The tech firm provides employees with food vouchers for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but more than 30 US-based Meta employees have been dismissed after they were discovered to be using the vouchers to buy things such as toothpaste and wine glasses.
“Addressing perk misuse goes beyond rule enforcement,” Elizabeth Barry, human resources director at software provider IRIS Software Group, told HR magazine.
“It's a chance for companies to reassess their benefits structure, ensure it meets employee needs, and reinforce a culture of trust and ethical behaviour."
HR should look at why company perks have been misused before launching disciplinary action, Barry added.
She said: “When addressing situations like Meta's, HR must first seek to understand the full picture. This includes examining policy coverage, the number of employees involved, and their motivations.
“It's crucial to consider whether such incidents indicate deeper needs within the company that should be addressed.”
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Speaking to employees about whether they understood the company policy could shed light on the situation, Charlie O’Brien, head of people at HR software provider Breathe HR, told HR magazine.
She said: “If an employee is misusing a company perk, HR should approach the situation practically but carefully.
“We need to ensure that information on how to use the benefit is clearly documented and it should outline what fair use looks like, what constitutes misuse of the perk, and what the consequences for misuse will be in line with the severity of the incident. This takes all subjectivity out of the equation.
“Speak with the employee: is there a reason why this individual is misusing a perk? Gather facts and act swiftly by starting a conversation. There could be a reason that with your support could be resolved, rather than an employee trying to find workarounds.”
Posts on anonymous work social message board Blind suggested Meta employees were given a warning three months after the incident occurred, but that they were dismissed nonetheless.
Disciplinary action for employees who have taken advantage of company perks should be proportional with the company policy, Barry noted.
Read more: Employees "don't seem interested" in benefits on offer
She added: “If disciplinary action is necessary, it's vital to follow established policies consistently. By taking a comprehensive approach, HR can turn these challenges into opportunities for organisational improvement."
Going forward, HR should ensure policies about company perks are clear and well communicated, according to Zoe Wigan, head of resolution at work behaviour and culture consultancy Byrne Dean.
Speaking to HR magazine, she said: “HR should make sure that information about company perks is easily found, ideally in one place. Make sure that language is user friendly, and any limitations (for example, that vouchers can only be used for food) aren’t buried under other information.
“HR should also make sure that information about company perks is accessible for employees who may be neurodivergent or disabled, and available to employees absent on long term leave.”
