Silicon Valley techies get free food and dazzling offices, but they're not very loyal - here's how long the average employee stays at the biggest tech companies

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Silicon Valley techies get free food and dazzling offices, but they're not very loyal - here's how long the average employee stays at the biggest tech companies

Bikes on the Google campus

Google

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Software and internet companies had the highest level of employee turnover in 2017 when compared to other major industries, according to data gathered by employment-focused social network LinkedIn.

Silicon Valley is famous for showering employees with perks like free meals, transportation and childcare, not to mention the-in some cases-multi-billion dollar, state-of-the-art office spaces.

However, data available to LinkedIn Premium users, and compiled by the San Francisco Business Times, showed that these perks aren't enough to encourage longevity at even some of the largest tech companies in the world.

Here's a look at the average tenure for employees in the Valley's most famous tech giants:

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Uber was at the bottom of the list, with a short average employee tenure of just 1.8 years.

Uber was at the bottom of the list, with a short average employee tenure of just 1.8 years.

Uber's latest valuation: $72 billion

Perks enjoyed by Uber employees (according to self-reported former employees on Glassdoor): Free meals and snacks, unlimited paid time off, gym memberships, discounts for Uber and UberEats services.

Dropbox, which just had a giant IPO, also struggles to retain talent. The average employee stays for 2.1 years.

Dropbox, which just had a giant IPO, also struggles to retain talent. The average employee stays for 2.1 years.

Latest valuation: $11.76 billion

Perks (according to self-reported former and current employees on Glassdoor): Three catered meals a day, an on-campus gym, and cellphone bill reimbursement.

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Tesla is in the same league, with employees staying at the electric car maker 2.1 years on average. Tesla employees work famously long hours and weekends, which could explain the relatively early burnout.

Tesla is in the same league, with employees staying at the electric car maker 2.1 years on average. Tesla employees work famously long hours and weekends, which could explain the relatively early burnout.

Latest valuation: $50.73 billion

Perks (according to self-reported former and current employees on Glassdoor): Relocation packages and travel stipends, stock options.

Digital payments company Square fared a little better, with an average tenure of 2.3 years per employee.

Digital payments company Square fared a little better, with an average tenure of 2.3 years per employee.

Latest valuation: $18.83 billion

Perks: Free meals, extended paternity and maternity leave, work from home options and unlimited PTO.

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At Facebook, a 2.5 year stint is the average.

At Facebook, a 2.5 year stint is the average.

Latest valuation: $477.93 billion

Perks: Laundry and dry cleaning services, free bikes, onsite dietitians, gym and fitness classes, shuttle services to HQ, child care stipend, and free housing for interns.

Up next, with 2.6 years, is Airbnb.

Up next, with 2.6 years, is Airbnb.

Latest valuation: $30 billion

Perks: Company sponsored classes and happy hours, a "quarterly employee travel coupon" worth $2,000 just for traveling through Airbnb, daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, dance classes and yoga classes onsite.

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Box employees generally stick around for 2.7 years.

Box employees generally stick around for 2.7 years.

Latest valuation: $2.85 billion

Perks: Nap rooms, flexible (aka unlimited) time off, gym membership and cellphone subsidies, free lunches and drinks.

Twitter's leadership ranks have gone through many changes, but the average employee stays with the flock for years.

Twitter's leadership ranks have gone through many changes, but the average employee stays with the flock for years.

Latest valuation: $21.60 billion

Perks: Gym with classes on site, free meals and snacks, company sponsored social activities such as tours of the neighborhood and running clubs.

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Netflix has broken the three year barrier, holding on to employees for an average of 3.1 years, to be exact.

Netflix has broken the three year barrier, holding on to employees for an average of 3.1 years, to be exact.

Latest valuation: $135.24 billion

Perks: Catered lunches, unlimited vacation, extended family leave — and free Netflix access, of course.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, does A-OK, with a 3.2 year average employee tenure.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, does A-OK, with a 3.2 year average employee tenure.

Latest valuation: $718.69 billion

Perks: Free meals at all hours of the day, free cooking classes and speaker series featuring authors, creatives, and celebrities, onsite massage therapists, tuition reimbursement, Google buses...and get this: Death benefits. "Google gives the surviving spouse or partner of a deceased employee 50 percent of his or her salary for the following 10 years after his or her death," says this list of unusual work perks on Glassdoor.

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The newly built Salesforce Tower is the tallest thing in San Francisco, and the company's employees stay for 3.3 years on average.

The newly built Salesforce Tower is the tallest thing in San Francisco, and the company's employees stay for 3.3 years on average.

Latest valuation: $87.06 billion

Perks: Tuition reimbursement, student debt assistance, commuter benefits, a free thousand dollars every year to donate to the employee's charity of choice.

Apple employees typically hang around for 5 years. And many of them now work in the new $5 billion "spaceship" headquarters.

Apple employees typically hang around for 5 years. And many of them now work in the new $5 billion "spaceship" headquarters.

Latest valuation: $886.58 billion

Perks: Discounted Apple products, free private concerts featuring A-listers like Stevie Wonder, Demi Lovato, and OneRepublic, the AppleCare College Program, which helps student employees pay tuition, on-campus doctors and massage therapists.

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Adobe: 5.3 years

Adobe: 5.3 years

Latest valuation: $110.33 billion

Perks: Gyms, commuter stipends for public transportation, sabbatical time every five years, tons of free food.

At Oracle, known for a hard-edged culture, a 7-year tour of duty is normal.

At Oracle, known for a hard-edged culture, a 7-year tour of duty is normal.

Latest valuation: $188.11 billion

Perks: "Corporate rates" for everyday purchases "like diapers and groceries to big ones like cell phones, computers, and vacation," work from home options, unlimited time off.

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And, at the top of this list is Cisco with an average employee tenure of 7.8 years.

And, at the top of this list is Cisco with an average employee tenure of 7.8 years.

Latest valuation: $207.15 billion

Perks: Onsite gym, 5 paid days off per year to do volunteer work, tuition reimbursement, each team is given a quarterly allowance to spend on social activities.