Sridhar Vembu on workplace culture: Why does initiative matter more than orders?

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has sparked a discussion on workplace culture by contrasting organisations where employees wait for instructions with those that encourage initiative.

He argues that metrics and hierarchy can provide predictability but may discourage independent thinking, while initiative-driven workplaces can be chaotic and argumentative yet foster experimentation and ownership.

For students and young professionals, Vembu’s observations highlight the importance of balancing structure with autonomy, accountability and the confidence to act independently.