Emanuel Steiner, Co-founder of FELFEL, cultivates a workplace where employees feel valued, empowered, and ready to shine. From surprise events to free lunch, FELFEL fosters a tight-knit community and fuels success with a supportive culture.

What are the essential ingredients for creating a workplace where employees are empowered and motivated to contribute? The best cultures emerge when people come to work not just for their boss, the work, or the product, but because they value their colleagues. Therefore, we prioritize providing a setting where people can enjoy their time together and foster a sense of community in the office.

Why is company culture such a valuable investment? When we practice hospitality towards our employees by making them feel individually appreciated, they extend this treatment to our corporate clients. Our clients, in turn, like to treat their teams well. Our hospitality and generosity is a defining part of our company culture - and it’s a key factor for our relationships with our clients.

What specific strategies do you use to build that community? We always make sure to celebrate our staff.

What we've done since our founding is host one huge annual event. We dedicate a long weekend to taking everyone to a surprise location, revealed only upon arrival. During this weekend, we celebrate the values we hold dear and use the opportunity to instill those values in the team. Simultaneously, it's also a gesture of appreciation where we focus not on work-related tasks, but on enjoying and celebrating what we've accomplished. It's not a professional workshop; it's just about celebrating our employees.

How do you balance creating this supportive work environment with being so driven to achieve success? I don't think they're actually opposed. When people are in the right setting, with the right colleagues, everything falls into place. We hire people who are hospitality-driven.

Whether they work with our corporate clients to ensure their satisfaction, cater to diners to ensure they have a great experience, or develop technology for our customers, they're all about hospitality, customizing the experience for our employees and clients, and making it frustration-free.

I think that's just inherent in their personalities; they don't always need numbers to drive what they do.

Why do you believe so strongly in giving your team lunch everyday? 10 years ago was because I was frustrated with the lack of food options in the office. When we all ended up getting something different for lunch, it created a poor experience. I find that one of the best ways to get people to spend time together in the office is to provide them with great food to enjoy. Offering a variety of food options allows people with different tastes and preferences to eat together. Otherwise, people run in different directions or have to order from various places. Bonding over good food is such a significant part of our culture.