Unraveling the Mystery of Zappos Culture: Insights from the Inside

Unraveling the Mystery of Zappos Culture: Insights from the Inside

Zappos, the online shoe and clothing company, is known for its unique company culture. The Zappos culture has been the subject of many studies and articles intrigued by the company’s success and unconventional approaches to managing its people. In this article, we will delve deeper into the Zappos culture. We will explore how the company’s values, hiring processes, and management practices, among many other factors, have contributed to their success.

Zappos Culture: The Core Values

Zappos’ culture is built around ten core values that shape everything they do. These values are not just empty words; they have been woven into the fabric of the company. Every employee at Zappos is expected to not only learn the ten values word for word but also to incorporate them into how they approach their work. It goes without saying that if you do not embody these values, you are unlikely to be hired or to fit into the company culture. Here are the ten values:

• 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

The Hiring Process

The Zappos culture starts right from the hiring process. Job applicants go through an intense selection process that can take more than six weeks to complete. The process involves several stages, including phone interviews, in-person interviews, and even social events where the prospective candidate is invited to hang out with existing employees. The company wants to be sure that new hires will fit into the Zappos culture.

Zappos also offers new hires an incentive, known as the “Offer,” to quit after their initial training. If an employee decides to take the Offer, they receive a few thousand dollars. The idea is that if someone is not fully committed to the company’s vision and culture, they will self-deselect. This unusual approach is one of the many ways Zappos keeps its hiring standards high.

Management Practices

At Zappos, the company values its employees and takes an unconventional approach to management. The company has a practice called “Holacracy,” which enables employees to manage themselves. Holacracy is a system of management where there are no traditional managers or job titles. Instead, employees are assigned to “circles” where they can work on projects that interest them. This approach fosters collaboration, transparency, and innovation.

In addition, Zappos has a unique leadership program called “Zappos Family Core Values Training.” The leadership program is open to all employees, regardless of their title or position in the company. The program is geared towards instilling the ten core values into employees and ensuring that everyone understands their importance. Through this program, employees become empowered to use the values to inform their decision-making.

Conclusion

In summary, Zappos has an extraordinary culture built around its ten core values, hiring standards, and management practices. These elements have contributed significantly to the company’s success. As we have seen, Zappos is a company that is not afraid to try unique approaches to management and employee engagement. The company has set itself apart from other organizations by prioritizing its people and embracing a culture of innovation, transparency, and collaboration.

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