Employee calls out companies for giving pizza parties rather than a raise: 'Unpaid 15-minute break'

After putting in laborious efforts for the company's profit, every employee expects to get a salary raise or a promotion. However, management often has petty and clever ways to dodge the concerns and requirements of an average employee. Instead, they try to throw small pizza parties, hoping that it will be enough to distract them from demanding a raise. However, a comedy content creator, Jeremy–who goes by @jerms.24–sarcastically poked fun at this practice where corporate houses use pizza parties to "reward" their employees rather than providing them with required benefits.

In his viral video that has gained over 1M views, Jeremy ridiculed these pizza parties and how workers are not rewarded according to the labor they put in. He comically embraces reality and consoles himself in the situation. At the beginning of the video, Jeremy inches toward a Blaze pizza box placed on a table and he doesn't look too hopeful. "I was feeling really down and out about not getting a raise this quarter, but then I remembered the company pizza party," Jeremy provides a voiceover on the video as he acts accordingly.

"I could barely contain my excitement. This was the morale boost I needed. This is going to be the best unpaid 15-minute break ever, this right here, this is what it feels like to be cared about," he said while flashing a bright smile. Then, he slowly opens the pizza box and to his utter disappointment, it only contains a few thin slices of pizza with barely any toppings on it and there is a message scribbled on the inside of the pizza box.

"Only one slice!! — Management," the message reads, followed by a heart emoji. Jeremy has no option but to force himself to contain his flaring temper and remind himself that he needs to enjoy this gift from his company, no matter how trifling it is. "No, no, this is okay, this is the American Dream, this is what it's all about, it's all about the shareholders. Thank you," Jeremy says as he holds up a minuscule slice to the camera and gives a look of fake gratitude.

Many fellow TikTok users who had witnessed similar situations at their workplaces joined in the gag with Jeremy and even pretended to be his co-workers before leaving their comments. @yo_stevooo joked, "A pizza party????? I, as a shareholder, did not approve of this." Jeremy replied to this comment, maintaining the act and wrote, "I'm sorry!!!! Back to work, Mr. Smith!! Right away!!! You know what? Take my kid's college fund as an apology."

@randalisms commented, "The shareholders really sacrificed to get you that pizza have you sent a thank you card?" @shoesdontsnooze quipped, "Used to work within a hospital and our lab got biweekly pizza provided by the hospital cafeteria and I think morale was lower on pizza days." @xinlea added, "Happens all the time! I'm a teacher, and when food is provided those with kids often take more for them before everyone even gets some, drives me mad."

According to USA Today, wage growth in America has been somewhat slow lately. Annual wage growth in the private sector declined to 5.1% in the fourth quarter from 5.2% in the previous three-month period, according to the Labor Department's employment cost index. Some other surveys, however, show employer pay increases set to pick up this year. A fall survey by research firm WTW had average estimated salary increases rising to 4.6% in 2023 from actual pay rises of 4.2% last year. In dire times like these, pizza parties are less likely to help anyone.