TECH STARTUPS ARE known for their flexible culture, which often involves drinking and partying at the office.
But Zenefits, the troubled $4.5 billion startup that recently lost its founder CEO Parker Conrad, may have taken the startup vibe a little too far.
According to a report by the WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler, the company had to ban office sex after used condoms were found in the stairwells, telling its employees in a company-wide email in June to tone down their lewd behavior.
“Cigarettes, plastic cups filled with beer, and several used condoms were found in the stairwell. Yes, you read that right. Do not use the stairwells to smoke, drink, eat, or have sex,” the email said.
Zenefits is an HR software maker that raised more than $500 million at a $4.5 billion valuation. But it has recently been facing a lot of controversy, including missed revenue targets, regulatory violations, and a rambunctious, frat-like office culture.
Earlier this month, Conrad suddenly stepped down from his CEO position after it was found that Zenefits violated some compliance measures. He was replaced by COO David Sacks, a veteran tech entrepreneur who founded Yammer and who is moving quickly to fix Zenefits’ culture and its tarnished image.
Last week, Business Insider reported that Zenefits banned drinking alcohol at the office, in a move to clean up its corporate culture.
A Zenefits spokesperson sent Business Insider the following comment: “As Zenefits’ new CEO has made clear, it is time to turn the page at Zenefits and embrace a new set of corporate values and culture. Zenefits is now focused on developing business practices that will ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, and making certain that the company operates with integrity as its number-one value.”
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