Valve new employee handbook shows how great the firm is

Posted on Wednesday, April 25 2012 @ 9:49 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
A leaked "handbook of new employees" (PDF) from game developer Valve shows how great it is to work for this firm. At Valve, no one has a manager, there's nobody to report to each day and employees are free to select projects they want to work on, and even have the power to green-light new projects and ship products. Additionally, Valve workers also have various office perks, including a massage room, a game room, laundry service, and a gym.
Unlike a traditional job where the employee is given a desk and a set of instructions from a manager, those working a Valve don’t have a manager. As outlined in the handbook, hierarchy is great for maintaining predictability, repeatability and managing a large number of people. But for one of the top entertainment companies on the planet, telling an employee to sit behind a desk and do one specific task kills 99 percent of their value.

As such, employees at Valve don’t have managers – there’s nobody to report to each day. Furthermore, workers get to select which projects they want to work on, have the power to green-light new projects and even ship products.

Every employee desk has a set of wheels on the bottom that serves two purposes. The first is a symbolic reminder that one should always consider where they could move to be more valuable. The other is literal – team members often move their desks close together when working on a project for obvious reasons.


Source: TechSpot


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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