In an article last week in the wake of many Google departures, we questioned why anyone wouldn’t want to work at a company known for having the “coolest workplaces” and the “best perks” in the world.
We surmised that it might be a combination of factors leaving once bright-eyed recruits disillusioned, despite the free child care, dry-cleaning services and foosball tables everywhere. “Fun” as imagined through primary-colored plastic toys may not be all it is cut out to be at work and in the end might just feel childish. Furthermore, no matter how great a company is, the odds are that most employees are just the smallest cogs in the biggest wheel.
From reader e-mails and comments, it sounds like these factors and more are souring the dream job experience for some.
One commenter who called himself a Google Quitter said these reasons were “really only the tip of the iceberg,” saying he found himself in a “silly, childish atmosphere” with a “boring, no-perspective job” working for “incompetent managers who don’t understand the product nor the roles of the people they ‘manage.'”
Others said perks are great but they don’t compensate for a low base salary, a view in line with countless job-hunter surveys.
Then there is the issue of the “Google 10-15,” the pounds often gained by new employees surrounded constantly with free gourmet food.
Of course, in the end, a bad fit is just a bad fit. Not every employee and employer are perfect matches for each other, no matter how well the odds are stacked in their favor, and sometimes the best option is just to move on quickly.