I don't want to turn this thread into a big list of negatives, but it's going to be difficult for me. I've never worked anywhere that managed to look better than a sausage factory (you know, "Great products, but don't ask how they're made.")

Under the un-inspiring category: One of my personal peeves is working for a company that expects late hours when projects become critical, yet provides no support for this. For example, there is only junk food in the vending machines, mostly chips and candy bars. At comparable companies, there are major-meal vending machines providing soup, sandwiches, pasta, salad, yogurt, dried fruit -- heck, even breakfast cereal is better than a Snickers. And it's not like it has to cost the company anything -- the employees would gladly pay to have a real meal at 2am. When every newhire is given a laptop and a VPN login, they must think we come with our own wall adapter.

On the flipside, in another corporate incarnation, my team has worked late on several occasions. I've gone out of my way to get them a dinner break, even if it comes out of my own pocket. They're much more likely to work quickly and accurately if someone is looking after them, and it also becomes something of a social event to work late and share a meal.

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