They are also not very interested in training, because they don't need it. They want to work on cutting-edge projects.
"Training" is something that the poor performers are going to flock to, because it benefits them. Which is the polar opposite of what the top performers want.
Instead, I'll just point you to Deming's work on management. He transformed Japan's post war economy into the powerhouse it is today. He's also responsible for the much of the transformation here in the USA during the 1980'ss & 90's.
Long story short: it's the goal of management to make workers successful. Re-training is the absolute best way of advancing the company.
Cutting perks will gut the company morale.
Re-training on the job is already available at most SV companies of this size. You want it, you get it.
The original article that called out the lavish party was explicitly doing so to paint Marissa as a CEO that spends frivolously, and the author wanted her to move that money from employees to the investors instead.
I wouldn't be so sure. I love a good conference. I don't care much for the content, but the networking opportunities are great. I mostly do trainings to build my "Rolodex;" I feel that this will only help me when I decide on starting my own business (I want to sell something that other businesses will use, and knowing someone inside of a business >>>> cold calling)