The ultimate employee benefit at Microsoft

Microsoft is known for an amazingly generous employee benefits package that’s the envy of any employee anywhere (except perhaps a Google-ite). 

Here is just a short list of some of the benefits Microsoft offers its “blue badgers” (in other words, its FTE’s… in other words, full-time employees – which, unfortunately, I am not):

• 100% health coverage (employee and family – including vision and dental)
• No payroll contribution
• No deductible
• 100% prescription drug coverage (and no formulary list)
• Health club membership
• 8 weeks paid maternity/paternity leave
• $5000 toward adoption
• Childcare discounts (with total back-up care)
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance (ahem!)
• Matching 401K
• Discounted employee stock plan
• Tuition assistance
• Matching charitable contributions (a huge boon to local schools where Microsofties’ kids’ attend)
• Discounted financial services (and discounted rates all over the region – just show ‘em your badge!)
• Lots of vacation (though I’d guess most are too swamped to take it?!)
• Free bus pass for Puget Sound region (worth thousands!)
• Microsoft commuter buses
• A company store where employees can buy most Microsoft software for $10.
• Free drinks (juices, sodas, coffee, etc… but interestingly, not bottled water!)
• And of course, those services that keep you at work longer and living your life less: “Free grocery delivery, on-site dry cleaning and laundry services, convenience shopping, and dinners to go help you enjoy time saving conveniences.”

  The free drinks gig is pretty nice (these coolers are everywhere on campus) and I’ll occasionally grab a soda or two, just to stock up…

And the Starbuck’s coffee is free and endlessly flowing – and ground just for you…

Pretty cool, eh? 

But you know what they forgot to mention?  THIS:

That’s right – FREE TAMPONS at Microsoft!  See…?

Obviously (see blog banner), this is a benefit that really doesn’t apply to me, but still – how many companies do you know that offer to bring your groceries and dry cleaning to you at work… and that attend to your personal hygiene needs?

And while we’re swooning over Microsoft benefits, why don’t we go ahead and swoon a bit over the newest buildings on the mammoth Microsoft campus (its hundreds of buildings basically blanket all of Redmond, Washington), “The Commons.”  You can read more about it here, but suffice it to say, veeeerrrry cool!

I think I know where I’ll be hanging out and plugging in quite a bit from now on! 

I took a few photos when I was at a meeting there today.  Even on this gray, gloomy, rainy day, it was glorious:

And of course, my very own preferred parking place (at least until August):