Free coffee in Intel’s offices was canceled as part of cost-cutting efforts (which included layoffs of thousands) — but now the bonus is being returned to «morale» support employees.
«While Intel is still facing challenges around costs, we recognize that small amenities play an important role in our daily routine. We know it’s a small step, but we hope it goes a long way to support our workplace culture,» the statement, which was reviewed by the Oregonian (via Business Insider).
At the same time, Intel is not returning the free fruit that was previously provided in the bonus program.
For decades, Intel was one of the leaders in the tech industry, but several critical mistakes led it off course. The company played a major role in the PC boom of the 1990s, but missed an opportunity to sign a deal to develop and manufacture iPhone chips. Similarly, in 2017, Intel refused to acquire a stake in OpenAI (the very startup that created ChatGPT and became a leader in the modern AI race), and later failed to develop processors necessary for AI training in time.
This year, Intel has focused on a cost-cutting strategy and in August announced the layoff of more than 15,000 employees. Last month, the company also sent out a presentation to employees informing them about the reduction of certain expenses — in particular, reimbursement of money spent on the Internet, telephone, or travel. The restrictions were later extended to fruit and coffee:
«It’s nothing, right? How much does one fruit a day cost?», — said an outraged former Intel employee in an interview with Business Insider.
The crisis at Intel, in addition to layoffs, forced the company to think about separation of chip production and design departments, as well as Suspension of construction of some plants. There are also rumors of a takeover of the company from Qualcomm and even Apple and Samsung.