3/4(Sat.) Is Unlimited PTO too good to be true? (host: Stephen)

[stephen185]

“Unlimited PTO is kind of like being on the hamster wheel with the cage door open.” (A comment on The Verge)

Would you be interested in working for a company that offers its employees unlimited vacation time? This policy, known as Unlimited Paid Time Off (UPTO), has become popular among tech giants, including Microsoft, Netflix, Salesforce, Adobe, and many others. In fact, numerous companies have begun to provide more flexible welfare policies to retain key talents in the wake of the pandemic. And UPTO is apparently one of the most eye-catching progressive benefits. However, is this policy as great as it appears? Let's explore it further.

References
1. "What Is Unlimited PTO?" (5-min video clip)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvh2C3jCUh8
2. "The smoke and mirrors of unlimited paid time off"- https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20 ... d-time-off
3. "Companies With Unlimited PTO for Vacation in 2023"- https://tech.co/news/companies-offer-un ... o-vacation

Questions
Session I
1. Which industry do you work in and what is your company's PTO policy? Are you able to achieve a work-life balance under the PTO plan? What's the working culture of your company? Do you have to endure grueling workhours in a demanding environment?
2. Please try to give three pros and cons of unlimited PTO (UPTO).
3. Why workers ended up taking less time off with UPTO than they did with a fixed policy? What are the critical factors that determine the success of UPTO where employer and employee can both garner the benefits of it?
4. Considering assorted discrepancies between various industries and categories of companies, it’s highly possible that UPTO might fit better to some rather than others. From your perspective, which industries or company types would be good picks for UPTO?

Session II
5. Some workers are taking UPTO with a grain of salt. Besides, under this policy, there is no such thing called "left-over vacation days" for cashing out any more. Therefore, compared to UPTO, they would rather have work flexibility such as, working from home, hybrid working, or shorter workday week instead. What is your preference as an employee?
6. I came across an intriguing comment on The Verge, saying that “Unlimited PTO is kind of like being on the hamster wheel with the cage door open.” What do you think this remark attempts to convey?
7. Please list five employee benefits that you care the most. If you had to choose only one, which benefit would be the determining factor in your job-hunting process? (“12 tech companies with impressive employee benefits”, https://www.techrepublic.com/article/12 ... -benefits/ )

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Agenda:
3:45 ~ 4:00pm Greetings & Free Talk / Ordering Beverage or Meal / Getting Newcomer’s Information
4:00 ~ 4:10pm Opening Remarks / Newcomer’s Self-introduction / Grouping
(Session I)
4:10 ~ 4:50pm Discussion Session (40 mins)
4:50 ~ 5:10pm Summarization (20 mins)
5:10 ~ 5:20pm Regrouping / Instruction Giving $ Taking a Break (Intermission)
(Session II)
5:20 ~ 6:00pm Discussion Session (40 mins)
6:00 ~ 6:20pm Summarization (20 mins)
6:20 ~ 6:30pm Concluding Remarks / Announcements

Meeting Date: As shown on the Subject Line
Meeting Time: 4:00pm – 6:30pm
Meeting Venue: 丹堤咖啡 Dante Coffee (Minimum Order $80)
Address: 台北市濟南路三段25號[MAP]-捷運忠孝新生站3號出口步行3分鐘

Important Notes:
1. We advise participants to print out the discussion questions and bring them to the meeting for reference. As for the supporting articles, feel free to print them out, as well, according to your preference.
2. We suggest that participants read the articles and think about the questions in advance.
3. Newcomers should prepare a two-to-three minute self-introduction in English to deliver when called upon by the host before the start of the discussion. The host may also ask you to give brief feedback about the meeting at the conclusion of the meeting.
4. We conduct the entire meeting in English. All participants should have at least moderate English-conversation skills and be able to articulate your ideas for each discussion question.
5. We welcome newcomers and other guests to attend the meetings and join the discussion freely for two times. After that, we hope you will consider becoming a YoYo English Club member. We charge a NT$1500 lifetime membership fee, or NT$1000 for students.

[Rock]

Quote of the day, "...being on the hamster wheel with the cage door open."

I like it.