, much more frequently, so this will always be a contender. If you've eaten her cupcakes, you owe it to this handy gadget.
2008 - At this point Tulip had lived with us for 7 months, and it was readily apparent that my cheap little vacuum cleaner wasn't going to cut it. Fortunately, an uber-powerful Bissell Vacuum was an option, so I snagged it. It sucks most powerfully.
2009 - I acquired The Griddler. Really. In my defense, none of the other options did it for me. I haven't actually opened it yet, but I keep meaning to. It's easily the most useless of the gifts I've acquired, except maybe the XBox.
As you can see, it's an interesting little benefit. In various years other options have included GPF devices, BBQ grills, portable DVD players, Nintendo DSes and a lot of similar tech gadgets. 2009 was a bit of a down year for us so the gifts were less extravagant than in years past, but the Griddler was still $120. Multiple that times 900 employees and you still have a tidy sum of money. I'm sure that the company has made it back many times over in increased retention and in recruiting costs.
Here's the list:
2002 - A first generation Xbox. It came with a game that involved rollerblading and graffiti. Once I got bored with the soundtrack, I sold it to my fraternity brother BR on an installment plan. He ended up becoming a Video Game Programmer (currently employed at Square Enix) so that worked out alright.
2002 was the last year that everybody got the same thing. After that, a range of options were offered and you got to pick what you wanted. I'm having trouble remembering what I got each year, let alone the options, but you can rest assured that all of the options were in the same area price-wise.
2003 - A pair of very nice Bose sound reducing headphones. I used them for 3 or 4 years, then the plastic broke. 3 years after that I finally super-glued them back together and they are in use at my office on a daily basis.
2004 - I got my very first iPod. IIRC, it was a second-generation one with a black & white screen, but still very cool.
2005 - The other options aren't weren't enticing enough, so I got another iPod. This one is newer and has the nifty color screen, and remains on my desk at work to this very day. My old iPod was given to my sister.
2006 - This is by far the most practical gift I've gotten from work, and arguably ever. I got a full set of Caphalon cookware (many pans of varying sizes), plus some bakewear and some mixing bowls.
2007 - It's hard to pick which gift was the best, but my acquisition of a Kitchenaid Mixer drove xhollydayx to bake much, much more frequently, so this will always be a contender. If you've eaten her cupcakes, you owe it to this handy gadget.
2008 - At this point Tulip had lived with us for 7 months, and it was readily apparent that my cheap little vacuum cleaner wasn't going to cut it. Fortunately, an uber-powerful Bissell Vacuum was an option, so I snagged it. It sucks most powerfully.
2009 - I acquired The Griddler. Really. In my defense, none of the other options did it for me. I haven't actually opened it yet, but I keep meaning to. It's easily the most useless of the gifts I've acquired, except maybe the XBox.
As you can see, it's an interesting little benefit. In various years other options have included GPF devices, BBQ grills, portable DVD players, Nintendo DSes and a lot of similar tech gadgets. 2009 was a bit of a down year for us so the gifts were less extravagant than in years past, but the Griddler was still $120. Multiple that times 900 employees and you still have a tidy sum of money. I'm sure that the company has made it back many times over in increased retention and in recruiting costs.