ANNOTATION
How Workplace Freedom Was Born – the Story of STRAND
For many years, Lubor led his company in a traditional hierarchical structure. Then came a turning point – he decided to remove managers and open the path to workplace freedom. It wasn’t a revolution, but a responsible evolution.
All key processes in the company remained unchanged; only four processes were redefined: onboarding, offboarding, conflict resolution, and change management.
The team went through a series of six workshops focused on freedom at work and created their own operational framework – defining company culture, legal foundations, and product development principles.
Today, STRAND operates without traditional management, guided by clear agreements, trust, and mutual respect.
In this case study, Lubor openly shares not only his motivation and approach, but also the obstacles and lessons learned along the way.
Lubor Semrád
Lubor studied Automated Control Systems at the University of Agriculture in Prague, graduating in 1989 – at a time when the world was still ruled by 8-bit computers and central planning.
In 1992, he founded STRAND, a family business focused on custom stainless steel processing.
After years of working in a traditional hierarchy, he made a bold move – removed all managerial layers and embraced the principles of freedom at work.
Today, he and his team are building a workplace culture based on trust, shared responsibility, and collective decision-making.
He enjoys sharing his journey with others and inspiring companies to explore new ways of working.