Gusto's new office in SF has a no-shoes policy

There might also be other safety issues: if there's an emergency and the building is being evacuated, I want to have my shoes on my feet (or at least under my desk), not on the other side of the building.

Also, some people might need to wear shoes for medical reasons (e.g., they may need orthotics to be able to walk without pain).

> “We want our office to feel like a home, to be comfortable and authentic,” said Josh Reeves, CEO and co-founder of Gusto, which helps small businesses manage payrolls, benefits and human resources. “We started Gusto in a house in Palo Alto and had a no-shoe policy there, and we all grew up in shoeless houses.”

In my own home, I'm free to wear or not wear shoes as I wish. If I'm being forced by management to conform to what their home is like, that doesn't feel like home to me.

If the founders grew up in homes where their families didn't eat meat or prayed three times a day, could they impose that on their employees too?

I'm the co-founder and CTO at Gusto.

Yes, slippers in the bathroom are certainly needed! Every employee at Gusto has an annual "slipper stipend" for use on buying slippers to wear around the office and in the bathrooms. We also provide disposable slippers for everyone (and guests).