Silicon Valley startups adopt no-shoes office policy

Ben Lang, an employee at coding tool startup Cursor, posted on X on Tuesday two photos showing shoes scattered across hardwood floors at the office entrance, which Business Insider said resembled an apartment hallway during a house party more than the headquarters of a company valued at US$9.9 billion.

In an Aug. 10 post, Lang said he had only worked at startups with no-shoes policies and wanted to know if other companies had similar rules. He later compiled a "comprehensive" list of 26 such startups, Entrepreneur reported.

Other startup leaders joined the discussion. Kyle Sherman, founder of Denver-based cannabis software company Flowhub, wrote: "We are no shoes and no pants culture. Shorts are required though."

Andrew Hsu, co-founder of language-learning app Speak, said the company had "done this for years," even providing employees with a stipend for slippers. Speak’s no-shoes policy began in 2019 to honor the tradition in South Korea, its first market, a company spokesperson said.

Shoes left outside the door. Photo from Pexels

Some X users criticized the policy over potential odor concerns, while others viewed it as a workplace perk. Lang noted that Cursor also provides slippers for its San Francisco office, as well as shoe covers.

Shoeless offices have become part of the Silicon Valley techie uniform alongside hoodies, T-shirts, and jeans, often because company founders grew up in households where shoes were not worn indoors. Many startups also begin in homes, where shoes are typically removed. A 2023 CBS News/YouGov survey found that nearly two-thirds of Americans take off their shoes at home.

This cultural preference has at times led to workplace disagreements, as seen in 2015 when Facebook’s New York offices experienced what former employees described as a "clash of cultures" over the issue, according to CNBC. Sales staff hosting major clients complained on the company’s internal network about engineers walking barefoot into the cafeteria. One former contractor said the workplace felt like a "living room," while another called it "bizarre."

Sales and engineering staff exchanged hundreds of comments defending their sides, with the debate escalating over whether building the product or generating sales was more vital. However, Facebook ultimately made no changes to its shoe policy.