To parrot the article. For companies that aren't trying to provide every other perk on the planet, this is a reason that makes sense. For a company that is including such things as work shuttles, food, and gyms... it is a little hazier.

That is, they are making a clear commitment to prioritize things that reduce the time you are away from the office. Having on site food is convenient for the employer. Less time away from doing work.

Daycare, though, doesn't really do much more than help the employee actually have a family life. You won't stay at the office longer, since it will close and you will pick up your child and go home.

I'd actually extend the idea further and say what else sets this apart is what people do in the other locations. It is not uncommon to network on a gym or cafeteria. Daycare? It probably can happen. Doubt it does.

It totally depends on context. My office doesn't have a gym, but there's one next door and we reimburse its membership fee. Colleagues seem to find it easier to go regularly during the workday, rather early in the morning or after work. I think it's fantastic that this kind of "break" is allowed and encouraged. In this city of dysfunctional transportation, saving you a "second commute" to the gym is a valuable service.

Food? A nice lunch that I don't have to think about beats packing PB&J or throwing away money on restaurant meals.

Dinner is provided very late, and is by no means an expectation, more of a courtesy to employees working late for other reasons. It makes sparse use of one cafeteria, where lunch overflows ~5.

Most engineers in my immediate area are solidly 10am-6pm unless something comes up. (Several have hour-plus BART rides to their families deep in the East Bay).

I actually know more than one person in the software industry who has done some networking at daycare/preschool, and I'm not even in the Bay Area.

Many Corp daycares are for one-offs (they may cap it at some number of times per year, for example) when your regular caregiver can't render services or other minor emergencies.

People probably don't want to leave their infant children home alone while they go to work, regardless of the overtime situation.