Late last month, an Allentown woman was caught stealing from her employer to the tune of $1.6 million over the course of an entire decade. And while many employees feel it’s really no big deal to raid the supply cabinet and bring home the occasional box of pens, tablets, or other office supplies, it’s stealing nevertheless.
Did you ever wonder why your employer often looks the other way if he knows that you’re walking out the door with a six-month supply of paper clips and correction tape? It’s because while you’re clandestinely practicing your petty pilfering skills at his expense, he’s stealing enough cash from you to more than make up for all the highlighters and whiteboard markers you’re walking out the door with.
Most amazing of all, he’s doing it in the open, right in front of everybody!
I watch my employer openly steal from a coworker of mine. Sometimes it’s $1.25, but most days my coworker gets taken for $2.50. Every day.
“Okay, Len, what the heck are you talking about?”
I’m talking about the soda machine. Where I work the soda machines spit out 20-ounce sodas for $1.25 a pop (no pun intended). Talk about highway robbery!
Why would anybody continue to buy sodas from the company soda machine if you consider it really is not too difficult to find 12-packs of 12-ounce cans for $5.00 (after taxes and recycle fees)?
Let’s say my coworker works 48 weeks per year, five days per week, and averages one soda per day. That means he is paying our employer $300 per year so he can get his daily root beer fix at work. Assuming my coworker brought his own root beer to work (like I do) at a cost of $5 per 12-pack, he would save $200 per year in addition to losing a few pounds from the slightly smaller portions. 
Two hundred dollars!
So who, exactly, is stealing from whom? If you’re sitting at home considering that question, just make sure you mark that figure down in big bold numbers with your company-provided Sharpee before you give your final answer. 
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I read a funny post this week at ElementsOfLifestyle.com. It was about a company who’s free coffee was so bad, they were trying to get people to pay for good coffee in the cafeteria. The author called it “Crapitalism” and he pointed out some companies who make money like this.
I work at a start-up and thankfully the snacks and sodas are free. I don’t eat a lot of sodas and snack foods, but the organic coffee is really nice. I love this job and not just for the freebies. It’s a great place to work, with nice people on staff.
I’m feeling pretty blessed that I don’t get taken for coffee or sodas.
Another one for you Len: What about all the time an employer asks you to work an extra 20 minutes here, or take a lunch there. Rarely in the contract – almost always in their interest…
@Bret: LOL! But seriously… Free sodas AND snacks???? Do you mind if I send you my resume?
@Monevator: I think you make a great point! For me, as an engineer, I almost always choose to work through my lunch. But since I earn a salary, I think that comes with the territory — so I don’t feel like I am being taken advantage of there — although I would feel very different if I wasn’t on salary.
I count myself lucky as well, my company provides soda, snacks, and a Starbucks coffee machine. We also get a local burger joint to cater the office once a week. We’re a start-up as well… just under a 100 people.
Start-ups are a mixed bag.
The perks and the atmosphere are great, but Pink-Slip Fridays suck.
My last start-up went under during the tech bubble burst. I worked my butt off for a bunch of worthless stock, but the experience was awesome. Here, we are well funded and in the medical device industry, so I’m pretty happy about that.
@MyMeans: A Starbucks coffee machine and catered lunches? Quit piling on, would ya? lol But seriously, best of luck to you!
@ Bret: Well, the pink slips are everywhere now – not just the start-ups. I’ve never worked for a start up, but I do work in the research and development group of a very high ranking Fortune 500 company. So I get the worst of both worlds – long hours working business development AND a lack of freebie snacks to boot! lol
I agree that $1.25 per can is high, and that your friend could certainly save money by bringing his own. An dshould.
But unless your employer says that he can only buy soda from them it’s not stealing. Your friend is giving them his money with his eyes wide open. You can call it a stupidity tax, but not theft.
Not the same thing as pilfering pens in any way, shape or form. THAT is stealing. One certainly does not justify the other. Not even a little tiny bit.
You’re absolutely correct, BeThisWay!
Of course, my liberal use of the term “stealing” vis-a-vis employers selling soda was never intended to be taken in the literal sense. Nor was my use of the term “highway robbery.”
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