Company BBQ Fridays: perk or a reflection of company culture?

Benefits vs. culture Alright..."BBQ Friday at the company:Is it an enticing benefit or real business culture?" Alright...

Okay, I do have a story about this.It's about a client of mine who I wrote a job offer with.

And he asked me: "Yes, that's how we do it.On Friday in summer we have barbecues all together." I told him: "Sure, we must include that on the offer because that's precisely what defines you,that's true business culture." And those who don't like those barbecue afternoons don't fit in your atmosphere at all"."Should we add it? Can we?" That's how they react.

Sometimes, companies ask me for permission so that I can tell them: "Yes, we can write it down." I also tell them: "Sure, we can also add these kinds of things." Alright, what do you think of those who criticize the typical fruit baskets which have quite a bad reputation?

What do you tell them?"Add the fruit basket but first you need to inform them about wages, location schedule and days off." Those are the four reasons why people change jobs.

After that: free coffee, fruit baskets all feasible benefits. But don't make them up, of course,that'd be horrible.

But you need to include all true bonuses indubitably.

Everything that you offer as a company.I add things like barbecue evenings in other sections.

To me, that is business culture.Some companies don't really have much to offer.

This is how I approach them: "Alright, then what's your way of working?" How often do you meet?

Do you work remote?Are all the processes online in order to work remote?" For instance, we discuss issues such as shift work with some companies, if it's considered.

How are the shifts arranged?Who has to work on mornings, evenings or always on the same shift?

That means that, for you, transparency must be mainly prioritized,then we can talk about the benefits as a true business culture.

Yes, definitely.Both one and the other.We need an offer, we need benefits,everything related to commuting.

The commuting issue is quite encouraged now The ways to commute. By bike?

Using a public transport pass?Are there parking spots?

Company car? That's regarding transport.After that, we could talk about health.

What do we promote in terms of health,regarding work-life balance?

All these topics can be included with no problems right after laying our four bases.

And next come those topics or we can add more things that make our company seem special.

That's what's missing in almost every job offer.Purely out of fear of adding that: "Can we write something like this?" Or just because they forget to add it.

For example, if you read in an offer:"We see our business culture as a flat hierarchy." What would you think of that?

In that case, I'd tell my own story.I come from a company where there were six hierarchical levels.

If there are less than three, it is super-flat.It is important to explain what makes it flat.

What does it mean?I have clients from business where interns can present their projects to their directors.

To me that's a flat hierarchy. One where you can directly approach or address management and even meet with them.

That'd be the first thing.Or the hierarchy could be so flat that everyone works in the same floor or in a open office.

In fact, small business are so flat that everyone talks to everyone.

And there is the issue of how much decision making powers people who work there have.

There is the case of small businesses where everyone communicates with each other but only one person can make the decisions, such as the founder.

That's not flatness either.That's just another type of hierarchy.