Free Food at Work? If It’s This, Uh, No Thanks!

There was a study published not that long ago that said the best way to retain employees was to feed them-- you know, the 'ol free-food-in-the-breakroom routine. Here's why that may NOT be such a good idea, however.

Now, seeing as I was on vacation last Thursday and Friday, I'm not sure when that lovely fresh fruit platter arrived at the Quick Country 96.5 offices. I'm guessing it was Friday, the same day our company hosted a going-away lunch for a co-worker's last day here.

And, knowing that there's always somebody on-duty upstairs (where all the radio studios are located) even on the weekend, it looks like another conscientious employee brought up the fruit plate for the weekend crew to enjoy.

It doesn't look like too many people enjoyed it, last weekend, however-- nor bothered to refrigerate said fruit plate, either. The result was this lovely, pungent surprise, still sitting on the counter when I got back in early Monday morning.

Yeah, that's a little mold growing there on those strawberries and pieces of pineapple. (Nasty, isn't it?!?) That, along with the carton of buttermilk -- with a use-by date of MARCH 25TH! -- combined to create quite the delight for the senses Monday morning.

I quickly tossed them both in a plastic bag and took them out to the garbage dumpster in the parking lot. Ever had any food go bad like this where you work?