Modern workplaces can be different from what we imagine classic offices to be. Nowadays, companies try to make the employee experience more fun and engaging. It’s no longer about clocking in and out and slaving away in a claustrophobic 6' x 6' cubicle. Unfortunately, sometimes, the attempts to stand out as a company might come across as pretty cringy.
Most of us love animals, right? What if companies started offering to sponsor sheep in place of a pay raise? A woman from Berlin shared how this exact thing happened to her at her previous workplace. Other people started sharing their stories of the ridiculous things their companies have offered them instead of a pay raise, and after reading them, it’s no surprise some of them feel traumatized.
Bored Panda reached out to the creator who prompted people to start sharing the absurd things companies gave them instead of money, Julia. Check out our conversation with her below!
Nowadays, companies come up with pretty inventive ways to act like they’re giving employees a raise, but they’re not really
Image credits: ANTONI SHKRABA production (not the actual image)
This woman shared a ridiculous offer her previous workplace made after she asked for a pay raise
Image credits: jules.bau
"This is the most ridiculous thing that a company has offered me instead of a pay raise. Get ready. This is my favorite story ever. I'm currently unemployed, and I've been traumatized to the point where needless to say, I don't want to work anymore."
Image credits: jules.bau
"So I used to work at a startup in Berlin for about a year. My contract was coming to an end and, unfortunately, I was severely underpaid and extremely overworked. So obviously, I went in to discuss a new contract with a little bit of an upgraded salary."
Image credits: jules.bau
"They were then telling me, 'No, we're so sorry, Jules. There's no way we can pay you any more money.'"
Image credits: jules.bau
Image credits: jules.bau
"But, you know, you get free coffee and free fruit. You have a great team." This won't pay my bills, you know, so I'm gonna need a little something something."
Image credits: jules.bau
"So then they go, 'Oh, but Jules, you love animals. How about we pay for you to be the sponsor of a sheep!' It even has my name, look."
Image credits: jules.bau
"Is she cute? Yes. She's precious. Does she pay my bills? Absolutely not. Did I leave that company? Yes, obviously. Know your worth, people."
Image credits: jules.bau
"There is no way... But am I the only one out there that has had this experience? Please tell me it cannot be. But yeah, I really should go visit her."
Image credits: jules.bau
Julia says she wanted to call out toxic work environments many people have experienced
"Throughout the last 5 years, I have experienced and heard so many stories about toxic work environments," Julia tells Bored Panda. "I have seen friends and colleagues struggling with burnout in their 20s because they are being overworked, or bullied, or treated poorly."
Her video was a way to shine a light on what's happening to young people in the workforce. "I think we need to speak up about these topics, because it seems that this is starting to be normalized or even glorified to just hustle," the creator says.
"People are often scared to speak up because they might lose their jobs. But people often forget that not just companies have power. We as employees also have power," Julia offers some encouraging words. "Without us, there is no one working for them. So I think it is important to speak up and give people a safe space to share their stories [and] worries."
In her videos, Julia talks about her experience of working for startups. She says that there are serious problems she has observed about startup culture as a whole while working there. "Payment is terrible. You are expected to work insane hours," she starts listing some things.
"Meetings are put really late in the day on purpose to keep you in the office for longer. You are constantly contacted when you are sick or on holiday and expected to work. You are expected to do the job of 10 people because they want to save money," she goes on.
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual image)
The creator says people shouldn’t be afraid of unemployment
In her other TikToks, Julia is also not afraid to talk about how she's currently unemployed. She agrees that there's a lot of stigma around unemployment in our current hustle culture, especially among young people.
"You are quickly written off as lazy," she says. "The reality is that it can happen to any of us so quickly because the reasons for being unemployed are endless and people often tend to forget this. From being fired, physical or mental health issues, changing jobs or trying to figure it out."
She's a firm believer that being between jobs shouldn't be shameful. "I would rather be unemployed a little bit longer if it means that I can work in a job that makes me truly happy," she shares with Bored Panda.
"Also, being unemployed is often seen as taking a holiday and being so easy, which it truly isn't. It comes with stigma, judgment, insecurity, financial struggle and also a lot of rejection which can take a huge toll on your mental health. It is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of: no matter if it was unintentional or intentional. But it also isn't as glamorous as people might think it is," the creator adds.
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual image)
Surprisingly, many people would choose employee benefits over getting a pay raise
After watching Julia's experience and reading other people's stories, it might seem that people really value earning more money over company benefits. However, surveys show that's not actually true. When the perks and benefits make sense, employees would much rather have them.
Staples employees, for example, say that they'd rather have a lower salary but better workplace perks. 62,3% of the surveyed employees claimed perks motivate them more than a salary increase. Only 37.7% preferred to get higher pay.
The 2015 Employment Confidence Survey by Glassdoor also revealed that perks and benefits make a big difference for 60% of people when choosing a job. That same survey also found that 80% of employees would choose additional benefits over a salary increase.
What are these benefits and perks that people would rather have? The most popular among all the respondents were better healthcare and dental plans. People also said they would consider perks such as more vacation time or more flexible hours over a pay raise.
Childcare assistance, on-site daycare, and paid parental leave were the least popular perks among Staples employees and the ones interviewed for the Glassdoor survey. A 2017 Fractl survey showed that people would give less consideration to perks like team bonding events, weekly employee outings, and an on-site gym.
Surely, free coffee and snacks won't help you with paying your bills. That's why people would rather have something that could help them with their work-life balance or that could give them a chance to take better care of their physical and mental health.
Many other people had similar experiences and weren’t shy to share them as well
Some people could only laugh, and others expressed worry and disappointment at this trend
In the light of how Ken M turns toxic online spaces into sources of laughter, it is intriguing to compare his humorous approach to the absurdity experienced by employees in modern workplaces. While companies may offer sheep sponsorships instead of pay raises, Ken M's talent for poking fun at the mundane can be refreshing.
For more insights into his unique take on internet culture, check out how Ken M injects humor into online spaces.