A Los Angeles-based startup CEO, John Hu, revealed that he spends nearly $3,000 every week on lunches for his team. Yes, you read that right! The former Goldman Sachs banker, who holds an MBA from Stanford University, described the expense as one of his best investments, arguing that “culture isn’t about unlimited paid time off”.
‘I spend $3,000/week buying lunch for my team’
In a post on Instagram, John Hu wrote, “I spend $3,000/week buying lunch for my team.” He added that when people hear this, they ask him questions such as “Aren’t you just burning money?” or “What’s that ROI on that?”
Hu said he enjoys spending time with his team and believes the return on the investment is significant. “During lunch, we talk about life. We talk a little about work. We laugh until our sides hurt,” he explained. He said that although many people might consider team lunches as “unproductive”, in reality, it is one of the most “productive parts” of his week.
He elaborated on why these shared meals make a difference. “Because the amount of connection, collaboration and good energy felt between the team outside of work builds so much cultural cohesion inside work… Our team operates at 10x the effectiveness of companies twice our size.”
He claims that his team not only get the “job done”, but they are “pumped to absolutely crush it”. “The best investment you can make isn’t in tools or systems. It’s in the people who make everything possible,” he stressed.
‘Culture isn’t about unlimited paid time off’
Explaining, John Hu posted, “The brutal truth? A high-performance culture IS a feel-good culture… for the right people.”
He added, “Culture isn’t about ping pong tables or unlimited PTO. It’s about creating an environment where the best people can do their best work. So yes, that includes buying them lunch.”
Here’s how people reacted to this:
Hu’s post struck a chord with many Instagram users, who flocked to the comments section to share their reactions and views on leadership, workplace culture, and boss-employee engagement.
“I do the same for our little team. It’s a little perk that goes a long way,” said one Instagram user.
Another added, “I used to manage a team of 80 people, sitting down with them for lunch and just chatting about anything and everything that didn’t have to do with work was some of the best investment of time I made there. You are nothing without your team, and you are unstoppable when they feel heard and valued.”
“CEO putting the employees at the centre of the biz,” commented a third.
A fourth posted, “So true!! The jobs I’ve had where we share meals have been the best.”
“I remembered that their lunch used to be $2000 per week. John increased the budget,” claimed yet another Instagram user.