[Tempest1981]

Did that flat-rate payment come out of the pool of money for annual raises? (Probably no way to know.)

I'm guessing the desire is for it to come out of the company's profits, so investors pay.

Is there a free lunch to be had?

[sokoloff]

Over a long enough time period, all employee costs come out of the employee costs bucket.

[shawabawa3]

My company does the same, they said it came from reduced office costs (no more catered lunch, less cleaning, now smaller offices)