New research suggests starting high school later in the day could reduce mental health issues, proving what teens have known for years — school starts way too early.
In today’s email:
Anti-perks: The perks that nobody wants.
Chart: The last piano makers.
Finances: On-the-street interviews about money are blowing up.
Around the Web: A frustrating game, accessible websites, why reading helps you sleep, and more cool internet finds.
🎧 On the go? Listen to today’s 10-minute podcast to hear Zack and Rob talk office perks. For years, tech companies have offered pingpong tables, beer fridges, and snack bars. But do workers actually want this stuff?
The big idea
Zachary Crockett
What the heck is an anti-perk?
If you’ve applied for a job in tech, you’ve probably seen that they come with a long list of perks.
Companies use everything from pingpong tables to beer fridges to attract talent. But a recent viral Twitter thread suggests workers don’t even want these things, per Protocol.
“Anti-perks”…
… are perks that sound good but don’t actually matter to workers. The biggest offender?
Unlimited vacation, which doesn’t really work unless the company encourages employees to take time off.
Other perks that drew feisty replies include free booze, free massages, and special-purpose rooms (e.g., fitness, nap, and meditation rooms).
So what do workers actually want?
Recent research suggests workers are more interested in perks that align with their values. A few examples include:
Location-agnostic pay, which encourages employees to work from wherever they want.
Generous leave policies, including more time for maternity and paternity leave.
In short, as remote work continues to trend, benefits that require office visits don’t carry the same weight that they used to.
But… not all workers are on the same page. Some Google employees recently pushed back when the company cut costs on travel and events, causing billionaire CEO Sundar Pichai to drop a major rebuttal: “money ≠ fun.”
TRENDING
Huh? Dude Perfect, a sports-oriented YouTube collective, unveiled plans for a $100m HQ with a 330-foot trick-shot tower.
SNIPPETS
The S&P500 hit a two-year low on Tuesday, down ~24% from its record-high close on Jan. 3.
Robinhoodreleased a beta version of its Web3 wallet to 10k users. Robinhood Wallet will allow users to trade 20+ cryptocurrencies without fees.
Substacklaunched its own reader app for the web, which includes an uncluttered feed and keyboard shortcuts.
The NBArelaunched its app with a TikTok-like vertical video feed that includes a “For You” tab with personalized highlights.
Calendly has acquired Prelude, an interview scheduling platform. It’s the $3B+ calendar company’s first acquisition.
Yikes: Six US and Australian Uber Connect drivers toldNBC News they’re afraid customers use the courier service to transport drugs.
Video game conference E3 will return in person in June 2023 for the first time since canceling due to covid in 2020.
NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) successfully crashed into an asteroid on Monday, hopefully something it could repeat if one was headed toward Earth.
The SEC is suing three ex-MoviePass execs, claiming they misled the public about its business model. Meanwhile, OG founder Stacy Spikes is trying again.
The story of Woot: What did Matt Rutledge do after selling his daily deals website to Amazon for $110m? Waited an arguably respectable length of time… then launched three competitors. The full story is inside Trends.
chart
How one of America’s last piano manufacturers stays alive
Inside an old brick building in Haverhill, Massachusetts, you’ll find one of the last vestiges of a once-formidable industry.
Entering the six-story structure is like going back in time: Stacks of kiln-dried maple line the walls. Artisans carefully tinker with tuning pins. A light tinkling of classical music rises above the whir of 100-year-old machines.
Not long ago, piano factories were one of America’s largest industries, employing tens of thousands of workers.
Today, only two remain: Steinway & Sons in New York, and this place — Mason & Hamlin.
Over the past century, nearly all American piano manufacturers have been eradicated by foreign competition and the rise of competing technologies.
But Mason & Hamlin has survived largely by turning to the past, drawing inspiration from a bygone era of artisanry.
People are opening up about their finances… on the street
It used to be considered rude to ask how much someone makes.
Not today. Lately, street interviews where people are asked about their salary, rent, and bank accounts have grown enormously popular.
One brand in the space…
… Salary Transparent Street, was founded by Hannah Williams, who started the project after realizing how often she found herself underpaid at work.
In her rapid-fire videos, you’ll hear from all kinds of Americans, on the street, about their salaries.
Williams quit her job making $115k as a senior data analyst and, as of July, has made $22k+ through the brand. She now sports an Indeed company-branded mic, and offers guides, a newsletter, and other resources.
Outside of salaries…
… creators have been conducting impromptu street interviews about:
Rent: Caleb Simpson goes around NYC asking people how much they pay for rent, then tours their apartments.
Balances: Creatorslike Chris Stocks and Cody Premer ask people about how much money is in their bank accounts.
One woman, with ~$40k, said she made the money uploading pics of her feet on FeetFinder, a site for buying and selling foot content.
New side hustle, anyone?
AROUND THE WEB
🍏 On this day: In 1997, Apple launched its successful “Think Different” campaign, dreamed up by advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day.
😠 Haha: “Sim Nimby” is an online game about building a community. Except you can’t build anywhere.
📚 Chill out: Why reading a book, whether paper or on a device without blue light, could help you get a better night’s sleep.