Product ObsessionPositive
Everyone, down to the deepest backend engineers, is expected to care deeply about the user experience and have strong product taste.
Notion Company Culture
Productivity SoftwareAn AI-first productivity platform with an uncompromising focus on craftsmanship, design, and empowering users to shape their own software tools.
Be an owner of the missionBe a pace setterBe a truth seekerBe kind and directTend the garden
Culture Index
75/100
Strong, distinctive culture identity
The Studio
Leadership
IZ
Ivan Zhao
CEO
Notion is a productivity software company with 1,000+ employees headquartered in San Francisco, CA, founded in 2013. Romantic craftsmanship meets comfortably fast intensity.
Notion Culture Dimensions
Innovation
85
Process-drivenBoundary-pushing
Notion leans toward boundary-pushing with a score of 85/100.
Hierarchy
35
Flat & fluidStructured & clear
Notion leans toward flat & fluid with a score of 35/100.
Collaboration
80
IndependentTeam-oriented
Notion leans toward team-oriented with a score of 80/100.
Work-Life Balance
40
Always-on hustleStrong boundaries
Notion takes a balanced approach to work-life balance with a score of 40/100.
Mission
95
Profit-firstPurpose-driven
Notion leans toward purpose-driven with a score of 95/100.
Growth
90
Stable & steadyHypergrowth
Notion leans toward hypergrowth with a score of 90/100.
What It's Like to Work Here
You'll find a highly intentional, almost romantic atmosphere that treats software development as an artisan craft. Leadership openly states they are searching for a specific 'taste' rather than raw intelligence, cultivating an environment where 'eudaemonia'—finding deep fulfillment through hard work—is a core expectation. From taking off your shoes to walk on heated floors in the San Francisco office to dedicating 45 minutes to hear the 'Life Story' of every new hire, the culture balances intense product obsession with high-EQ empathy. However, the expectations are unyielding. You are expected to 'tend the garden' by constantly fixing small UX issues and pulling weeds, regardless of your job title. While the baseline pace is described as comfortably fast, the unrelenting drive to scale AI capabilities means you will likely encounter intense sprints that can stretch personal boundaries. This is unequivocally not a remote-friendly company; you will be in the office at least three days a week, collaborating face-to-face and prioritizing a 'demos over memos' rhythm.
Notion Culture Highlights
- Strict hybrid rhythm requiring employees in the office three days a week, anchored on Mondays and Thursdays.
- A mandatory 'Life Stories' ritual where every employee shares their personal background to build empathy.
- A 'tend the garden' philosophy where all roles are expected to fix small UX bugs and polish the product.
- Annual 'Craft & Values Week' treated as a music festival for the mind to reinforce the company's operating values.
Notion Leadership
IZ
Ivan Zhao
CEO
Exercises strong founder control, values taste over raw intelligence, and hides a grand toolmaking vision behind a simple interface.
AK
Akshay Kothari
COO
Demonstrated extreme humility and customer obsession by answering support tickets personally during his first six months.
SL
Simon Last
Co-founder & AI Lead
Drives rapid iteration using small tiger teams to build and democratize cutting-edge AI features across the organization.
How to work the culture
Do
- Treat every detail of the product as a reflection of your craft
- Prioritize tangible demos and rapid iteration over lengthy strategic memos
- Take time to learn the deep personal backgrounds of your teammates
Don't
- Expect a fully remote or asynchronous work environment
- Push a half-baked feature just to meet a deadline if it lacks the 'Notion feel'
- Rely solely on conventional Leetcode-style thinking without demonstrating design perspective
04
Fit & playbook
Who does well here, who doesn't, and how to actually navigate Notion once you're in.
Thrives
You'll do well if
- Product-minded engineers who obsess over UX edge cases
- High-agency builders who value aesthetics and tangible output over raw algorithmic speed
- People who enjoy in-person collaboration and high-EQ team dynamics
Struggles
You might struggle if
- Remote workers or those desiring flexible work-from-anywhere policies
- Strict backend-only engineers who do not want to engage in product thinking
- Individuals who prefer purely top-down directives without having to exercise 'taste'
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Discover your culture fitWhat People Say About Notion's Culture
Synthesized from public sources · open to employees who claim their company
From the research
4 themesWork-Life BalanceMixed
The baseline pace is comfortably fast, but the pressure of high-growth product pushes and 'eudaemonia' expectations can tip into burnout.
Office CultureMixed
We are strictly an in-person culture with a high hiring bar—it's great for connection, but don't apply if you want remote flexibility.
Decision MakingMixed
Management is incredibly transparent, but rapid scaling means some processes are undefined or slowed down by the need for consensus.
Community
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