The Work Perk That Matters More Than Free Food, Gym Equipment or an Open-Office Plan

Move over, free food. At American companies, technology is the new perk.
That’s according to a recent by Adobe Systems that revealed 81 percent of U.S. office workers value state-of-the-art technology above everything else — even more than a beautiful office or on-site amenities. Unfortunately, only a quarter of these same employees said their company’s technology was actually “ahead of the curve.”
The advantages of new tech run deep. In the U.S., those who work at companies where the technology is “ahead of the curve” love their work about twice as much as those who work at tech-lagging companies, according to the study. They also say they feel more motivated and creative.

Many employees aren’t just creative — they’re passionate. The study also revealed that one-third of U.S. office workers are “moonlighting,” or pursuing one or more jobs on top of their primary one. Aside from money, passion was the second driving force behind the increasing number of moonlighters, who predict the practice will become the norm in the future.
In addition, the survey also showed that the average U.S. office worker thinks about work for 78 percent of their waking hours during a typical workday, versus 41 percent on a day off. This comes as no surprise, since 70 percent of these working Americans love what they do — to the point that 80 percent would continue working even if they won the lottery.
Check out the infographic below for more insights on people’s relationship with work.