Can Valve Employees Work on Whatever They Want?
Valve Corporation is a unique company in the technology industry, particularly in the video game development world. The company’s founders, Mike Morhaime and Tom Blundell, have maintained a flat organizational structure, which means there are no managers, hierarchies or rigid roles within the organization. This approach allows employees to take ownership and responsibility for their projects, and for the most part, Valve employees seem to enjoy this kind of freedom and creativity.
Valve’s Flat Organization Structure
In a flat structure, each member of staff is considered equal, and there’s no centralized authority making decisions without consulting others. Valve’s company handbook sets out the basic rules and guidelines to ensure smooth communication and collaboration throughout the organization. However, aside from official company policies, the company grants its employees significant autonomy in choosing which projects to work on.
How Much Freedom Do Valve Employees Have?
In reality, Valve employees have incredibly flexible workspaces. They are not required to work fixed hours or report to specific desks within the office. With the capability to work remotely and manage your own schedule, many Valve employees describe their work experience as being "mostly self-directed." This adaptability enables team members to divide their time among multiple projects, both internally and externally.
What Impact Does This Structure Have On Productivity?
Some might consider this lack of traditional management supervision a "work-from-your-own-desire" structure, where employees need to be very self-motivated to stay engaged and productive. In this case, Valley’s results-driven culture pays off. 90% of the company’s income comes directly from game sales, which could indicate a strong link between a lack of strict supervision and efficient, results-driven team performance. For many Valve employees, the option to work on multiple projects has led to cross-pollination of ideas and skills that have significantly impacted the company’s progress.
Can Anybody Can Work At Valve?
Job requirements for Valve are quite specific:
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Bachelor’s degree in a tech-related field, e.g. physics, computer science, math, or electronics
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**Proven professional