Free lunch used to be the gold standard of workplace perks. Companies would tout it like they’d invented caring. But if that’s still impressing you, Microsoft just raised the bar so high it’s now somewhere in the clouds! One Indian employee posted a video that just broke the internet. No, she wasn’t bragging about food but sharing a sneak peek of the perks of working at her office. What are the perks? Well, she could walk into the office salon, get a perfect blow-dry and walk away without paying a dime. Her company would cover the expenses! Shaifali Garg, a Microsoft employee based at the company’s regional campus in Ireland, recently shared a video of what her ‘lunch break’ really looks like, and the internet is going gaga over it.
When lunch breaks include a beauty bar
Most people spend their lunch hour staring at their sandwich, scrolling through their emails, or desperately pretending to relax for 30 minutes. But Garg could actually relax. She can walk into the office salon and leave feeling even more beautiful! In a video that sent the internet into a frenzy, Garg revealed one of those workplace perks that is so good, it barely feels real: getting her hair professionally styled during her lunch break, right there in the office! “Perks of working at Microsoft. You can get your hair blow-dried in the office,” she captioned the video.She further added, “One of the little perks I genuinely love about working at Microsoft! It’s not just about the technology or the exciting work—it’s also about creating an environment where employees feel valued and can take a moment to recharge.”
Why the salon-like hair matters
On the surface, a blow-dry station sounds frivolous. But in a professional world, that gesture is more nuanced. Some employees get free lunch, maybe a gym discount if they are lucky. But most workplaces still treat employee wellness like an afterthought. And that’s exactly where this salon-like hair matters. In her video, Garg is actually talking about this larger philosophy. Her employer is creating an environment where people feel valued enough to step away from their desks and actually take care of themselves. It may not be revolutionary. But in some aspects, it still is. The perks she mentioned extend beyond the blow-dry chair: wellness initiatives, learning opportunities, quality workspaces, and colleagues who don’t make you regret showing up.“From wellness initiatives and learning opportunities to great workspaces, amazing colleagues, and yes… getting your hair blow-dried right in the office, these small touches make a big difference in keeping our energy and spirits high,” she said.For Garg, this simple gesture from her employer really tells her that she matters. “It’s moments like these that remind me that a great workplace is about more than just work.”
Internet reacts
What made this go viral wasn’t envy, exactly. It was shock and surprise. People scrolled through Garg’s post and saw something they’d stopped expecting: a company acknowledging that employees are human beings who might want to feel good about themselves before a 2 p.m. meeting. A wellness ritual that isn’t a forced yoga class or a mindfulness app nobody uses. The video was flooded with comments from people questioning their own workplace choices. “The only job I’ve ever needed!” one commented. Another said, “My dream job.” Some joked about quitting immediately: “I’m leaving everything, joining this company. Haha.” Others asked if Microsoft was hiring. “Wow! Dropping my resume,” one Instagram user commented. “Are they hiring?” another asked.A few pointed out that this is what happens when a company actually invests in employee retention beyond words and platitudes. “I didn’t know our office needed this until now, and it feels like a necessity now that I think about it,” one user commented. Another took a dig at big tech companies: “They would do anything for their big tech employees to code ways that us peasants, non-IT-trained workers, would be excluded from the job market. Enjoy your blow-out; know some of my friends were fired because of AI sh*t.”Some thought this was yet another corporate gimmick to keep employees working for them: “You look cute, but the reality is, these corps are trying to keep everyone locked in.” Another wanted to know if this perk was inclusive enough. “This would be interesting to stress test diversity and inclusion. I wonder if they’d have provision for afro hair because I’d love to finish work on a Friday with my hair done.”
