Zillow

Fun.

Beyond the team "morale" activities, sponsored ski days, ping pong, Guitar Hero, and other activities, the people at Zillow are friendly and warm. Laughter is a sound heard almost daily. People enjoy working at Zillow.

Honest, approachable leadership. The executive team is absolutely forthright about their decisions (and mistakes), the status of the company, and the direction moving forward. Furthermore, these honchos are down-to-earth and easy to talk with. For example, the CEO sits on the floor during all-hands meetings and has even been known to kowtow in thanks for hard work. The company feels like one big team.

Hard economic times have especially affected start-ups like Zillow. Layoffs, the struggles to make a profit in a down market, and the relentless pace of under-staffed development slowly sap the energy of a small company.

Because the company is still young, there are limited resources for salary increases or other incentives. Stock options can only entice so much effort.

Keep up the good work, but try not to do too much with too few resources. If you're not willing to employ more people, don't stretch the current employees too thin. That will exhaust creativity and ultimately suffocate the amazing culture at the company.