Banking 12,000+ Employees
Handelsbanken
Swedish bank with decentralized structure and democratic operations, consistently outperforming industry averages for decades.
45+ years of above-average returns
Organization Overview
Handelsbanken is a Swedish bank that has operated on radically decentralized principles since the 1970s. Each branch operates as an independent profit center, with branch managers having full authority over lending, staffing, and customer relationships - a model that has delivered consistent outperformance.
Decentralization Principles
How this organization implements self-organization
1
Branch managers have full lending authority
2
No central sales targets or budgets
3
Local branches control their own staffing and operations
4
Customer relationships managed entirely at branch level
Organizational Specialties
What makes this organization unique
- No bonuses for individuals - only collective profit sharing
- Branches compete on customer satisfaction, not sales
- Minimal head office with support function only
- Long-term customer relationships over transaction volume