I found the class “People Culture and Teams” on Zappos very interesting, as I’ve alway wondered what it would be like to mix work and play.

The CEO, Hsieh, illustrates the companies values perfectly: “We decided to be about providing the best service. We said, ‘We’re a service company that just happens to sell shoes.'”

Despite the slow beginning, the company was ranked on Fortune magazine’s annual ‘Best Companies to Work For’ list.

However, it’s important to also discuss the implications of having a company like this. Because their values are about “[Creating fun and weirdness],” and “[Building a positive team and family spirit”], it is important to consider what could go wrong. Personally I feel like there is pressure for workers to act enthusiastic and happy all the time, and that is just not natural. This in turn could promote employees to be fake and diminish the goal of a fun natural environment. We must also take into account the fact that those who feel presure to be something their not all the time (act happy when they’re not), may need someone to talk to in the work place to relieve stress (perhaps a counsellor).

Sources:

http://about.zappos.com/our-unique-culture/zappos-core-values