The ordering on the list is odd. REI's seems really mediocre but rates #2? Look at "Epic Systems Corporation" at #16, that's a super cool perk.
What is the ordering based on?
Also perks are rated so highly in the US because companies stereotypically treat their employees so poorly. I worked for a startup in the UK which had no perks except coffee, tea, & water provided, however because of UK law it would be rated extremely perky by US standards (4 week paid vacation, unlimited sick w/doctors note after a week, maternity/paternity leave, bereavement leave, limited hours, paid overtime, free healthcare (NHS), state pension contributions, etc).
I'm not saying some of these companies don't have unique and interesting perks: they do. But I am saying that a lot of US companies still don't offer 4 weeks of paid vacation a year, maternity leave, and certainly people work much longer hours (8-6 seems typical).
It is a training stipend. The company benefits more from you learning new things than they do by providing you $30 cash.
I will say books only seems restrictive. Pluralsight has nice training material in video form, and other places are doing interesting weekend courses, why is dead paper the only method of learning to these companies?
What is the ordering based on?
Also perks are rated so highly in the US because companies stereotypically treat their employees so poorly. I worked for a startup in the UK which had no perks except coffee, tea, & water provided, however because of UK law it would be rated extremely perky by US standards (4 week paid vacation, unlimited sick w/doctors note after a week, maternity/paternity leave, bereavement leave, limited hours, paid overtime, free healthcare (NHS), state pension contributions, etc).
I'm not saying some of these companies don't have unique and interesting perks: they do. But I am saying that a lot of US companies still don't offer 4 weeks of paid vacation a year, maternity leave, and certainly people work much longer hours (8-6 seems typical).