Life at Twitter pre Musk? Could this be accurate?

[GON]

Hope Jeff will chime in as our silicone valley insider.

Just read an article that Twitter daily food costs per employee were $400. I can't believe that number, but it was still eye catching. I then came across this video allegedly posted by. Twitter employee. I can't verify, validate, nor accredit the video. But I will say, if the video is even remotely accurate, I could never ever work for a organization like that. I need to feel I add value to what I do, where I work. Very unlikely the person in the video adds more value to the organization than paid. And I understand the video may be a hoax.

 

[alarmguy]

Anyone can post anything so nothing is true unless one can verify what they are posting.

 

[Davejam]

I mean...that video in itself just shows perks that have been documented before, and nothing out of the ordinary for Silicon Valley.
$400/pp is a different story if true.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I heard that perks like that are common at big tech companies in the bay area, though the $400 number may be an exaggeration

 

[wings&wheels]

To different extents, similar perks are common in tech and not just in Silicon Valley, although I will say that SV does have more of a culture of entitlement (for certain jobs at least) than other geo's. I was in high tech management for ~24 years including a few years in Palo Alto doing M&A/integration.

I've approved PO's for pinball machines, espresso machines, jukeboxes.....and 2 golf carts that wound up in a water hazard, but those were the Sales guys, I'd rather hang with them.

We started feeding our engineers back in the early 90's, our Founder surmised that, given engineers reputation for frugality, we would offer food at 7:30....basically got ~2hrs of work 4 days a week for the cost of chicken parm and meatballs. The plan worked as intended. I was in Finance, we got the hours, but no food

 

[Barkleymut]

I read that Musk said they had more foodservice staff than people eating at the facility. While he may have cherry picked dates, I'm sure there were plenty of dates that would have been at least $400 per meal served. This is assuming Twitter was paying substantial wages to foodservice workers.

 

[KrisZ]

It true, although I don’t know the costs. When I was interviewing for a startup they toured me around showing off their facilities. Their cafeteria offered free meals the entire day, plus whatever lattes, soft drinks, snacks etc. you could desire.

 

[GON]

To different extents, similar perks are common in tech and not just in Silicon Valley, although I will say that SV does have more of a culture of entitlement (for certain jobs at least) than other geo's. I was in high tech management for ~24 years including a few years in Palo Alto doing M&A/integration.

I've approved PO's for pinball machines, espresso machines, jukeboxes.....and 2 golf carts that wound up in a water hazard, but those were the Sales guys.

We started feeding our engineers back in the early 90's, our Founder surmised that, given engineers reputation for frugality, we would offer food at 7:30....basically got ~2hrs of work 4 days a week for the cost of chicken parm and meatballs. The plan worked as intended. I was in Finance, we got the hours, but no food

WW,

I understand that. In the mid 1980s I interviewed at an arbitrage trading firm. They had a chef at the firm. They didn't want their traders going out for a two martini lunch, and away from the trading desks, etc. As you pointed out- providing meals for employees has the potential to be very profitable. In theory, providing lunch can get five extra hours per week out of an engineer- pretty good return on the food service expense in that scenerio.

 

[JeffKeryk]

It's called bad management. Me thinks Elon's lunch numbers are whack, unless they had lunch at Morton's everyday.
Silicon Valley is legendary for its perks, but much of that is long gone. Cupertino's Apple was the worst (best?). But many of those workers suffered because they thought the gravy train would never end. And mfg left Cupertino a long time ago.

I can tell you, with all the salaries, perks, etc, there are many slackers. It makes me sick. While many companies did the best they could to weather the pandemic and had employees work from home, those days are over. Entitled brat employees are now expecting that. Problem is, worker demand outstrips supply; workers are getting away with murder.

In my experience, departments have 1 star to every 5 (or 10) slackers, or something like that. The good news is, if you are willing to put out the 110%, are a good fit and are in a good company, you just might end up rich beyond your expectations.

I love it here. And I salute Elon for telling Twitter employees to come to work or resign. Full disclosure, I think the Twitter acquisition was stupid, but everythiong Elon touches seems to turn to gold, so what do I know?

 

[KrisZ]

Full disclosure, I think the Twitter acquisition was stupid, but everythiong Elon touches seems to turn to gold, so what do I know?

He’s got a plan for sure. Personally I think he is trying to make an American version of WeChat (hopefully minus the tracking BS). He mentioned how he likes this app in several interviews. Put who knows?

 

[wings&wheels]

. The good news is, if you are willing to put out the 110%, are a good fit (meaning, just don't be an idiot...be someone others can work with-w&w) and are in a good company, you just might end up rich beyond your expectations.

Yes!

This should be taught in every school from kindergarten onward.

 

[tmorris1]

He’s got a plan for sure. Personally I think he is trying to make an American version of WeChat (hopefully minus the tracking BS). He mentioned how he likes this app in several interviews. Put who knows?

He is a lot of things, but I don't think stupid is one of them. Why would he lie about this, it is his company now? $400 probably gets you a couple sandwiches out there.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Anyone can post anything so nothing is true unless one can verify what they are posting.

For $8 a month it can be verified

 

[KrisZ]

He is a lot of things, but I don't think stupid is one of them. Why would he lie about this, it is his company now? $400 probably gets you a couple sandwiches out there.

Huh? When did I question the cost of food?

 

[KGMtech]

I have respect for Elon, but he's really testing my patience of late. That he overpaid 34 Billion for Twitter is confirmed, and he's about to destroy the thing to loose his total investment?

That he can spout off on Ukraine's borders, Tiawan's sovereigty and other things that most people might consider in their heads but not say out loud points to his being on the spectrum and more damaging, his being surrounded by people who don't tell him to shut the F up.

That SV is a different world is okay, if it gives the brightest lights something to aspire to because we need that group to ASPIRE.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Huh? When did I question the cost of food?

I sure did.

 

[KrisZ]

Not sure if many of you know what WeChat is. It’s an app used in china and it basically allows to do everything in one app. Buy-sell, chat, post pictures, read news, watch videos etc. all in one.

If he can pull something like this off, whatever he paid for Twitter will look like lunch money IMO.

 

[GON]

I have respect for Elon, but he's really testing my patience of late. That he overpaid 34 Billion for Twitter is confirmed, and he's about to destroy the thing to loose his total investment?

That he can spout off on Ukraine's borders, Tiawan's sovereigty and other things that most people might consider in their heads but not say out loud points to his being on the spectrum and more damaging, his being surrounded by people who don't tell him to shut the F up.

That SV is a different world is okay, if it gives the brightest lights something to aspire to because we need that group to ASPIRE.

I am enjoying reading about Elon, likely one of the very few living persons that pique my interest. I am thrilled what he has done with Tesla- brought a new vehicle designed AND manufactured in the USA on a decent sized scale. Very tough to accomplish that. How he brought Solar City into the mix, and somehow every player made large returns- very impressive. What I likely don't like about Elon is his involvement in Paypal. Millions use paypal, I just don't like the model of someone making five percent or whatever on a transaction that adds very little value. I feel the same for Visa, Mastercard, etc. But I am free to start my own credit card company if I don't like what visa, mastercard, paypal are doing.

Like others, I don't always agree with what Elon may be saying/ doing. For me to agree with everything Elon says/does would either mean I am a blind follower of Elon or am as smart as Elon. I am neither- far from it. But I think it is great he says what he wants, regardless of the implied financial consequences.

 

[Rmay635703]

Twitter was obsolete upon founding in 2006 and definitely obsolete when the first iMessage was sent

Remember it was intended as an SMS service?

2G and 3g are sunsetted so the basis of the company is gone.

This is akin to making wagon wheels for sports cars.

Twitter has no purpose in existing

Back in 1998, it might have made sense.

 

[The Critic]

But I will say, if the video is even remotely accurate, I could never ever work for a organization like that. I need to feel I add value to what I do, where I work. Very unlikely the person in the video adds more value to the organization than paid.

"Work" can be very different from industry to industry, especially when it comes to the more thought-provoking roles in SV.

I read that Musk said they had more foodservice staff than people eating at the facility. While he may have cherry picked dates, I'm sure there were plenty of dates that would have been at least $400 per meal served. This is assuming Twitter was paying substantial wages to foodservice workers.

That wouldn't surprise me. Having an in-house team of foodservice staff with high-tech benefits would make that number realistic.

I can tell you, with all the salaries, perks, etc, there are many slackers. It makes me sick. While many companies did the best they could to weather the pandemic and had employees work from home, those days are over. Entitled brat employees are now expecting that. Problem is, worker demand outstrips supply; workers are getting away with murder.

Keep in mind that the bar to get into one of the "tier 1" SV companies is incredibly high. I'm sure there are some feelings of entitlement once you've "made it."