Employee Handbook: Chapter 1

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引言：前几天，网上有流传出米哈游员工手册的高糊截图，因为对内容实在感兴趣，我就保存了下来。最近两天顶着接近马赛克的画质读完可读的部分，几乎泪流满面，对其中的内容深感触动。由于其中的文字内容实在过于模糊，以至于OCR都难以识别，于是决定将其中的内容手打转换为文本，打算长久保存用以激励自己。
Introduction: A few days ago, there were circulating low-quality screenshots of the miHoYo employee handbook online. Because I was interested in the content, I saved them. Over the past two days, despite the nearly mosaic-like image quality, I managed to read the readable parts and tears filled my eyes. I was deeply moved by the content. Since the text was extremely blurry, to the point where OCR (Optical Character Recognition) couldn't recognize it, I decided to manually transcribe the content into text, intending to save it for long-term inspiration.

## 00 The Correct Way to Use This Book

这本书不是你的入职指引（那个HR小姐姐会单独给你），它不会教你怎么配置工作电脑和系统、怎么使用各种项目软件。它告诉你的是miHoYo的价值观、原则、行为理念。告诉你在这里如何思考、如何决策、如何行动。打个比方，这书不是M4A1的使用说明书，却告诉了你，在战场上怎么活下来，该如何思考去获取胜利。
This book is not your onboarding guide (that will be provided separately by the HR staff), and it won't teach you how to set up your work computer and systems or how to use various project software. Instead, it tells you about miHoYo's values, principles, and behavioral philosophy. It informs you about how to think, how to make decisions, and how to take action here. Let's give an analogy: this book is not a user manual for an M4A1 rifle, but it tells you how to survive on the battlefield and how to think to achieve victory.

这本书不只是写给萌新的，它对miHoYo的每一个人都适用。它是我们共同的原则，帮助我们时刻回顾、反思自己在miHoYo的所作所为。当你觉得有什么不对的时候，不妨把它拿出来看看，是我们项目不对了，还是自己错了。当你觉得你的组长S (不) B (对)的时候，不妨把它拿出来看看，对照下是组长SB了，还是自己SB了。也许有一天miHoYo真的跑歪了，我们需要你拿出这本书，把它甩在那个"Boss" 面前，告诉他，给老子滚。打个比方，它相当于miHoYo的“宪法”。
This book is not only written for newcomers; it applies to every person at miHoYo. It is our shared principles that help us constantly review and reflect on our actions at miHoYo. When you feel that something is not right, you can take it out and see if it's the project that's wrong or if it's your own mistake. When you feel that your team leader is acting like an idiot (or not), you can take it out and compare whether it's the team leader who's being stupid or if it's you. Perhaps one day miHoYo really goes off track, and we need you to take out this book and slam it in front of that "Boss," telling him to screw off. Let's give an analogy: it's like miHoYo's "constitution."

所以，这么重要的东西，别弄丢了，记得没事的时候翻翻，它应该是永驻在你背包里，那个负重为零的特殊道具。
Therefore, such an important thing, don't lose it. Remember to flip through it when you have spare time. It should be a permanent resident in your backpack, a special item with zero weight.

## 01 miHoYo Is Heaven, And Perhaps Also Hell

miHoYo是一个有着独特文化、理念以及做事行为喜好倾向的地方。尽曾这么听起来显得很不“专业”。相信在很多其他公司入职后会有人告诉你，公司大了，要学着与那些你不喜欢的人也能合作。但在miHoYo我们会告诉你，我们是一群什么人，追求着什么，有哪些行为是受到欢迎的，哪些行为是坚决不能存在的。你觉得好，come and join us。你觉得不好，我们同样会很尊重你，只是这里可能不适合你。
miHoYo is a place with a unique culture, philosophy, and preferred ways of doing things. It may sound unprofessional to say so. In many other companies, you may be told that in a large company, you have to learn to work with people you don't like. But at miHoYo, we will tell you who we are, what we pursue, which behaviors are welcome, and which behaviors are absolutely unacceptable. If you think it's good, come and join us. If you think it's not good, we will still respect you, but this place may not be suitable for you.

### 1.1 We Have Never Been Just A Game Company

“miHoYo不是一家游戏公司。”
"miHoYo is not just a game company."

在你看到这一句话之前，或许已经不止一遍的听说过它。可能是面试官在回答问题的时候说到的，也可能是跟某个同学聊天时候讲到的，又或许是江湖上的传言（emmm.. 我最希望是这种形式2333），当然也可能这是你第一次看到它。
You may have heard this phrase more than once before you saw it here. It may have been mentioned by the interviewer while answering questions, or it may have come up in a conversation with a classmate, or it could be a rumor floating around (hmm... I prefer this form, hehe). Of course, it could also be the first time you're seeing it.

经常有人会问我，一家收入90%来自游戏的公司，为啥不是一家游戏公司？
People often ask me, why is a company that generates 90% of its revenue from games not considered a game company?

嗯，如果按照这个标准，倒是无话可说。因为同理，企鹅也是游戏公司，万代是个游戏+塑料小人公司，Facebook，Google，Baidu都是广告公司。
Well, if we go by that standard, there's nothing to argue about. By the same logic, Tencent is a game company, Bandai is a game and action figure company, and Facebook, Google, Baidu are all advertising companies.

为什么我们说自己不是一家游戏公司，即便大多数钱都是通过游戏赚来的呢？
So why do we say that we are not just a game company, even though most of our revenue comes from games?

简单来说，确实很多公司，特别是传统工农业企业，用户花钱买的就是它直接生产的东西。但是到了服务业和互联网领域。有些商业模式就变得微妙了起来。比如，某些互联网公司，大量用户都是免费试用其产品的，而其营收可能来自于广告商或者其他业务，这就不举例说明了。另一方面，在交易这一环节的背后，是什么动机，什么目的，让用户去使用或付费，则是个更加复杂的问题，所以，不能简单的因为我们的主要收入来自游戏。 就认定我们完全是一家卖游戏的公司。(昨不说我们是卖水晶的公司呢? )
Simply put, in many companies, especially traditional industrial and agricultural enterprises, customers pay for the products they directly produce. However, things become more subtle in the service industry and the internet field. For example, some Internet companies have a large number of users who try their products for free, and their revenue may come from advertisers or other businesses. Let's not go into examples. On the other hand, the motivation and purpose behind why users use or pay for a service are more complex questions. Therefore, we cannot simply classify ourselves as a company that sells games just because our main revenue comes from games. (Should we say we are a company that sells Crystals?)

更深入的原因，有如下三点：
The deeper reasons can be summarized as follows:

>
> 1. 我们要几十年经营下去的是IP，而不是一款游戏；
> What we want to sustain for decades is the IP, not just a game.
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> 2. 我们是一家科技公司、科技公司、科技公司(重要的话说三遍)；
> We are a technology company, a technology company, a technology company (important, said it three times).
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>
> 3. miHoYo从来不把 “游戏”当“游戏”看。
> miHoYo never sees "games" as "just games."
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逐一解释下。
Let's explain them one by one.

先说IP这件事。miHoYo创立的初心。是希望有一天，我们可以像Macross、EVA、The Matrix那样，创造出一个IP，在一代人的心中，留下永生不灭的回忆。就像当年 Macross初代教会了我什么是三角恋。EVA让我入了香党，而Matrix则成了我们公司为之奋斗的终极目标。在创立miHoYo之前，其实我也尝试过动画、漫画，但在那个时候，于环境和个人能力来说，并不足以实现。所以，当我们开始选择以游戏作为产品形态的时候起，我们在想的是如何把这件事情做到二十年五十年，甚至更久。单一的游戏产品会老，但IP可以很持久。
First, let's talk about the IP. The original intention behind miHoYo's establishment was to create an IP that would leave an eternal memory in the hearts of a generation, just like *Macross*, *Evangelion*, and *The Matrix* did. For example, *Macross* taught me about love triangles, *Evangelion* made me a fan of Anno's works, and *The Matrix* became the ultimate goal for our company's striving. Before founding miHoYo, I also attempted animation and comics, but at that time, considering the environment and personal abilities, it wasn't enough to achieve success. So when we started to choose games as our product format, we were thinking about how to make it last for twenty, fifty, or even longer. A single game will grow old, but an IP can endure.

再说为什么我们是一家科技公司，首先miHoYo这家公司的创始人，是三位交大计算机(CS)、电子工程(EE)的理工男，我们一直有着对科技的原生追求。其次，我们一直认为，每次文化与娱乐体验的重要升级，都依托在技术革命的基础上。同样，现在人类所掌握的科技还不足以实现我们最终的目标，所以，我们需要研发新的科技来实现。
Now let's talk about why we are a technology company. First of all, the founders of miHoYo are three science and engineering students from [Shanghai] Jiao Tong University, specializing in Computer Science (CS) and Electronic Engineering (EE). We have always had an innate pursuit of technology. Secondly, we believe that every significant upgrade in cultural and entertainment experiences is based on technological revolution. Similarly, the technology currently available to humanity is not enough to achieve our ultimate goals, so we need to develop new technologies to make them possible.

最后来说下此“游戏”与彼“游戏”的差异。游戏于miHoYo来讲意味什么?首先它是我们重要内容与IP的载体，我们的用户会通过游戏认识我们的角色。了解我们的故事与世界观，这些看似是影视与文学作品中实现的事情，我们的游戏也同样承载。其次，游戏作为游戏本身，必须要实现其好玩的价值。最后，游戏当然是我们重要的商业化手段，但深究付费的动机，我们希望更多的是出于对IP的认同，对角色的喜爱，而不仅仅是数值变强。
Finally, let's discuss the difference between "this game" and "that game." What does the game mean to miHoYo? Firstly, it is the carrier of our important content and IP. Through games, our users get to know our characters and understand our stories and worldview. These are things that seem to be realized in movies and literature, and our games also serve the same purpose. Secondly, as a game itself, it must deliver enjoyable value. Lastly, games are undoubtedly an important means of commercialization for us, but when it comes to understanding the motivation behind paying, we hope it is driven by a genuine appreciation for the IP and a love for the characters, rather than merely seeking numerical strength.

其实，解释这么多，并不是希望别人改变对我们的看法，只要我们自己认定这件事，并持续努力，总有一天，当他们再次看到我的产品的时候，会忍不住犹疑——
In fact, explaining all of this is not to make others change their perception of us. As long as we ourselves believe in this and continue to strive, there will come a day when they see my products again and can't help but hesitate—

这好像不只是一款游戏了吧？
Isn't this more than just a game?

### 1.2 This Is Not A Serious Company

我先罗列三个事实。
Let me list three facts.

>
> 问：哪家公司的老板是被怒艹次数最多的?
> Question: Which company's boss gets screwed the most?
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> 答：miHoYo的大伟哥。
> Answer: The boss of miHoYo, Brother Wei.
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> 问：哪家公司老板的办公室是最大的？
> Question: Which company has the largest office for its boss?
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> 答：miHoYo，因为一整层超过2000m²都是老板的办公室，我们跟200多位同学共享一个大平层，没有隔断，没有玻璃门。
> Answer: miHoYo. Because an entire floor of over 2000m² is the boss's office. We share a large open space with over 200 colleagues, with no partitions and no glass doors.
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>
> 问：我们公司的组织结构是啥样的？
> Question: What is the organizational structure of our company like?
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>
> 答：请看下面的图解。
> Answer: Please refer to the diagram below.
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啊，上面那个是草图，我正经来画一下。
Ah, the one above is a rough sketch. Let me draw it properly.

这就是我们中二的组织结构图
This is our "edgy" organizational structure diagram.

为什么我们是扁平的、自组织的网状结构?又有什么在支撑着这种形式?这就是我现在要解释的事情。
Why are we a flat, self-organizing, network-like structure? And what supports this form? That's what I'm going to explain now.

树状组织结构是我们常见的大公司的形态，也是一种执行效率蛮高的组织形态。除了大公司，军队等各种常见机构都可以看到清晰的树状组织结构图。在这种结构下，每一个叶子节点只需关注及做好局部的事情即可，如果碰到决策问题，则会层层向上汇报。有些问题直到最终根节点才会被解决，然后再层层传递下去，被层层执行。
A hierarchical organizational structure is a common form we see in large companies. It is also an efficient organizational form. Besides large companies, clear hierarchical organizational structure diagrams can be seen in various common institutions such as the military. In this structure, each leaf node only needs to focus on and do well in its own area. If there is a decision-making problem, it will be reported up the hierarchy. Some problems are only resolved at the final root node and then cascaded down for implementation.

我们的组织结构，有书上把它称作网状结构，但不同于一般的去中心化网状结构，我们是有局部中心的网状结构。一种我比较喜欢的叫法是: Team of Teams,如字面意思所言，这样一个大的组织，是由几个到十几个相对独立的Teams组成的，每个Team有一个局部中心。在沟通与决策过程中，每个局部中心会解决自己的局部问题，当涉及到其他部分的时候，这些局部中心可以主动与其它局部中心建立沟通，协同决策。在保证信息足够全局同步的基础上，大多数问题都可以在局部中心，或者几个局部中心的协同下决策解决。
Our organizational structure, which is often referred to as a network-like structure in books, is different from the typical decentralized network structure. We have a network-like structure with local centers. One term I like is "Team of Teams." As the literal meaning suggests, such a large organization is composed of several to a dozen relatively independent teams, each with a local center. In the process of communication and decision-making, each local center solves its own local issues. When it comes to other parts, these local centers can proactively communicate and make decisions in collaboration. With sufficient global information synchronization, most problems can be solved through the collaboration of local centers or a few local centers.

这样的组织要运作良好其实对Team的核心节点有着更高的要求。
Such an organization actually places higher demands on the core nodes of each team.

>
> 1. 每一个Team的局部中心（可能是2～3个人）。需要有全局的信息、全局的认知，在信息缺乏的时候主动获取其它Team的信息；
> Each local center of a team (which may consist of 2-3 people) needs to have a global understanding and awareness, actively acquiring information from other teams when information is lacking;
>
>
> 2. 每一个Team的思考与决策，需要严格基于信息与逻辑；
> The thinking and decision-making of each team need to be strictly based on information and logic;
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> 3. 每一个Team都需要在必要时主动与其它Team进行沟通，协同决策。
> Each team needs to communicate and make decisions in collaboration with other teams when necessary.
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当然，除了Team的局部中心外，任何问题，任何一个人都可以在组织或者跨越Team之间，直接与其他人进行沟通，建立联系。
Of course, besides the local centers of teams, anyone can directly communicate and establish connections with others within or across teams in the organization for any issue.

那么，为什么我们会选择这样一种组织方式?或者说，这不是种选择，而是公司发展过程中的自然进化方向。
So, why did we choose this organizational approach? Or rather, it's not a choice but a natural evolution in the company's development process.

相比树状结构，Team of Teams，越靠近一线的节点，越具有决策力，就是很多的决策，是来自于一线制作者，而不是高高在上的管理层。
Compared to a hierarchical structure, in a Team of Teams approach, the closer a node is to the front line, the more decision-making power it has. Many decisions come from the frontline creators, not from the top management.

这正是我们最在意的一点，大家都知道我们在做的，是希望年轻人喜欢的创意产品。我们相信，最接近用户的人，在一线制作产品的人，是最清楚什么才是美的，什么才是大家喜欢的，因为这也是我们自己所喜欢的。在miHoYo,每一个人都是创作者，每个人都在创作用户喜欢。我们也喜欢的东西，都在尝试在自己最懂的专业领域去突破，做出别人做不出的东西。所以。最懂的人，才是应该拍板的那个人。当然，Team of Teams也有它的缺点。我们在这种组织里需要更高的沟通成本，更高的节点能力，而就单纯执行这件事情来讲，或许并不如树状结构高效。但是，敏捷>效率，这就是我们的选择。
This is exactly what we care about the most. Everyone knows that what we are doing is creating innovative products that young people will love. We believe that the people closest to the users, the ones creating products on the front line, know best what is beautiful and what people will love because it's what we love ourselves. At miHoYo, everyone is a creator, and everyone is creating something that users will love. We also try to break through and create things in our own areas of expertise that others can't. So, the people who understand the most should be the ones making the final decisions. Of course, Team of Teams has its drawbacks too. In this organization, we need higher communication costs and node capabilities, and purely in terms of execution, it may not be as efficient as a hierarchical structure. But agility is more important than efficiency, and that's our choice.

扁平，不意味着我们是一棵比较宽大的树，每层叶子节点比较多，不是这样。扁平，意味着这是一个每个节点可以自主决策、自主进化的组织。Team本身也是在演化、变化的。
Flat doesn't mean we are a large tree with many branches on each level. It's not like that. Flat means that every node can make independent decisions and evolve autonomously. Teams themselves are also evolving and changing.

当然，扁平还意味着，我们认为在miHoYo，人人平等，我们尊重每一个同学。
Of course, flat also means that at miHoYo, we believe in equality, and we respect every colleague.