When we’re looking for a new job, we all get excited about all the cool perks some companies have. After all, working in a place with unlimited snacks, a game room & even the option to bring your dog to work sounds incredible! Sadly, not all perks are worth it. In fact, they might be a sign something’s off with the company’s culture. Here are 12 workplace “perks” that could be red flags in disguise—stay away!
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Unlimited Vacation Days
Being told you can take as many vacation days as you want seems amazing—but wait a minute. You might actually be unsure about how much time off is okay to take. Without clear guidelines, you might worry about taking too much time off and looking like you’re not dedicated. It’s a bit of a mind game, really.
The Always-Stocked Snack Bar
Free snacks all day, every day—sign us up! However, a company that’s constantly feeding you might be trying to keep you at the office more than you should. Essentially, they’re telling you to go ahead and grab another snack—but only if you’re going to finish that project, too. Suddenly, those free snacks seem a bit less free.
Free Meals
Likewise, free breakfast, lunch, or dinner from your employer sounds like a treat. But just like the snack bar, it might be a way to keep you at work longer. After all, always eating at the office means you never get time to switch off & enjoy some downtime. Home-cooked meals are also a lot healthier, too!
On-Site Gym Facilities
Having a gym right where you work is certainly convenient since it means you can hit the treadmill without hitting up a separate location. However, it could also mean the company expects you to live at your job. Is it worth it if your workplace has turned into your second home? Something tells us that it’s not.
Work-From-Anywhere Policies
The freedom to work from wherever you want is the dream yet it quickly turns into you being glued to your laptop 24/7. You need to have a clear boundary between work & life. Without one, you’ll be working way more than you’re chilling. And let’s be honest, working in your PJs loses its charm when it’s all you’re doing!
The Game Room
A game room at work is a nice place to unwind—unless it’s your only escape from stress. Instead of fixing the stressful environment, you’re just given a temporary distraction. That’s not exactly the solution you need. When the highlight of your day is beating your high score rather than accomplishing something in your job, you should question if the company’s priorities align with your own career goals.
Company Parties and Happy Hours
Frequent company parties & happy hours can be fun since they’re a chance to hang out with coworkers outside of work. However, you should never feel like you have to attend to fit in or get ahead. Too many parties mean your personal time isn’t really yours anymore—that’s a red flag for sure. This pressure to socialize causes burnout.
In-House Professional Development
Of course, it’s great to receive opportunities to learn & grow at work. Yet these opportunities shouldn’t eat into your personal time, nor should you feel like you’re being pushed into them. When that happens, the company doesn’t really understand the concept of “personal time.” And everyone needs a break now and then!
Pet-Friendly Office
Bringing your pet to work might be another way to make you comfortable with staying late. It also might add to your stress if you’re worrying about your pet’s needs while trying to meet a deadline. A truly pet-friendly office should have real benefits for bringing your pet in. These should come without adding strings attached to your work hours.
Casual Dress Code
Dressing casually for work feels great—every day is a comfy clothes day. But if that’s the only perk and the company culture is lacking in other areas, it’s not that nice. They’re trying to look laid-back without actually being a great place to work. A relaxed dress code can’t mask underlying issues like poor management or lack of career advancement opportunities. Is that really somewhere you want to work?
Flexible Hours
As rewarding as it is to set your own hours, it also means you’re expected to be on call all the time. Soon enough, that flexibility becomes a burden. Such constant availability often leads to burnout because you never truly disconnect from work—true flexibility should allow you to manage your work around your life, not the other way around.
Wellness Programs
Wellness programs, including activities like yoga classes or meditation sessions, are becoming more common in workplaces. They’re supposed to show that a company cares about its employees’ health. However, these programs are sometimes a poor solution to more serious issues like excessive workloads or toxic work environments. A company that really cares about wellness will address the root causes of stress.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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