The Valve Employee Handbook (2012) [pdf] • Hacker News Board

Re: The Valve Employee Handbook (2012) [pdf]

#11

Post by hacknat » Mon, Mar 23, 2015, 4:59 PM UTC

dammitcoetzee wrote: post #6

After some time working in "start-ups" this is one thing I agree with more than anything. "Hours While people occasionally choose to push themselves to work some extra hours at times when something big is going out the door, for the most part working overtime for extended periods indicates a fundamental failure in planning or communication. If this happens at Valve, it’s a sign that something needs to be reevaluated…

You know what's funny though. I know some folks at Valve, they all say that the work-life balance isn't great (not terrible, but not great). Valve does peer stack ranking in order to set compensation. From what I hear this means that, yes, you can technically 9-to-5 it, but good luck getting anywhere in the company if you do.

I've also heard that the everything-is-flat model isn't all that great either. Yes you get to work on what you want, but, going back to the stack-ranking, it can be quite the political place if you want to get on the right projects, etc.

I'm not trying to say that Valve isn't a great place to work, but I think people romanticize it a little too much when this handbook gets trotted out on HN every other month.

Re: The Valve Employee Handbook (2012) [pdf]

#12

Post by biafra » Mon, Mar 23, 2015, 5:07 PM UTC

Someone1234 wrote: post #8

skorecky wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's sad how many companies miss the mark on this. Saw a company that had "great work life balance" but expected you to work 9.5 hour days as the norm.

I think work life balance has become worse everywhere, but it seems like in the US in particular it has become much much worse since the 1950s (i.e. no more 9-5, 5 days a week). I actually do work a 9-5 job in tech' in government, but I am more the exception than the rule. Many people seem to be working an hour more, and up to three to four hours more (e.g. 8 to 7, or 7 to 7) in other local places (and certainly in S…

I'd really prefer a 40h work week over 9-5.

Re: The Valve Employee Handbook (2012) [pdf]

#13

Post by tomjen3 » Mon, Mar 23, 2015, 5:09 PM UTC

hacknat wrote: post #11

dammitcoetzee wrote: post #6

After some time working in "start-ups" this is one thing I agree with more than anything. "Hours While people occasionally choose to push themselves to work some extra hours at times when something big is going out the door, for the most part working overtime for extended periods indicates a fundamental failure in planning or communication. If this happens at Valve, it’s a sign that something needs to be reevaluated…

You know what's funny though. I know some folks at Valve, they all say that the work-life balance isn't great (not terrible, but not great). Valve does peer stack ranking in order to set compensation. From what I hear this means that, yes, you can technically 9-to-5 it, but good luck getting anywhere in the company if you do. I've also heard that the everything-is-flat model isn't all that great either. Yes you get t…

>Valve does peer stack ranking in order to set compensation.

That is going to be their downfall.

Re: The Valve Employee Handbook (2012) [pdf]

#14

Post by tessierashpool » Mon, Mar 23, 2015, 5:22 PM UTC

hacknat wrote: post #11

dammitcoetzee wrote: post #6

After some time working in "start-ups" this is one thing I agree with more than anything. "Hours While people occasionally choose to push themselves to work some extra hours at times when something big is going out the door, for the most part working overtime for extended periods indicates a fundamental failure in planning or communication. If this happens at Valve, it’s a sign that something needs to be reevaluated…

You know what's funny though. I know some folks at Valve, they all say that the work-life balance isn't great (not terrible, but not great). Valve does peer stack ranking in order to set compensation. From what I hear this means that, yes, you can technically 9-to-5 it, but good luck getting anywhere in the company if you do. I've also heard that the everything-is-flat model isn't all that great either. Yes you get t…

I know some folks at Valve, they all say that the work-life balance isn't great (not terrible, but not great).

context matters: the work-life norm for video games is horrendously awful.

I'm not saying this is how Valve thinks, but if you were recruiting for a video game company, you could totally tell people "work-life balance matters here, so you'll often be able to go home on weekends," or "work-life balance matters here, so we rarely work more than ten hours a day."

Re: The Valve Employee Handbook (2012) [pdf]

#15

Post by hacknat » Mon, Mar 23, 2015, 5:40 PM UTC

tessierashpool wrote: post #14

hacknat wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know what's funny though. I know some folks at Valve, they all say that the work-life balance isn't great (not terrible, but not great). Valve does peer stack ranking in order to set compensation. From what I hear this means that, yes, you can technically 9-to-5 it, but good luck getting anywhere in the company if you do. I've also heard that the everything-is-flat model isn't all that great either. Yes you get t…

I know some folks at Valve, they all say that the work-life balance isn't great (not terrible, but not great). context matters: the work-life norm for video games is horrendously awful. I'm not saying this is how Valve thinks, but if you were recruiting for a video game company, you could totally tell people "work-life balance matters here, so you'll often be able to go home on weekends," or "work-life balance matter…

That's a fair point.