Googl

Why do startup culture go bad?

I am starting up soon. I care about working on meaningful problems, with good people and building the right culture.

Have been hearing from a lot of folks about culture problems in startups. Seems more of a norm rather than an exception.

Curious to know why do startup culture degrade? What pitfalls should I avoid to create a healthy culture?

12mo ago

CallMeShirley

Citymall12mo

In my experience, hiring good people, and being somebody who cares about people is important

Cultural problems start from:

You're inherently very ambitious, don't believe in WLB for others, and hence constantly pressurize people to work outside work hours
You get pressured when things aren't working out, and then panic and go after people

I've seen the best cultures in startups come about when people who have worked in good cultures build their own startup and have had experience enough to be confident about their choices. They don't panic easily.

Qwerty2398

Stealth12mo

@CallMeShirley - founders doesn't care about WLB of other is not because they are ambitious. But simply arrogance. Thier arrogance over the fact that they pay you. They believe they are over paying the employee due to market conditions and they want to remind the employee of the same.

Same Indians who startup in US /EU don't behave in a similar manner. Why, go till there, how many startup have you seen treating the foreign based employees in the same manner as they do Indians?

WinterIsHere_

Stealth12mo

I was a part of very early stage startup - one of the founding members. Founder always discussed this with me - how to keep the good culture intact and why people started making groups and distancing themselves. Please note:

do not be friends with people in your company. if you are, then don't bring that friendship to work. it hampers the morale of every employee working there. i have been in the closest circle with the founder, wouldn't do that again.
kind of people you hire - someone from paytm joined our company things changed. either the new hires change the culture you are building or you change them to adjust to the culture you are building.
take hard calls. people should respect you more than they love you. they should know you have their back but you shouldn't be toyed by anyone.
don't hire HR for the heck of it. if at all, you do, give them clear (CLEAR) responsibilities and roles as to what they are supposed to improve/maintain. goes for all other roles but if the HR is pathetic, people can't go to anyone with their grievances.

hope it helps. haven't built a startup, but have built it :).

Qwerty2398

Stealth12mo

God complex of founders