Start-up offices are increasingly adopting a no-shoes policy, requiring employees to remove their footwear upon arrival. This trend, observed primarily in tech companies, involves employees exchanging shoes for slippers or walking barefoot on carpeted office spaces.
The website noshoes.fun, created by Ben Lang, an employee at the start-up Cursor, lists over a dozen start-ups with this policy, including artificial intelligence firms such as Replo and Composite. Lang stated on social media in August that he has only worked at start-ups with a no-shoes policy.
Spur, an A.I. company that uses artificial intelligence to check websites for bugs, provides branded slides to employees and guests upon entering their Manhattan office, according to Sneha Sivakumar, co-founder and chief executive. Sivakumar explained that the policy aims to create a comfortable, home-like environment for her 10 employees and fosters a more relaxed atmosphere. "The no-shoes policy... makes it feel like a second home... and disarms you in a positive way," she said.
The practice of removing shoes in certain spaces has roots in various cultural traditions. Sivakumar noted that growing up in an Indian family in Singapore, she often removed shoes in homes and temples as a sign of respect. The adoption of this practice in tech offices reflects a broader trend of creating more relaxed and personalized work environments.
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