Vancouver Sun | March 30, 2011 | Mike Swift
AUSTIN, Texas – As Facebook evolves from insular Silicon Valley start-up to a global company with a necklace of offices around the planet, it is relying on a key tool to extend its unique culture – the Landing Team.
A year ago, Facebook had no one in Austin. Now, Austin is Facebook’s biggest U.S. office outside Palo Alto, Calif., with about 110 engineers and programmers – most hired locally. Recreating Facebook’s culture in Austin with a new set of hires was the job of six people, a meticulously screened group chosen from headquarters for their ability to be “culture carriers.”
“Maintaining culture is one of the top priorities we have as a company,” said Sarah Smith, a Stanford business school graduate who is head of online operations in Austin and led the Landing Team. “We’re trying to be really smart and learn about our growth. So we’re focused on building a few offices, but making sure they are really tied into the culture.”
The Landing Team is a key tool for Facebook, as the social network strives to extend its unique identity and values as it grows explosively and opens offices from Dublin, Ireland to Hyderabad, India. Like the Peace Corps, Landing Team members make a significant commitment, moving to a far-away city for a set period – one year, for the Austin group.
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