The CEO of a $1 billion company explains why he makes everyone who walks into the office take their shoes off

If you land a job at Gusto, a $1 billion company that provides payroll, benefits, and workers' comp insurance to small businesses in the US, you may want to get a pedicure before your first day — or at least invest in a few new pairs of nice socks.

Joshua Reeves, the cofounder and CEO of Gusto, recently told Adam Bryant of The New York Times that he's implemented a no-shoe policy at work.

"We started the company in a house in Palo Alto, and because I was raised with shoes off in the home, that house was a shoes-off home, too," Reeves explained. "When we moved to a proper office in San Francisco, people said, 'Let's keep this.'"

Now Gusto in two locations — San Francisco and Denver — and they have huge shoe racks at the entrance of both offices. "We have socks and slippers and spa sandals for people who come in as guests," he told Bryant.

"Companies can be sterile and cold," Reeves added. "We want our workplace to be really comfortable. In some ways, people feel more like themselves when their shoes are off."

And his employees agree. "Taking off my shoes makes me feel like I'm at home," a Gusto employee tells Business Insider. "It creates more of a family dynamic, which helps us do collaborative work as a team everyday."

Read the full New York Times interview here.

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