Laundry, leftovers and valet service are no longer on the menu for Meta employees. Facebook’s parent company told workers on Friday that it’s cutting back on campus perks, including valet service and free laundry and dry cleaning, and rescheduling its dinner service from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. According to The New York Times, employees are mad.
That means fewer metamates will eat dinner on campus, since the shuttle bus leaves the office at 6 p.m., the Times reported. It also means fewer workers will be able to stock up on cafeteria food to take home as leftovers.
Meta company spokesperson Tracy Clayton confirmed the changes, describing them in an email as more reflective of “the needs of our hybrid workforce.”
“Our culinary services are first and foremost an onsite perk for people while they’re working in the office,” Clayton told Protocol in an email. “We want food to be served to meet that need while people might be working late.”
Clayton said Meta was getting rid of valet service in order to move closer to its net-zero emissions goal. Shuttles and bikes are available for on-campus transportation.
Like many companies, Meta has been reforming its office amenities and perks with a hybrid workforce in mind.
The company upped its annual employee wellness benefit from $700 to $3,000 in January, which covers activities and equipment related to physical or mental health as well as expenses related to financial planning, child care, elder care and pet care.
Many Meta employees will be back on campus for part of the week starting March 28, though the company has offered remote work options to some.
The cuts aggravated a number of employees responding to the online announcement of the changes, according to the Times. Chief technology officer Andrew Bosworth reportedly defended the changes and “chafed at the perceived sense of entitlement on display in the comments.”
Climate TRACE's data show emissions at the facility-level.Image: Climate TRACE