Zappos and the Importance of Maintaining Company CultureZappos and the Importance of Maintaining Company Culture

When Tony Hsieh took the helm of online mega-retailer Zappos as CEO 16 years ago, the free-wheeling company culture was one of the most distinct and unique characteristics of the existing workplace. But, as the company grew into the juggernaut it is today, some of that fun was lost.

“A lot of people in the organization, including myself, felt like there were more and more layers of bureaucracy,” Hsieh told The New York Times in a recent profile.

Hsieh responded by adopting Holacracy, a system of self-management that does away with traditional corporate hierarchy, notably eliminating managers and allowing any employee to set meeting agendas.

As the Times describes it, Holacracy is somewhat radical, particularly for a company the size of Zappos.