Business | Bartleby

The power of small gestures

Small acts of appreciation can delight employees. But they are not meant to be industrialised

When labour markets are tight, the perks tend to get better. Spotify is rolling out a new corporate-subscription package, enabling firms to offer the streaming service to their employees. If you are sufficiently high up at Goldman Sachs, you are now entitled to take as much holiday as you want (this is a nominal perk; no one who cherishes work-life balance gets to climb the ladder at Goldman in the first place). Salesforce has a ranch in California to which it can send workers for in-person get-togethers. If you work long enough for Blue Origin, you might get blasted into space.

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “The power of small gestures”

China’s slowdown

From the May 28th 2022 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Business

A simple robot face with rolls of cash as eyes. The robot has a smiling mouth and a small antenna on top. The design is minimal, with black outlines on a light background.

OpenAI’s latest model will change the economics of software

The more reasoning it does, the more computer power it uses

Protesters in favour of TikTok stand outside the United States Capitol.

TikTok’s time is up. Can Donald Trump save it?

The imperilled app hopes for help from an old foe


A tattooed man punches a large head, with motion lines and stars showing impact. He wears orange shorts.

The UFC, Dana White and the rise of bloodsport entertainment

There is more to the mixed-martial-arts impresario than his friendship with Donald Trump


Will Elon Musk scrap his plan to invest in a gigafactory in Mexico?

Donald Trump’s return to the White House may have changed Tesla’s plans

The year ahead: a message from the CEO

From the desk of Stew Pidd