Valve's 'Handbook For New Employees' Made Public
Ever felt your standards of what defines a good job melt away at the sight of another company's internal communication? Valve, developer of popular series Half-Life and Portal, alongside their online digital game store Steam has seen a leak of their "Handbook for New Employees."
Submitted by a Flamehaus forum user with a subsequent email from the company's Greg Coomer, this seems to be a legitimate leak. If not, then kudos to the person who has spent an inordinate amount of time and effort faking it.
This 56-page handbook is a rather humourous and whimsical insight into the somewhat tight-lipped company: how its run, the hierachy (called "flatland," where the company is "yours to steer"), a timeline of the company, and a perspective on the various curiosities around the office such as why each desk has wheels.
A particularly hilarious part to take note of is the glossary, describing particular situations around the office like the repeated playing of a classic rock soundtrack in the bathrooms, and the best use of the letters WFH we've ever seen. ("Working From Home. What to do if a single snowflake falls out of the sky.")
Really worth a read.
Jason England
