🏢 Company Culture
I wanted to consolidate what it means for a tech company to establish "culture"; thus I made this post.
Tech companies develop distinct cultural values based on their size, structure, and operational model. Understanding these differences is crucial for anyone working in tech, whether you're choosing where to work or building your own company culture.
Let's explore how three different types of tech companies approach culture: mid-size remote companies (like Zapier), large tech giants (like Meta), and mega-corporations (like Amazon). Each represents a different stage of organizational evolution with unique cultural challenges and solutions.
The Company Size → Culture Framework​
Understanding how company size influences culture helps explain why different organizations develop such distinct values:
Mid-Size Companies (100-1,000 employees)​
- Focus: Collaboration, transparency, and learning
- Structure: Flat hierarchies, direct communication
- Values: Human-centered, empathy-driven
- Example: Zapier's 5 core values
Large Tech Giants (10,000-100,000 employees)​
- Focus: Innovation, connection, and future-building
- Structure: Matrix organizations, specialized teams
- Values: Innovation-driven, connection-focused
- Example: Meta's 6 core values
Mega-Corporations (100,000+ employees)​
- Focus: Performance, scale, and systematic excellence
- Structure: Hierarchical, process-driven
- Values: Results-oriented, leadership-centered
- Example: Amazon's 16 Leadership Principles
Zapier: The Mid-Size Remote Model​
Zapier represents the mid-size remote company archetype with their five core values that have evolved over their 10+ year journey:
1. Default to Action​
Core Principle: "Delivering something real today—and learning from it—is typically better than delivering something of questionably better quality next week."
This value emphasizes the importance of moving quickly and learning through doing. However, it's not about reckless action—it's about taking action that connects to clear priorities and outcomes, especially what's best for their mission and customers.
Key Insights:
- Action should be connected to clear priorities and outcomes
- Make decisions based on reasonably available information
- Prioritize ideas with the biggest upside
- Consider diverse end-user needs when taking action
2. Default to Transparency​
Core Principle: "We do our best work when we make projects, processes, and systems available to everyone who needs them—inclusive of our customers."
For a distributed team across more than a dozen time zones, transparency is essential. It promotes equity and inclusion within their team and customer base. The key is working in public, having discussions in the open, and documenting work.
Key Insights:
- Transparency promotes equity and inclusion
- Work in public and document your work
- Be clear about who is responsible for decisions
- Use transparency to encourage high standards of excellence
3. Grow Through Feedback​
Core Principle: "Feedback enables growth. Whether it's about how we work or the work itself, feedback is one of Zapier's most essential practices."
This value recognizes that success has more to do with how quickly you learn than how "perfect" you are in a given moment. Feedback is essential for growth, even though it can be hard to give and receive.
Key Insights:
- Seek feedback from a diverse range of people
- Engage with feedback from anyone, regardless of their level
- Provide feedback directly and compassionately
- Use feedback to deepen understanding, even when you disagree
4. Empathy Over Ego​
Core Principle: "To serve our customers and teams best, we need to understand them. Empathy promotes understanding, curiosity, and humility."
This value emphasizes the importance of understanding customers and teammates as part of a global community. While ego can bias thinking toward our own views, empathy helps connect with and serve others.
Key Insights:
- Work with others to generate great ideas
- Take interest in teammates' and customers' well-being
- Adapt plans based on new information
- Take responsibility for the impact of words and actions
5. Build the Robot​
Core Principle: "Find ways to work better—whether through automation, simplification, or prioritization—so that we can spend more time doing what humans do best."
This value is about finding ways to eliminate repetitive work through automation, simplification, or prioritization. However, it's important to automate the right processes and outcomes.
Key Insights:
- Find tools, processes, or code to help grow efficiently
- Figure out what needs to be automated through experimentation
- Optimize for efficiency after testing the underlying process
- Learn about customers' and teammates' needs to inform solutions
What Makes These Values Effective​
1. Specificity with Examples​
Each value includes detailed examples of what to do and what not to do. This removes ambiguity and provides clear guidance for team members.
2. Customer and Team Focus​
Every value connects back to either customer impact or team collaboration. This ensures that values aren't just internal—they drive external results.
3. Practical Application​
The values aren't abstract concepts. They provide concrete behaviors and decision-making frameworks that can be applied in daily work.
4. Evolution and Refresh​
Zapier explicitly states that their values have evolved over time. They reviewed and refreshed them in 2022, showing that values should be living documents that adapt to the organization's growth.
Lessons for Other Organizations​
For Remote Teams​
- Transparency is crucial for distributed teams to function effectively
- Default to action helps overcome the paralysis that can come with remote work
- Empathy over ego becomes even more important when you can't rely on in-person cues
For Customer-Focused Companies​
- Feedback loops are essential for understanding customer needs
- Transparency with customers builds trust and momentum
- Automation should serve customer needs, not just internal efficiency
For Growing Organizations​
- Clear decision-making processes become more important as teams grow
- Documentation and transparency help maintain culture across distributed teams
- Values should evolve with the organization's maturity and challenges
The Zapier Way: A Model for Modern Organizations​
Zapier's values represent a modern approach to organizational culture that's particularly well-suited for:
- Remote-first companies that need to maintain culture across distance
- Customer-focused organizations that prioritize user experience
- Growing companies that need scalable cultural practices
- Tech companies that value both innovation and execution
Their emphasis on action, transparency, feedback, empathy, and automation creates a culture that's both human-centered and efficiency-focused—a combination that's essential for modern organizations.
Meta: The Large Tech Giant Model​
Meta represents the large tech giant archetype with their six core values focused on innovation and connection:
Meta's Core Values:​
- Move Fast - Speed and agility in decision-making
- Build Awesome Things - Focus on meaningful impact
- Live in the Future - Forward-thinking and innovation
- Be Bold - Take calculated risks
- Be Open - Transparency and collaboration
- Build Social Value - Positive impact on society
Meta's Cultural Characteristics:
- Innovation-driven: Values experimentation and future-building
- Connection-focused: Emphasizes social impact and human connection
- Matrix structure: Specialized teams working across projects
- In-person culture: Designed for campus-based collaboration
Amazon: The Mega-Corporation Model​
Amazon represents the mega-corporation archetype with their 16 Leadership Principles designed for massive scale:
Amazon's Leadership Principles (Key Examples):​
- Customer Obsession - Start with the customer and work backwards
- Bias for Action - Speed matters in business
- Insist on the Highest Standards - High standards drive results
- Think Big - Create and communicate a bold direction
- Deliver Results - Focus on key inputs and deliver them
- Earn Trust - Listen attentively, speak candidly, treat others respectfully
Amazon's Cultural Characteristics:
- Performance-driven: Results and metrics are paramount
- Leadership-centered: Strong emphasis on individual leadership
- Process-oriented: Systematic approaches to scale
- Customer-obsessed: Every decision starts with customer impact
The Three-Company Comparison​
| Aspect | Zapier (Mid-Size) | Meta (Large) | Amazon (Mega) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company Size | 100-1,000 employees | 10,000-100,000 employees | 100,000+ employees |
| Values Count | 5 focused | 6 core | 16 comprehensive |
| Cultural Tone | Collaborative, empathetic | Innovation-driven | Performance-driven |
| Primary Focus | Team + Customer | Connection + Innovation | Customer + Results |
| Decision Making | Consensus-driven | Experimentation-driven | Data-driven |
| Remote Work | Explicitly designed for | Hybrid/in-person focused | Flexible but office-centric |
| Communication | Transparent, documented | Open, collaborative | Structured, hierarchical |
| Growth Strategy | Sustainable, human-centered | Rapid, future-oriented | Systematic, scale-focused |
| Key Strength | Transparency & Learning | Innovation & Connection | Scale & Standards |
| Best For | Remote teams, learning orgs | Innovation companies | Large enterprises |
When to Choose Each Cultural Model​
Choose Zapier's Model When:​
- Company Size: 100-1,000 employees
- Work Model: Remote-first or distributed teams
- Goals: Sustainable growth with strong team culture
- Values: Learning, transparency, and human-centered approach
- Examples: Remote-first startups, mid-size SaaS companies, distributed agencies
Choose Meta's Model When:​
- Company Size: 10,000-100,000 employees
- Work Model: Hybrid or in-person with innovation focus
- Goals: Rapid innovation and future-building
- Values: Connection, social impact, and bold experimentation
- Examples: Social platforms, AR/VR companies, future-tech startups
Choose Amazon's Model When:​
- Company Size: 100,000+ employees
- Work Model: Large-scale operations with clear hierarchies
- Goals: Systematic excellence and massive scale
- Values: Performance, customer obsession, and leadership
- Examples: E-commerce giants, enterprise software, logistics companies
Conclusion: Culture as a Strategic Choice​
The cultural values of tech companies aren't arbitrary—they're strategic choices that reflect organizational size, structure, and goals. Understanding these patterns helps both job seekers and company builders make better decisions.
Key Insights:​
1. Size Drives Culture
- Mid-size companies (Zapier) prioritize collaboration and learning
- Large companies (Meta) focus on innovation and connection
- Mega-corporations (Amazon) emphasize performance and scale
2. Culture Must Match Structure
- Remote-first companies need transparency and documentation
- Innovation companies need experimentation and boldness
- Scale companies need processes and leadership frameworks
3. Values Should Evolve
- Start with human-centered values (like Zapier)
- Add innovation focus as you grow (like Meta)
- Develop systematic approaches at scale (like Amazon)
For Job Seekers:​
Choose companies whose cultural values align with your work style and career goals. Remote-first? Look for transparency and empathy. Innovation-focused? Seek boldness and future-thinking. Scale-oriented? Find performance and leadership opportunities.
For Company Builders:​
Design your culture based on your current size and growth trajectory. Don't try to be Amazon when you're Zapier's size, or Zapier when you're Meta's scale. Each model has proven effective for its organizational stage.
The most successful tech companies understand that culture isn't just about values—it's about creating systems that support your organization's unique challenges and opportunities.
🤖 AI Metadata (Click to expand)
# AI METADATA - DO NOT REMOVE OR MODIFY
# AI_UPDATE_INSTRUCTIONS:
# This blog post should be updated when new company culture insights emerge,
# additional tech companies publish their values, or organizational structures evolve.
#
# 1. SCAN_SOURCES: Monitor Zapier, Amazon, Meta culture pages for updates
# 2. EXTRACT_DATA: Extract new values, cultural changes, or company size updates
# 3. UPDATE_CONTENT: Add new companies to comparison table, update framework
# 4. VERIFY_CHANGES: Cross-reference with multiple sources for accuracy
# 5. MAINTAIN_FOCUS: Keep content focused on company size → culture framework
# 6. PRESERVE_LENGTH: Maintain 4-minute read time, focus on essential insights
#
# CONTENT_STRUCTURE:
# - Core Framework: Company size → culture patterns
# - Three Models: Zapier (mid-size), Meta (large), Amazon (mega)
# - Detailed Comparison: Comprehensive table with decision factors
# - Practical Guidance: When to choose each model
# - Conclusion: Strategic culture choices for job seekers and builders
#
# SOURCE_MATERIALS:
# - Zapier: https://zapier.com/jobs/culture-and-values-at-zapier
# - Amazon: https://amazon.jobs/content/en/our-workplace/leadership-principles
# - Meta: https://www.metacareers.com/culture
#
# CONTENT_RULES:
# - Maintain company size → culture framework as central theme
# - Use comprehensive comparison table for easy scanning
# - Include practical "when to choose" guidance for each model
# - Update company sizes and employee counts as they change
# - Balance analysis across all three company types
#
# UPDATE_TRIGGERS:
# - New company culture pages published
# - Major changes to remote work policies
# - New organizational values frameworks
# - Significant company size changes
# - New tech company archetypes emerging
#
# FORMATTING_RULES:
# - Use bullet points for lists and key insights
# - Maintain comprehensive comparison table structure
# - Keep conclusion actionable for both job seekers and builders
# - Preserve external links to source materials
# - Include framework diagrams if helpful
#
# UPDATE_FREQUENCY: Quarterly review, immediate updates for major culture changes
This analysis is based on Zapier's Culture and Values page, Amazon's Leadership Principles, and Meta's Culture page, demonstrating these companies' commitment to transparency by making their values publicly accessible.