It is unique to hear about a CEO who studies happiness and
motivation and builds those principles into the company’s core
values or about a company with a 5-week training course and an
offer of $2,000 to quit anytime during that 5 weeks if you feel the
company is not a good fit. Top that off with an on-site life coach
who also happens to be a chiropractor, and you are really talking
about something you don’t hear about every day. Zappos is known as
much for its 365-day return policy and free shipping as it is for
its innovative corporate culture. Although acquired in 2009 by
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Zappos managed to move from number 23 in
2009 on Fortune magazine’s “100 Best
Companies to Work For” list to 15 in 2010.
Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Robert Sinnett – Zappos! –
CC BY 2.0.
Performance is a function of motivation, ability, and the
environment in which you work. Zappos seems to be creating an
environment that encourages motivation and builds inclusiveness.
The company delivers above and beyond basic workplace needs and
addresses the self-actualization needs that most individuals desire
from their work experience. CEO Tony Hsieh believes that the secret
to customer loyalty is to make a corporate culture of caring a
priority. This is reflected in the company’s 10 core values and its
emphasis on building a team and a family. During the interview
process, applicants are asked questions relating to the company’s
values, such as gauging their own weirdness, open-mindedness, and
sense of family. Although the offer to be paid to quit during the
training process has increased from its original number of $400,
only 1% of trainees take the offer. Work is structured differently
at Zappos as well. For example, there is no limit to the time
customer service representatives spend on a phone call, and they
are encouraged to make personal connections with the individuals on
the other end rather than try to get rid of them.
Although Zappos has over 1,300 employees, the company has been
able to maintain a relatively flat organizational structure and
prides itself on its extreme transparency. In an exceptionally
detailed and lengthy letter to employees, Hsieh spelled out what
the new partnership with Amazon would mean for the company, what
would change, and more important, what would remain the same. As a
result of this type of company structure, individuals have more
freedom, which can lead to greater satisfaction.
Although Zappos pays its employees well and offers attractive
benefits such as employees receiving full health-care coverage and
a compressed workweek, the desire to work at Zappos seems to go
beyond that. As Hsieh would say, happiness is the driving force
behind almost any action an individual takes. Whether your goals
are for achievement, affiliation, or simply to find an enjoyable
environment in which to work, Zappos strives to address these
needs.