There is a lot that is different: An idea can go from concept to creation practically overnight. Red solo cups are more common than red tape. Failure is seen as a bit more inevitable. The ping pong tables and the Kegerator purring quietly in the corner make work at a tech startup look different, too.

However, when you strip away those symbols, what’s left are rows and rows of people typing away at computers, looking pretty much like any company in America. Every company, even the massive companies that are now known for having horrible cultures, began as startups with cultures that were often positive and passionate. As new companies are being launched, we have an opportunity to shift that trajectory, but while we’re building better products, we’re doing very little to build better companies.

In the last two years, I have watched successful startups begin to crack at the seams when resentment and frustration build. For instance, when a new company grew from a team of six people to a team of 90 in less than a year, it appeared that the founders had never bothered to think through things like organizational culture or vacation policies.

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Tags: ping pong tables, startups