Gurugram-based used-car platform Cars24 has announced a radical restructuring, removing all job titles, grades, and organizational bands for its entire workforce. In one of the most significant changes in the company's history, every employee will now be known by a single designation: "Builder." This shift is part of a new operating philosophy named "Flatland," designed to prepare the organization for the artificial intelligence era.
The company stated that this change seeks to move authority away from formal rank and towards individual ownership, execution, and customer impact. Cars24 believes that businesses in the age of AI will require fundamental rethinking of their organizational structures rather than merely integrating AI into existing models.
Cars24 co-founder Vikram Chopra commented on the move, acknowledging hierarchy as a historical invention that aided organizations when information was scarce. "AI fundamentally changes that equation. Today, intelligence and context are increasingly available to everyone. The role of an organisation is no longer to move decisions up and down layers. It’s to help exceptional people solve exceptional problems together. Flatland is our attempt to build an organisation for that reality," Chopra explained.
Under the new structure, employees' contributions will be identified by the problems they solve and the outcomes they deliver, rather than by a formal organizational rank. Leadership, according to Cars24, will be based on judgment and execution, ensuring that ideas are evaluated on their merit, irrespective of whether they originate from a founder or a new recruit.
The company has also overhauled its human resources systems, eliminating hierarchy-based distinctions in benefits, travel policies, reimbursements, and IT asset allocation. New hires will no longer be assigned grades or levels upon joining. The transition has been implemented in phases over several months, beginning with senior leadership before extending across the entire organization.
Chopra emphasized that accountability, performance expectations, and decision-making responsibilities remain clearly defined. He clarified that the basis of authority is simply shifting from position to ownership. "We don’t believe removing titles automatically creates a great culture," Chopra stated. "Culture comes from behaviour. Flatland simply removes the shortcuts that let people mistake position for contribution. We want the person closest to the problem to feel empowered to solve it regardless of where they joined or how long they’ve been here."