TFS Gulf 
- “When founders build companies, what’s the significance of culture?” Ashneer Grover was asked in the latest Global Business Summit event organized by ET Now.
- To which the former Co-founder of BharatPe, and a former Shark Tank judge had some strong points of view!
- Here is a summary.
You are there to work, not to build relationships
“I don’t understand the concept of work culture. It’s very stupid.” – said Ashneer.
The top management is always busy creating the “work culture”. You are there to work, not to build familial relationships.
Ashneer believes that company culture is like a forced relationship. Employees go to the office to work. The employee wants to grow in his career and expects a salary in exchange for his work. After that, the employee doesn’t want to see your face and that’s a fact!
Ashneer hates the idea of offices having recreational rooms. He went on record to say, “If I see a table tennis in an office room, I would set it on fire. People are there to work, not to play table tennis.”
He further went on to add that businesses need capital, enterprise, labor, and technology… Not culture!
How people reacted to the video
Some people praised him for calling out hypocrisy in the name of culture, while others disagreed.
In response to Ashneer’s video Sundeep Dawale, a Digital Marketing Consultant took to, LinkedIn.
“Big and small companies often market their work culture when they have positions to fill. It’s not wrong for a company to boast about its location and chic office space.
However, it’s downright lame and insincere to send ‘Welcome to the family emails.’
Company founders often push their ‘cool culture’ down their employees’ throats. The relationship between employees and employers is purely transactional and it is sufficiently sacred enough to be left it at that.”
On the other hand, another YouTube comment read – “Are we machines? Culture must be there so that people can talk, and have empathy.”
Recent mass job cuts
Grover’s statement sparks an important talk about what employees expect from employers and vice versa.
Forbes released an article called “13 Reasons Google Deserves Its Best Company Culture Award”. However, suprise suprise in January 2023, Google carried out its biggest layoff, letting go of 12,000 employees.
Several Google Employees who have been with the company for decades were told to leave. Is this culture?
2024 saw thousands of layoffs done by Google, Microsoft, Linkedin, and several others known for their awesome culture.
CEO Sundar Pichai has told the employees to prepare for further job reductions.
At the end of the day, employees who are working need money, freedom to work and grow in the organization, and of course job security!
Should you consider your workplace your family? Or should your relationship with your work end at the confines of your office?
This is how immature entrepreneurs talk . This is the difference between a person like Ashish and done over like Tata
I agree. I believe that work culture promotes corruption. People frequently make compromises with actual work when developing this work culture
Hire and Fire Culture guys talk like this.
Tata Code of conduct is built over 100 years after going through various ups and downs of business cycles. These quick rich, loot and run guys speak like this.
Rangarajan I agree but what about large organisations like Mircosoft Google Citi bank etc are hiring and firing. In that sense I appreciate how India companies with legacy are still considerate of their workforce.
I felt 2 important event where TCS played crucial role by becoming aggressive to maintaini calm in Indian IT employment. Once when new Indian software firms was about the beat TCS around 2000 and around 2003-2004 when western biggies IBM, Accentuate and Cap Gemini poached employees.
Your question has answer. Microsoft, Google are big. But doesn’t have history of undergoing business cycles of 60 to 100 years.
Employees on the other hand, instead of spending to upgrade their skills, most of them are in Fear of Missing out mode buys everything out of EMI and create ruckus to co workers and employer in all aspects when their position is in danger.
Quite stupid comment. Culture is not just about tt n familial relationship. It’s about leadership integrity and transparency. Comes from top driven by personal values.