Welcome to our Halloween version of #WorkQuirks. This week we’ve got all the gruesome, gory and downright weird work perks that employees are availing of around the world.
Prepare to be creeped out.
Staff microchips, NewFusion
This is definitely a bizarre work perk. NewFusion, a Belgium-based digital marketing firm offers to microchip their employees. Now you might be wondering why anyone would let their employer track their every movement? Well, apparently the chip can replace ID cards giving them access to the office, computer and other company resources. We think we’ll just keep our key card and lanyard thank you very much.
Cryonic preservation, Numerai
Numerai is an AI-run hedge fund based in California. They take their responsibility to staff wellness very seriously, even offering to look after your body after death.
All of their employees can avail of full-body cryonic preservation. Yup, that basically means you will be physically preserved for all time. But they don’t just toss people in the freezer. They outsource this particular task to a company called Alcor, the world’s leading cryonics organisation since 1972. Good to know you’re in the right hands.
Help finding a spouse, Alibaba
If you’re scared of commitment then this work perk will make you want to run in the opposite direction. At Alibaba’s Chinese office there are dating boards full of blue and pink hearts. Each heart is dedicated to a specific employee and contains their photo and phone number. So, if you fancy your colleague you can simply search the board and see if they’re single. CEO Jack Ma has also held mass weddings for staff members in the past. Creepy? Completely!
Life extension, Google
Okay, this may not officially be a perk yet but it seems like it will likely become a benefit in the future.
Ex-Director of Staffing Todd Carlisle teased the benefit at the Commonwealth Club Inforum event a few years ago. He asked, what if a perk of working at a company was that it extended your life? He said that people would likely never leave, they would be incredibly loyal.
Mmmhhhh call us old-fashioned but it seems like that might just be crossing some kind of boundary.
