RE: a question about "atmospheric" benefits

[KMcLauchlan -at- chrysalis-its -dot- com]

Our work environment looks like this:

- we're crammed in like sardines, cuz we've outgrown 
  both our current space and our ability to beg, borrow 
  or expropriate nearby spaces... but...

- we're having a building built for us and will move 
   in February  -- managers will inhabit offices near 
   the core; the rest of us will be in cubes, but near
   the windows. (So, here it's the MANAGERS who are 
   kept in the dark and fed ... er... uh... never mind   :-)

- On the days that I jog to work, I come in at 09h30 or 
  later; on other days, I have come in at 07h00 -- either 
   way, I adjust my leaving time to match. I work about 
   37.5 hours per week except for a few crunch periods 
   in a year.  Nobody has EVER so much as raised an 
   eyebrow about my hours, nor about any but a few people 
   who were blatant abusers (arrive late leave early), and 
   who have ... um... moved on.

-  we've got a couple of small shower/changing rooms for 
   the athletic/masochistic among us.

-  the new building will have a small exercise room, with 
   a few aerobic machines and some resistance equipment -- 
   I'm helping specify, right now. TVs and sound system, 
   to help ease the monotony of rowing/cycling/treading.
   Showers and lockers, of course.

-  There's also an indoor lockup for those of us who 
   cycle to work... well, for our bicycles, anyway.

-  We'll have a lunch-room/lounge area, but nothing 
   fancy, since the new digs are across the street from 
   Don Cherry's restaurant, a couple of fast-food places 
   dry-cleaner, massage/physio/chiropracter clinic (we 
   have a discount arrangement).

-  The new digs are at the edge of the Ottawa green-belt, 
   with bicycle paths almost to the door, and with nothing 
   but pleasant neighborhoods to stroll in, at lunch-hour.

- if we had a real dress-down or casual Friday, most of us 
   would have to wear pajamas. All summer, I wore shorts, 
   golf shirt, sandals.  Right now, I'm in sneaks, slacks 
   and a micro-fleece t-shirt.

-  a guy brings several dozen fresh bagels each 9am, and 
   ensures that we are well-stocked with cream cheese and 
   other spreads.

-  another fellow comes in at 10 with fresh muffins and 
   a selection of donuts/dutchies/crullers...

-  another, older couple comes in each morning to fill/
   service the caffeine machines, that dispense variety 
   coffees, hot chocolate, etc. all quite good, and all 
   quite free, of course.

-  naturally, we also have standard drip coffee-makers 
   for those who prefer more control over their beverage. 

-  the free soft-drink fridge always contains tons of 
   soda-pop, iced tea and other stuff.

-  there does seem to be a problem that whoever orders 
   the snack-food stuff seems inordinately fond of 
   pretzels, and not quite fond enough of party-mix, 
   but I'm sure that will straighten out eventually.

-  the candy bowls are kept filled with Jujubes, Tootsie 
   Pops, jellybeans, or whatever was on sale at Costco.

-  Engineering has "lunch'n'learn" every second Friday, 
   where pizza or some other food is supplied.

-  just about every quarter, the company is handing out 
   some article of clothing... caps, golf-shirts, pull-over 
   lined wind-breakers, etc.  They've also become more 
   discreet with the logos (embroidered, rather than 
   screen-printed), so many of us actually wear the things.

-  there's a draw of our business cards every Friday in 
   the lobby, for pairs of premium sports tickets or 
   similar.

-  the medical and dental plans, in addition to the other 
   health'n'sanity-related perks are quite decent.

-  previous years have seen bonuses in the form of stock 
   options... quite welcomed, as our valuation keeps 
   rising.

-  the only thing I miss right now is a matching-contribution 
   RSP, but they're working on establishing a pension plan soon.

-  I seem to be surrounded by a gang of bright, willing, 
   energetic little overachievers, and haven't met a bad 
   apple yet.  The grouchiest person in the place seems to 
   be the HR manager, and she likes dogs, so she can't be 
   all bad...   :-)

-  professionally-speaking, I have requirements to produce 
   certain docs, but I have input into the requirements 
   phase; I get all the access I need to anybody who might 
   harbor some useful info or opinion; I am rarely 
   questioned with respect to organization or presentation 
   of my work, and I have effective veto/overrule; in 
   recent months, I have been asked if I thought I could 
   use some help yet... didn't even have to go lobbying;
   the Product Verification (PV) department is mandated 
   to both provide me with info and to test/edit my docs;
   I'm frequently asked for help with other folks' docs 
   and have not encountered any resistance to the notion 
   that I "suggest" and they implement... and not that I 
   take it over from them. 

-  Salary is decent for my area, but I don't make as 
   much as an engineer with the same years of experience.

Life is good, but it seems these conditions are almost 
standard for high-tech industry these days.  May it last 
and last.   

/kevin   


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