While other technology companies have been downsizing over the past year or so, Facebook is looking to increase its workforce by as much as 50 percent by the end of 2009. What’s more, it’s piling on the perks to attract top-notch staff.

You thought Google provided the ideal working experience? Well, not only has Google cut back on the value-added extras it used to provide its employees, but Facebook seems to be going the extra mile for its people. Literally: one of the benefits the social network offers staff is free or subsidized transport.

Here’s a list of what Facebook is offering full-time regular employees:

• Four months paid parental leave plus $4,000 ‘baby cash’ to all new custodial parents.
• $3,000 towards day care / babysitting assistance per year for staff with one or more children aged 5 years or under.
• Free snacks at all major worldwide locations and, at Facebook’s Palo Alto headquarters, free breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• 21 days of paid vacation per year.
• Unlimited sick days.
• 11 paid holidays.
• Retirement benefits in the form of the Facebook 401(k) Plan which involves an automatic payroll deduction letting its U.S. employees contribute between 1 percent and 75 percent of eligible pay up to the annual IRS dollar limit.
• Facebook’s ‘Internal Speakers Series’ where the company brings in outside luminaries to speak to staff e.g. Gloria Steinem, Gavin Newsom, and Ashton Kutcher.
• Staff discounts from companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Apple & AT&T.
• Free Caltrain Go Pass for Palo Alto staff and reimbursement for commuting expenses of up to $50 per month for staff in other locations.
• Purple Tie Laundry – laundry, dry cleaning, photo processing, and leather repair for Palo Alto employees.

So… is Facebook being too generous? Not if the program ends up paying off in terms of happier, more productive, and more profitable people.

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 7th, 2009 at 4:59 pm and is filed under Feature, Social Media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.