It has 110,000 employees and over 400 locations around the world. HP is known for its relaxed, open culture. All employees, including the CEO, work in open cubicles. Many employees are technically-oriented engineers who enjoy learning and sharing their knowledge. The company is perceived as being somewhat benevolent to its employees, and fast growth has obviated the need for major layoffs.
All employees participate in a profit sharing program.
The company is also known for its decentralized organizational structure and mode of operations. Business units that perform well have a very high degree of autonomy. There is little organized sharing of information, resources, or employees across units. HP managers feel that the strong business-specific focus brought by decentralization is a key factor in the firm's recent success. In mid-1995 it became apparent that several knowledge management initiatives were underway in various HP business units.