Echo CCIF · December 2025

Holacracy: structuring what exists to transform the organisation

In the economic context of the canton of Fribourg, marked by a growing number of innovative start-ups and a dynamic network of SMEs, holacracy can provide a structuring framework to support growth without making processes more cumbersome. This self-management system, adopted in particular by the more than 200 employees of the Fribourg-based IT company Liip, makes the organisation more explicit and adaptable. Holacracy enables companies to better meet the challenges of flexibility and empowerment: a particularly relevant consideration for those seeking to combine agility and clarity in their governance.

One of the fundamental principles of holacracy is structural transparency. The method invites you to map the organisation as it is: roles, responsibilities, processes, interactions. This initial analysis establishes a clear framework. The aim is to create a living, evolving foundation on which teams can work iteratively. By making tensions and needs visible, holacracy makes it easier to continuously adjust roles and structures to the reality on the ground. In other words, it makes it possible to evolve and adapt to external changes, which is all the more important in fields such as digital technology.

While holacracy structures operations and governance, it does not cover every aspect of company life. The individual (attitude, personal development) and relational dimensions (culture, communication, conflict management) must evolve in parallel. The absence of a formal hierarchy means that every employee needs to develop strong interpersonal skills. To succeed in a transformation towards self-management, it is therefore essential to adopt a holistic approach that integrates human dynamics as much as processes.

Source Liip – article written with the assistance of Copilot.Read the original article on Liip's blog

Photo caption: Presentation by Jonas Vonlanthen of the Liip agency – Fri Up Start-up Lunch