Forget happy hour. A cloud-based security company called Verkada is taking a unique approach to fostering employee interaction: they’re paying for it. Their ‘3-3-3’ perk allows any three employees to expense food and drinks after 3 p.m., sparking curiosity and raising questions – is this perk just a fun gimmick, or a strategic investment in company culture?
Verkada’s CEO, Filip Kaliszan, believes it’s the latter. In a recent podcast, he explained the rationale behind the programme: “The idea is, three people go out, talk, and chances are something work-related will come up, ultimately benefiting us.” This informal collaboration, especially crucial for a startup competing in a tech giant-dominated industry, is fostered by removing barriers to interaction.
The programme is simple – up to $30 per person, no pre-approval, just a quick photo after the hangout on the designated Slack channel. Participation is high, with all 1,800 employees using it at least once. Verkada emphasises regular usage, recommending once or twice a week.
But it’s not just about the money. Kaliszan emphasises that the programme’s success lies in its cultural shift. Prior to 3-3-3, expensing meals with colleagues was possible, but the programme’s visibility through office posters and active promotion made the difference. “It wasn’t about the budget,” he clarifies, “but about everyone knowing they can do it and getting excited about it.”
This focus on company culture permeates Verkada’s policies. After a brief pandemic-induced remote work period, Kaliszan brought everyone back, citing communication issues arising from remote collaboration. Verkada now enforces a strict in-person policy and actively avoids remote work, even mapping commute times into job offers.
This emphasis on in-person interaction extends to location choices. Verkada prioritises ‘cool’ downtown areas, fostering organic employee interaction beyond the 3-3-3 programme. While the Verkada CFO Kameron Rezai acknowledges that economic downturns might necessitate reevaluating perks, the programme’s core aim is to empower employees to take ownership of their interactions, fostering a connected and collaborative culture.
Verkada’s bold experiment raises intriguing questions. Can manufactured social interaction truly foster genuine connection and drive business success? Only time will tell if the 3-3-3 perk is a stroke of genius or a fleeting fad. But one thing’s clear: Verkada is betting big on the power of human connection, and the world is watching with interest.
