How many times have you turned green with envy when you heard about a company’s jaw-dropping perks like these: dry cleaning on-site, decked out game rooms, free haircuts and subsidized (or free!) gourmet dinners? These seemingly fabulous incentives put visions in my head of wearing perfectly pressed clothes every day and turning into an organic-eating health nut. If I could get reduced-price massages every day, then there would be no reason to ever leave the office!Right there – never leaving the office – is a problem. If an employee is offered dirt cheap laundry service, does that mean she shouldn’t expect to have an hour or so once a week doing it herself? Should she say good bye to making her own dinner plans since she’ll be eating whatever the company chefs have put on the menu? Here’s what’s more troubling: if her manager doesn’t explain his or her expectations about work-life balance, then she may be left thinking that she has to spend her free time polishing up on her foosball skills in the game room.I’m not proposing that perks are inherently bad and should be abolished. Many of them, in theory, make routine errands much more convenient. But there is a difference between supporting employees as they juggle their professional and personal lives and creating an environment where employees feel as if they have to spend every waking hour at their desk due to company-sponsored freebies.One of our clients does an incredible job in recognizing the balancing act we all play as busy professionals. For example, this company has personal health associates readily available to answer employee questions, a tuition reimbursement program, subsidized child care and even back-up child care for those days when the nanny calls in sick. These kinds of thoughtful benefits deserve big kudos. It’s clear that they value their people and look at them as human beings rather than creating opportunities for them to stay at the office late. I’d take that over a free massage any day!Are you looking for ways to communicate about your company’s sweet perks? Give us a call!