And now even the bottled water at Google…

Where is the world headed? That’s what I thought today after reading an article that claims one of Google’s owners was fed up with employee squabbles over bottled water and M&M’s. Apparently even my beloved Google isn’t what it used to be. They reportedly wanted the childcare center to bring in more money. Our HR folks (that’s “aitch-ar”) would have their hair stand on end, if it didn’t fall out on the spot, if they read about the perks of working at Google. The perks it used to have, pardon me.

It turns out Google is staffed by ordinary people too. Instead of delighting in getting to spend part of their working day on whatever open-source project they fancy, they argue about bottled water and candy. We have a few good perks as well, but people still mostly ask, “Why can’t I have my favorite tea?”, “Why is there no honey for the tea in the kitchenette?”, or “How the hell are we running out of bottled water again?”

It’s funny what people actually miss. The basics, you might say. A little jar of honey for ten crowns, rather than a car, a phone or shares. Are we spoiled rotten, as I sometimes hear, or do we mainly need the basics taken care of? A little of both, I’d say, but…

Either way, HR decides, maneuvering inside the magic triangle of meal vouchers, English lessons and a mobile phone. To be fair, the department doesn’t have it easy. Luring in a new soul with a company profile whose perks section lists your choice of tea, followed by honey and bottled water, is almost an acrobatic feat.