In an effort to improve efficiency and reduce costs, tech companies are exploring various strategies. According to recent reports, Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is scaling back on certain office perks, such as limiting the availability of free food and snacks in the cafeteria. The company has received complaints from employees regarding these cutbacks.

The New York Times has reported that numerous Meta employees are unhappy with the reduction in cafeteria offerings, such as the absence of snacks and cereals in the office, and the discontinuation of complimentary food services and other perks.

Meta's cost-cutting measures, which include limiting office perks, are part of its ongoing "year of efficiency" under CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The company has already laid off more than 11,000 workers in the past year, and it plans to eliminate another 10,000 jobs soon. 

These impending job cuts and uncertainty about the future of the company have reportedly lowered employee morale, leaving many feeling anxious about their job security. 

The article further mentioned that in response to the expected cuts, some employees have created memes, comparing the workplace to a combination of "Hunger Games" and "Lord of the Flies," where staff feel the pressure to demonstrate their value to the management.

Aside from the decrease in cafeteria options, Meta has reportedly reduced other office benefits such as free laundry and dry cleaning services, health and wellness programs, and more, as per Insider's report. Additionally, the company has modified its free dinner service by delaying it by 30 minutes and doing away with to-go containers to save on expenses.

During an all-hands meeting, CEO Mark Zuckerberg encouraged employees to return to the office. While remote work will still be supported, the company plans to evaluate performance data and potentially revise its policy over the summer. Zuckerberg referenced an internal analysis during an earnings call that showed early-career engineers who joined the company in person performed better than those who worked remotely.

The reduction of office perks at Meta is not an isolated trend in the tech industry. Other companies like Google and Salesforce have also made cutbacks on amenities. In the past, office perks were used to remain competitive and incentivise employees to spend more time at the workplace. However, the emergence of remote work and the unstable economic climate have forced companies to reevaluate their spending on such perks.