"Free Lunch Coupons Offered"... US Companies Ponder Incentives for Office Return

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] As more employees are reluctant to work in offices due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of companies are adopting various measures to create a more comfortable and efficient work environment.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 9th (local time), software company Salesforce converted executive offices at its San Francisco headquarters into small meeting rooms accessible to all employees.

They also expanded areas where food can be eaten, removed desks, and installed sofas, TVs, and whiteboards to allow teams to gather.

Salesforce stated that they plan to increase the proportion of collaborative spaces from 40% before the COVID-19 pandemic to 60%.

Consulting firm Accenture opened an office with a terrace offering panoramic views of the Hudson River and the New York skyline to encourage employees to return. The office building also includes a prayer room, yoga and wellness spaces, and various meeting rooms.

Accenture also revealed that they are developing an internal application (app) that allows employees who wish to check whether their colleagues on other floors have come to the office.

Additionally, on Mondays and Fridays, when fewer employees work in the office, free lunch coupons are provided.

An Accenture representative said, "If you want to encourage rather than force, office spaces should be designed with that in mind."

French pharmaceutical company Sanofi plans to open a new headquarters in Paris next year and will provide breakfast and dinner to employees.

This is because they expect employees to come to the office less frequently than before, so they want to enable employees to spend more time at the office when they do come.

Asset management firm HighTower designates two days each month as "Interaction Days" for company-wide gatherings at the office.

HighTower is also making office spaces more comfortable by raising ceilings and increasing natural light, and has appointed an "employee experience specialist" to make the office a better place to work.

HighTower CEO Bob Oros expressed expectations that baristas, motivational speakers, and comedians will come to make the office more enjoyable.

Meanwhile, as the new COVID-19 variant Omicron spreads in the United States, some Wall Street banks are encouraging employees to receive booster shots, according to major foreign media.

According to reports, Deutsche Bank has allowed employees to receive booster shots at its new headquarters in New York City since early last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.