34 Wildly Stupid Company "Perks" That Prove Employers Will Literally Offer You Anything But A Raise

For some reason, employers seem to have this idea that the way to reward employees is not with upward mobility, better benefits, or higher pay, but instead with meaningless incentives employees don't actually want.

Here are 34 ridiculous incentives employers have offered instead of higher wages.

1.This company gave their employee an extra 10-minute break as a reward for work well done...but the 10 minutes had to be asked for a day in advance and could not be added to existing breaks.

"You won an extra 10 min break!"

2.This workplace gave employees a single mint for generating an extra $6 million in sales.

"For your.... EncourageMint"

3.This company gave good employees "work bux" (with cringey bitmojis on them, no less) that could be used to redeem top ramen and granola bars.

Work bux

4.And this job gave out Monopoly money that could be used at the company's "store" of random items...which were "prohibitively expensive" according to the original poster: "There's close to 400 Bux in the picture, and I couldn't afford anything but free snacks," they wrote.

Monopoly money

5.This boss gave their employee a singular banana to celebrate their first year at the company.

A banana

6.Here's the huge reward (sarcasm) that ER workers got for their worst month since COVID times. Because hot dogs are a great reward for literally saving lives every day.

A hot dog plate

7.Instead of giving out raises, this employer gave out cups filled with 100 Grand Bars then put this tongue-in-cheek note on it.

"I know you wanted money... you'll just have to settle for 100 grand!"

8.This employer gave employees a literal rock as an appreciation gift.

"You rock!"

9.I thought I couldn't top the last one, but I'm pretty sure this is the worst employee appreciation gift of all time.

"I know this bag looks empty, but it's actually filled with our love"

10.This boss promised drumsticks for Employee Appreciation Day and brought in...these.

A tiny ice cream cone

11.And this employer showed how much they appreciated their employees with an orange (that I'm pretty sure might actually be a clementine) and a bad pun.

"ORANGE you the best!"

12.This massive hospital also gave out gifts for longterm service. Don't worry, you only have to work there for THIRTY YEARS to qualify for a $100 bonus!

A list of bonuses by year

13.This employee got a coupon for being a loyal employee who never missed a day of work for five years.

Coupons for free breakfast or coffee

14.This employer gave out a stuffed animal to adults as an incentive.

"winner gets this bad boy:"

15.This is the fancy "free lunch" workers at a college dorm were provided with for working a 12-hour shift.

Chips, an apple, and a bottle of water in a box

16.This is the nice free lunch workers got at another job for a 12-hour shift.

A sandwich with no meat or sides

17.This workplace offered a special reward of a WHOLE FIVE DOLLARS (!!!!) for a month of perfect work!

New Cashier Productivity Incentive

18.These employees got everything they'd ever wanted from their employers — a pizza party and a nice email!

An email from an employer

19.These employees also didn't get raises, but look how much pizza they each got!

A thin slice of pizza

20.Don't worry — this workplace also gave out a pizza cutter, so you can cut your tiny pizza into even smaller pieces!

A pizza cutter

21.This workplace didn't give out pizza as a bonus, but instead something that was somehow worse.

A fake pizza

22.This workplace also threw a pizza party, but made employees pay for it.

"Pizza party, but employees will 'pitch in on the cost'"

23.And this employer made people pay just to attend the company holiday party.

Tickets charging to attend the company holiday party

24.This employee found FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS in missing funds and was rewarded with...a letter.

A "Well Done" letter to an employee

25.And this employee got a $15 gift card for helping generate $27 billion in profit.

A gift card for $15

26.This workplace offered some truly awesome prizes for good work! (Sarcasm again.)

"Attention Associates!"

27.Though I gotta say, these prizes for Employee Appreciation Day — which include "a head of lettuce" — are even worse.

A list of prizes for employees

28.This company gave out free beanies instead of raises.

Free beanies for employee appreciation

29.This employer had a candy drawer to reward hard workers, and then put only candy an 80-year-old would enjoy inside.

Hard candies in a drawer

30.Instead of getting raises to, y'know, afford to buy food, NHS workers apparently got advice on how to access a food bank.

"Your Financial Wellbeing Guide"

31.This employer gave out candy for a special occasion...and then threatened employees who might dare to take more than a single fun-size piece. Because nothing says employee appreciation like increased surveillance!

"Take one (1) piece of candy please."

32.This person got a voucher for £2.50 for a job well done.

This voucher entitles the bearer to obtain food from the canteen...

33.This workplace gave their employee a prepaid AMEX card that didn't even work to celebrate five years at the company.

An AmEx card

34.And finally, this employee got a silver coin for working through the pandemic.

"In appreciation for your dedicated efforts during the COVID-19 Pandemic."

H/T: r/ABoringDystopia, r/mildlyinfuriating, r/antiwork, r/facepalm