Developing ourselves

Understanding what people need to thrive at work is key to employee development at Etsy. We apply research from diverse fields to inform best practices across the organisation.

Learning and development

Our Learning and Development team merges innovative learning formats with evidence-based leadership practices. Applying research from organisational psychology, sociology and adult learning theory — in addition to a deep knowledge of Etsy’s values and culture — the L&D team facilitates trainings, programmes, retreats and coaching, and offers online resources on everything from how to invigorate a sluggish meeting to how to give difficult feedback.

Reimagining feedback

We’re building a culture of continuous self-development, where employees have the ability to give and receive feedback that’s timely, useful and actionable. To get there, we had to take a step back from traditional feedback models — including the system we’d used for years.

In 2015 we launched Sonar, an innovative programme that facilitates year-round, 360-degree feedback collection, delivers rich information to employees, and enables them to own their development in partnership with their managers. It takes less time than more traditional performance reviews and is designed to elicit comments that are fair and actionable.