Zappos Employee Handbook/Comic book. It's anything but boring!

Summary

Holly from zap.com's HR department introduces a revamped employee handbook, transformed into an engaging comic book format. The initiative, driven by a committee of employees, aims to make the handbook enjoyable and informative. It features a superhero theme, department advertisements, a company timeline, and a creative presentation of core values with frogs. Policies are reimagined as stories told by a grandmother to her grandson, making them accessible and memorable. The handbook also highlights company perks, emphasizing the company's values and culture.

Takeaways

• 😀 Holly introduces herself as a member of the human resources department at zap.com.
• 📚 The company has created a new employee handbook, aiming to make it more engaging and fun to read.
• 🎨 The old handbook was a traditional paper-based document, which they decided to replace with a more innovative approach.
• 🌟 A committee of employees was formed to write the new handbook, emphasizing a collaborative and inclusive process.
• 🦸‍♂️ The new handbook is presented in a comic book style, featuring a superhero and an evil monster to capture interest.
• 📰 The handbook includes department ads in a Mad Magazine-style comic to familiarize employees with different departments.
• 🍕 An HR ad is used as a pizza menu, humorously linking company benefits like medical insurance to pizza toppings.
• 📈 A timeline of the company's history is included to educate employees about the company's background and milestones.
• 🐸 Core values are personified as frogs, with each frog representing a value, making them more memorable and relatable.
• 👵👦 Policies and procedures are turned into a story featuring a grandmother and her grandson, making them more accessible and less boring.
• 🎉 The handbook also highlights the company's perks, showcasing the benefits available to employees.

Q & A

Who is Holly and what is her role in the company?

Holly is an employee working in the human resources department at zap.com, and she is part of the generalist team responsible for creating the new employee handbook.

What was the motivation behind creating a new employee handbook at zap.com?

The motivation was to replace the old, paper-based handbook with something more engaging and fun to read, which would be more appealing to employees.

How was the new employee handbook created?

The new handbook was created by forming a committee of employees who wrote a handbook made by employees for employees, in a comic book fashion.

What is unique about the design of the new employee handbook?

The new handbook has a comic book design, featuring a superhero, Mad Magazine-style ads that display different departments, and a fun narrative to discuss company policies.

How does the handbook incorporate the company's core values?

The handbook assigns each core value to a frog and explains what each value represents, providing clarity and emphasis on the company's principles.

What is the purpose of the timeline included in the handbook?

The timeline provides employees with an understanding of the company's history and the significant events that have occurred over time.

How are the company's policies and procedures presented in the new handbook?

The policies and procedures are turned into a story format, with a grandmother explaining them to her grandson, making them more engaging and easier to understand.

What is the 'HR ad' mentioned in the script and how does it relate to the company's benefits?

The 'HR ad' is a creative way to present the company's benefits, using a pizza analogy where purchasing a large veggie pizza symbolizes receiving medical insurance for free.

What is the significance of the perks page in the handbook?

The perks page highlights the various benefits and advantages available to employees at the company, aiming to increase their satisfaction and engagement.

How does the handbook conclude?

The handbook concludes by going back to the core values to ensure that everyone remembers the company's mission and principles.

What was the overall goal of redesigning the employee handbook?

The overall goal was to create a handbook that employees would want to read and engage with, making the information more accessible and enjoyable.