Company Culture and Core Values
Zappos places great emphasis on company culture and core values. Hsieh's belief is that "if we get the culture right, then everything else, including the customer service, will fall into place." The company publishes an annual 480-page "Culture Book," which is composed of two to three paragraph entries from employees describing Zappos' company culture. The entries are unedited, and a copy of the Culture Book is given to all employees (although anyone can receive a copy of the book upon request).
Zappos applicants must go through two interviews: one for their professional aptitude and one for their personality, both equally important. In the personality interview, they are asked questions to see if they would fit in with Zappos culturally, like "how weird are you on a scale from 1–10" and "what is your theme song?" All newly hired employees except those at the Kentucky Fulfillment Center, even executives, are required to undergo a 4-week customer loyalty training course, which includes at least 2 weeks of talking on the phone with customers in the call center. After training, the new employees are offered $2,000 to quit, which weeds out people who would jump ship anyway and allows those who remain to make a public statement of commitment to their new employer. Over 97% turn down the offer.
Employees enjoy free lunches, no-charge vending machines, a company library, a nap room, and free health care. Each department has its own decor, ranging from rainforest-themed to Elvis-themed, and employees are encouraged to decorate their work spaces (for example, Hsieh's desk, which is in the middle of a cluster of cubicles, features jungle vines and an inflatable monkey). Employees often lead spontaneous office parades, occasionally accompanied with cowbells, and managers are required to spend 10–20% of their working hours "goofing off" with employees outside of the office.
Zappos has ten core values, which define their culture, brand, and business strategies. They are:
- Deliver WOW Through Service
- Embrace and Drive Change
- Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
- Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
- Pursue Growth and Learning
- Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
- Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
- Do More With Less
- Be Passionate and Determined
- Be Humble
Read more about this topic: Zappos.com
Famous quotes containing the words culture, core and/or values:
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