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“I have an optional one for everyone,” I said to the team at our latest all hands meeting, “There have been some requests for an employee culture manual.
“And, I don’t know about you, but I hate employee manuals. No one ever uses them. It seems like a tool that HR cooks up because you’re supposed to have a culture manual.
“So I have a different idea. I’d like anyone that wants to share their thoughts, whatever they might be, about what it’s like to work here. We’ll publish your thoughts, verbatim, in the manual.
“If you want to publish your comments anonymously, that’s okay. If you want to not to participate, that’s okay too. It’s totally up to you.
“Tina will be sending out an email, and you can send your responses to her. Are there any questions?”
Of course the first question came from Greg, our most senior engineer. “I can say anything I want?” Greg asked.
“Yes, anything you want,” I responded.
“Even if it’s critical of you?” he said with a smile on his face.
“Absolutely,” I responded. “That’s the only way we’ll keep improving.”
“Okay,” he said, seemingly satisfied.
