E989: The Next Unicorns: Culture Amp CEO & Co-founder Didier Elzinga is building an employee analytics platform that keeps workers satisfied & motivated, shares insights on the changing role of culture, what modern employees value & maintaining culture while scaling – E7 of 10-ep miniseries

Oct 16, 2019

Didier Elzinga, CEO and co-founder of Culture Amp, began his journey in visual effects before revolutionizing employee engagement with his platform. He discusses the pitfalls of traditional performance evaluations and emphasizes the need for ongoing feedback. Elzinga explores the evolving demands of modern employees, including work-life balance and innovative compensation models. He critiques Silicon Valley's approach to culture, advocating for genuine values over superficial perks. Listeners also gain insights into building trust through vulnerability in leadership and the significance of emotional connections in teams.

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ANECDOTE

Return of the King

Didier Elzinga's visual effects company worked on "Return of the King".
They did about 50 shots, including the "ring into Mount Doom" scene.

INSIGHT

People and Culture

Didier's experience as CEO led him to see the importance of culture and reviews.
He realized the significant opportunity in improving these areas through software.

INSIGHT

Broken Reviews

Yearly performance reviews are a universally loathed process.
They are often backward-looking and ineffective for evaluating employee growth.

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