Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products,[6] and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program.[3][7] The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, often dubbed the "Google Guys",[8][9][10] while the two were attending Stanford University as Ph.D. candidates. It was first incorporated as a privately held company on September 4, 1998, and its initial public offering followed on August 19, 2004. The company's stated mission from the outset was "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful",[11] and the company's unofficial slogan – coined by Google engineer Paul Buchheit – is "Don't be evil".[12][13] In 2006, the company moved to their current headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Google runs over one million servers in data centers around the world,[14] and processes over one billion search requests[15] and about twenty-four petabytes of user-generated data every day.[16][17][18][19] Google's rapid growth since its incorporation has triggered a chain of products, acquisitions, and partnerships beyond the company's core web search engine. The company offers online productivity software, such as its Gmail email software, and social networking tools, including Orkut and, more recently, Google Buzz. Google's products extend to the desktop as well, with applications such as the web browser Google Chrome, the Picasa photo organization and editing software, and the Google Talk instant messaging application. Notably, Google leads the development of the Android mobile phone operating system, used on a number of phones such as the Nexus One and Motorola Droid. Alexa lists the main U.S.-focused google.com site as the Internet's most visited website, and numerous international Google sites (google.co.in, google.co.uk etc.) are in the top hundred, as are several other Google-owned sites such as YouTube, Blogger, and Orkut.[20] Google is also BrandZ's most powerful brand in the world



Making Google Better
Small Teams enhancing speed and creativity

Every Googlers idea is considered for betterment of company.

Provides resources to turn great ideas into reality.

Flexible working environment with perks (car wash, onsite doctors, dry-cleaning, massages )

80-20 work-fun time at office.


Top 10 Reasons to Work at Google
Lend a helping hand.
Life is beautiful.
Appreciation is the best motivation
Work and play are not mutually exclusive
Love employees, and want them to know it.
Innovation is the bloodline
Good company everywhere you look. (from neurosurgeons, CEOs, and U.S. puzzle champions to alligator wrestlers and Marines)
Uniting the world, one user at a time
Boldly go where no one has gone before.
There is such a thing as a free lunch after all.


The Google Culture
Employee Resource Groups.
Free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination.
Hiring :- favours ability over experience.
Workspace includes
Piano, lava lamps
Assorted video games, Foosball, baby grand piano, ping pong.
Google Café


Introduction

Managing human resources effectively has become vital to organizations within the modern and fast‐paced business environment, more so as the economy the world over converge into a synapse of globally connected and interdependent sectors aimed at preserving and creating knowledge1 rather than products and services alone. The novelty in the market today demands innovation2 and trust3 more than mere comparative analysis of sales and market share, and the hierarchy of the centre and periphery model is evolving into a different paradigm.

Human Resources specialists are more important in business strategies today for this very change in market dynamics – more so in the present economic situation of a global recession and downturn across industries and sectors. The focus has turned on HR Department at every organization – the survival lines are running drier with every passing week at the trading markets the world over, and the aim is not only to see through the recession, but more importantly4, to ensure employees are still committed to the organization. HR development acts as the mentor5 to its employees – guiding, training and educating them in the way of the industry and the organization. Well trained and competent employees, who are able to showcase themselves and their organization to the customers in a more effective manner, help in increasing customer satisfaction and overall clientele, by adding credibility and reputation to the business. Effective HR planning and development practices6 bring quality and loyal workers who are committed and passionate about the success of their organization.
Google Inc., the 9 year old technology service provider based in Mountain View, California, was voted7 the number one
Best Company to Work for in America for the second year in a row by its employees. It is the biggest8 brand name in the

world today – a brand that is built upon a culture that is high on trust, low on politics, great at sharing resources and sharing the wealth, and full of meaning and significance. However, besides the usual and much publicized remuneration package and plush offices, deeper and more thoughtful set of factors have been identified and acknowledged by consulting firms and employees alike on why it is such an attractive organization to work for.


As an organization, Google and its employees take pride in being regarded as geeks. In fact, one of the banners that
greets you as you enter Google’s Toronto Officei reads “proud to be geeks”. How this very philosophy dictates their
business strategy can be understood from the fact that Larry Page once remarked that Google was comprised of people
with ‘frighteningly’ single‐minded focus. Google offices are seen not as locations where people go to work, but rather as
dream‐houses for these geeks to retire to when they want to create something innovative and state of the art.
“Four years ago, the average search took about 3 seconds. Today, it is down to about 0.2 seconds. And since 0.2 is
greater than zero, it’s not fast enough”. A small statement from Peter Norvig, an engineer at Google, tells the tale of the
work culture and employee commitment at Google – the employees don’t need the next deadline or next project
proposal to work on creating something, but rather an intrinsic9 challenge – a challenge that could be driven by self
benchmarks, or by peer influence, or simply, the quest for solving something. As a company, Google completely
understands that such is the nature of devoted and committed geeks – and provides everything that is possible to keep
these geeks motivated to work on novel and creative pursuits.

explanation, as Larry Page puts it in his official blog, comes from the intrinsic Google’s vision – Google wants its
employees to be as committed to technology solutions and services as the founders themselves were when they were
busy conceptualizing this very vision in the dormitories at Stanford University during their college days. From providing
everything that the employees need for them to focus on creativity and innovation, to helping these employees have the
right information and the right resources for their work, Google has always focussed on the human capital creation and
retention since becoming operational in September 1998. The business strategy for Google is tightly coupled and
strongly reflected in their company’s vision statement, now known as ‘The Ten Things’10 because of the way Google was
able to envisage, and more importantly, deliver, this vision.
This philosophy11 at Google has served as the operating guidelines for the Human Resource Department there in a very
broad and yet amicable manner. It is clear from this philosophy that Google, when formed, was aimed at creating
innovative and unique solutions which would uphold the brand equity and reputation of the company not by who its
employees were, and how did they dress and behave, but rather from whether the product they launched in the market
could deliver what it promised or not.
As a company, Google was founded and has succeeded on the shoulders of its innovative products and clutter‐free
presentation. The strategy has been to provide the user a completely precise and to‐the‐point customer experience –
and to accept12 short term losses over long term goals. The fact that Google’s home page always consists of exactly 37
wordsiii proves the point.
The informal structure of work setting, the focus on creativity across diverse areas of internet technology, and the
performance delivery promise that Google incorporates in its vision is testified by the success13 of its first IPO last year.
However, the innovative and novel management techniques, the unique demographics of workforce, and the marvel of
web services that Google launches every now and then are not as distinguishable and clear to external observers, more
so from a non‐technology background. The rigorous accountability, the relentless attention to detail, and the cuttingedge
ideas are not the secretive components of its success14 anymore. However, the way the HR functions and policies
have aligned themselves with the business model and vision makes Google

HR as a Strategic Partner for Business
HR department at any organization has a unique challenge – it has to ensure that the employees are motivated and
committed to the organization with complete integrity and honesty. However, at the same time, the HR department has
to ensure that the market dynamics are not adversely affected by the sheer volumes of investment involved in the
process. In some ways, HR department should act as a service provideriv for the employees, and treat employees as its

The business model and strategy of not merely trying, but actually delivering the best solution has been a benchmark of
the work culture at Google. The workplaces and office locations all over the world are built over sprawling spaces which
provide the employees not only with every possible space for creativity and innovation, but also ensures that the
employees’ ideas are duly and uncompromisingly studied, worked on, and acknowledged.
Recruitment and Selection
Recruitment at Google is the first and foremost step in the overall HR processes. With the reputation and promise that
Google holds for thousands of technology professionals who want to make Google their second home, more than 1300
Resumes are received each day by Google. Hiring the right people is a key HR philosophy at Google – the median age of
employees at Google is 27 years, making it the youngest workforce across the industry. However, the retention rate, and
the turnover data at Google proves that the organization has been successfully16 able to attract, retain, and motivate the
most difficult crop of employees – the Y generation cyber‐generation professionals who are prone to changing their
affiliations quicker than they change their clothes.
Google hosts many external events throughout the year which reflect a combination of their excellent recruiting
practices and their awareness of the internal culture they want to maintain. They are explicitly seeking to attract the
kinds of people to the company who will be successful in their open, collaborative culture.
Training and Development
Google employees are offered tremendous opportunities to learn and grow. Professional development opportunities
offered to all employees include classes on individual and team presentation skills, content development, business
writing, executive speaking, delivering feedback, and management/leadership. Free foreign language lessons, including
French, Spanish, Japanese, and Mandarin are also sponsored by Google. Given the prominence of engineers at Google,
particular attention is paid to providing unique development opportunities for this group.
An Engineering training group, engEDU, provides orientation and training classes, mentoring, career development, and
tutorial services – all programs built by and for engineers. Google has also expanded its global learning and development
team during the last year and is creating new leadership development programs to help develop and support Google’s
future leaders. In a survey, 92% of employees indicated that they are provided T&D to further them professionally, and
97%17 indicate that they are given the resources and equipment to do their job.
It is mandatory for all employees to undergo T&D sessions for a minimum of 120 hours/year, which is about three times
the industry average in North America of 43 hours/year. This shows the amount of effort, time and money that Google
invests in its employees to keep them abreast of the professional and technological advancements.

Innovation and Creativity
There is a strong culture of innovation and experimentation at Google with engineers encouragedv to take 20% of their
time to develop new product or service offerings, or to provide enhancements to current offerings. Innovation from
inside the firm is the norm for most engineering based software development companies. What is unique at Google is
the support provided by the company, the collaboration among engineers working on each others’ projects, and the
final set of results that Google is able to achieve with the creativity and expertise of its engineers.
Social Good
Google has the informal corporate motto “Don’t be Evil”, which reminds its employees that commitment to be ethical is
part and parcel of being a leader at Google. 99% of the employees indicate18 that, “Management is honest and ethical in
its business practices”. The standards of conduct that Google employees adhere to concern internal business practices
(respecting each other, protecting confidentiality, protecting Google‘s assets, etc), external relations with customers and
partners, and the impact on of Google's work on the larger society19.
Compensation Structure
Google stands out as being one of the most sought after and yet one of the most underpaying20 employers in the
industry. However, the HR strategy fits perfectly with the business model and vision at Google – wherein employees are
attracted not to the short term monetary returns from work, but rather to the support system that could help them
create anything. So the work hives at Google have day care and elder care centres, have spa and hair salons, car wash
and oil check facilities, and virtually everything that a technology‐obsessed geek would like to worry least about, in form
of an all inclusive liberal benefits package, but the actual take‐out cash component is negligible. The innovative Stock
Option system at Google ensures that all employees get compensated21 competitively thanks to the remarkable equity
growth of the company.
So strong is the work culture and employee committed bent upon technology solutions rather than tangible
compensation that Google became the first company where the Board of Directors requested for a reduction22 in their
salaries and compensation because they felt they were getting paid more money than they needed. All the employees
agreed on the sentiment, and in 2005‐06, the employees formally demanded a wage cut themselves. During the same
period, the turnover23 was 1.43%.

Best Practice Examples
Creating a great workplace requires more than a specific set of programs and practices ‐ there is no one set of perks and
benefits that work for all. Best Companies develop their own unique cultures in their own ways, with the common
feature being that employees are able to say "I trust the people I work for, have pride in what I do, and enjoy the people I
work with."
 Google institutes quarterly company‐wide strategy sessions with senior executives and separate sessions to
assess the company’s performance during the previous quarter. These gatherings are intended both to celebrate
the organization’s achievements over the course of the quarter and to introduce objectives for the new quarter.
Opportunities are provided at these sessions for employees to ask questions of senior leadership about the
company’s strategic direction and performance. Functional teams supplementvi this all‐hands session with their
own department‐specific meetings led by senior members.
 Google realizes that not everyone feels comfortable speaking up in a public forum. That’s why they conduct a
series of regular surveys to solicit input directly from employees on a range of topics. The annual Job Satisfaction
Survey, the Engineering Team survey, the Sales Team Survey and numerous others gather data from employees
anonymously. They then draw on those findings to improve and shape their various programs. They publish the
high level results for all employees to read on their internal website, and managers are expected to discuss
results with their teams.
 Google has an in‐house blogging tool that allows employees to start their own blogs. Employees can use these
blogs to communicate personal stories, to provide work updates, or to share notes. These blogs can only be
accessed internally, and these online forums are yet another way that Google encourages cross‐functional
interaction across all levels of the organization.
 TGIFs are an informal company‐wide weekly get together which include a preview of the week to come, a recap
of the week’s big events, and a question and answer session. While every week is a little different, the highlight
of TGIF is always the Question and Answer section; no question is off‐limits. Their team webcasts TGIFs to
Google offices around the globe and archives them for those whose time zones or schedules prevent them from
attending the meeting in person. Some of Google field offices have taken to hosting their own TGIFs, with senior
leaders joining when possible either in person or via video‐conference. They encourage all Google employees,
regardless of location, to submit questions for TGIF through email if they can’t (or opt not to) ask the question in
person. Other employees votevii on these questions so that the most relevant work their way to the top of the
queue.
 In addition to more formal venues, Google’s philosophy is reflected in their “whiteboard” culture. Employees
start or add to whiteboard discussions on topics ranging from future Google products to life at Google. You’ll
find these oversize whiteboardsviii all over Google.
 Employees drive Google’s product development process. They first release new products and features
internallyix across the company, allowing employees to explore the product and provide feedback to the
engineers and managers who developed it.
Google wants employees to maintain the best possible work/life balance, so they offer flexible work hours, parttime
work options, and telecommuting if the specific job allows. A generous vacation policy is provided and a
vacation donation program is also used to provide an opportunity for employees to help out their fellow coworkers
during a time of need. The program allows employees to voluntarily donate a portion of their accrued
vacation hours to another eligible employee in case of an emergency.
 While they maintain more specialized learning programs in virtually every department, the Engineering group
has taken the idea of continuous learning to new heightsx. The Engineering training group, or engEDU, aims to
provide Google Engineers with compelling educational opportunities throughout their lives at Google, including
everything from orientation classes to mentoring to career development.
 In 2007, Google kicked off their “Candidates@Google” speaker series, inviting 2008 Presidential candidates to
stop by headquarters to speak with their employees. In addition to these political luminaries, Google hosts
regular Tech Talks where speakers both internal and external present their insights on timely topics. Google's
engineering tech talk program is a vital part of their engineering knowledge transfer efforts, and typifies
Google’s culture, which encourages engineers to air their ideas in an arena composed of highly technical
colleagues, who challenge each other to push the boundaries of their thinking.
 In Q2 2007, Google announced a new equity program for employees called Transferable Stock Options (TSOs) –
a first‐of‐its‐kind program designed to help employees derive value24 from their options by selling instead of
exercising them. “The goal is quite simple,” says David Rolefson, Google’s Director of Compensation Programs.
“It is to increase the perceived value of the option to the employee.”
 Google maintains a strong Code of Conduct that it expects all employees to adhere to. To ensure that employees
feel safe in reporting any potential violation of the policy, and/or asking questions about an action that might be
construed to be a violation, Google enforces a strict "no retaliation" policy. Retaliation for reporting a possible
violation of the Code of Conduct, otherwise making a complaint regarding a possible violation of the Code or
participating in any investigation of a possible violation of the Code is strictly prohibited. If a complaint of
retaliation is substantiated, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination. The
Code of Conduct, and the No Retaliation Policy both serve to uphold strong ethical behaviour at Google.
 Google places a high value on the opinions of employees. Any employee can approach any manager to discuss
any issue. The official policy25 states: Google desires to maintain a friendly, cooperative atmosphere between
employees and all levels of management. Consequently, the Company provides opportunities for you to express
yourself without recrimination. If you have a problem with your Manager that, despite your mutual efforts,
cannot be resolved, you may discuss this with the next higher level of management or with Human Resources.
You may request that the Human Resources person or a co‐worker accompany you in an advisory capacity in any
meeting. While Google prides itself on being an open organization where you can approach any member of
management directly, we recommend you first attempt to resolve the issue through your Manager or Human
Resources. If not satisfied, you may then continue the process with the successive levels up to the CEO. Concerns,
conflicts and complaints will be carefully considered and facilitated promptly.
 
Last edited:

jamescord

MP Guru
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products,[6] and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program.[3][7] The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, often dubbed the "Google Guys",[8][9][10] while the two were attending Stanford University as Ph.D. candidates. It was first incorporated as a privately held company on September 4, 1998, and its initial public offering followed on August 19, 2004. The company's stated mission from the outset was "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful",[11] and the company's unofficial slogan – coined by Google engineer Paul Buchheit – is "Don't be evil".[12][13] In 2006, the company moved to their current headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Google runs over one million servers in data centers around the world,[14] and processes over one billion search requests[15] and about twenty-four petabytes of user-generated data every day.[16][17][18][19] Google's rapid growth since its incorporation has triggered a chain of products, acquisitions, and partnerships beyond the company's core web search engine. The company offers online productivity software, such as its Gmail email software, and social networking tools, including Orkut and, more recently, Google Buzz. Google's products extend to the desktop as well, with applications such as the web browser Google Chrome, the Picasa photo organization and editing software, and the Google Talk instant messaging application. Notably, Google leads the development of the Android mobile phone operating system, used on a number of phones such as the Nexus One and Motorola Droid. Alexa lists the main U.S.-focused google.com site as the Internet's most visited website, and numerous international Google sites (google.co.in, google.co.uk etc.) are in the top hundred, as are several other Google-owned sites such as YouTube, Blogger, and Orkut.[20] Google is also BrandZ's most powerful brand in the world



Making Google Better
Small Teams enhancing speed and creativity

Every Googlers idea is considered for betterment of company.

Provides resources to turn great ideas into reality.

Flexible working environment with perks (car wash, onsite doctors, dry-cleaning, massages )

80-20 work-fun time at office.


Top 10 Reasons to Work at Google
Lend a helping hand.
Life is beautiful.
Appreciation is the best motivation
Work and play are not mutually exclusive
Love employees, and want them to know it.
Innovation is the bloodline
Good company everywhere you look. (from neurosurgeons, CEOs, and U.S. puzzle champions to alligator wrestlers and Marines)
Uniting the world, one user at a time
Boldly go where no one has gone before.
There is such a thing as a free lunch after all.


The Google Culture
Employee Resource Groups.
Free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination.
Hiring :- favours ability over experience.
Workspace includes
Piano, lava lamps
Assorted video games, Foosball, baby grand piano, ping pong.
Google Café


Introduction

Managing human resources effectively has become vital to organizations within the modern and fast‐paced business environment, more so as the economy the world over converge into a synapse of globally connected and interdependent sectors aimed at preserving and creating knowledge1 rather than products and services alone. The novelty in the market today demands innovation2 and trust3 more than mere comparative analysis of sales and market share, and the hierarchy of the centre and periphery model is evolving into a different paradigm.

Human Resources specialists are more important in business strategies today for this very change in market dynamics – more so in the present economic situation of a global recession and downturn across industries and sectors. The focus has turned on HR Department at every organization – the survival lines are running drier with every passing week at the trading markets the world over, and the aim is not only to see through the recession, but more importantly4, to ensure employees are still committed to the organization. HR development acts as the mentor5 to its employees – guiding, training and educating them in the way of the industry and the organization. Well trained and competent employees, who are able to showcase themselves and their organization to the customers in a more effective manner, help in increasing customer satisfaction and overall clientele, by adding credibility and reputation to the business. Effective HR planning and development practices6 bring quality and loyal workers who are committed and passionate about the success of their organization.
Google Inc., the 9 year old technology service provider based in Mountain View, California, was voted7 the number one
Best Company to Work for in America for the second year in a row by its employees. It is the biggest8 brand name in the

world today – a brand that is built upon a culture that is high on trust, low on politics, great at sharing resources and sharing the wealth, and full of meaning and significance. However, besides the usual and much publicized remuneration package and plush offices, deeper and more thoughtful set of factors have been identified and acknowledged by consulting firms and employees alike on why it is such an attractive organization to work for.


As an organization, Google and its employees take pride in being regarded as geeks. In fact, one of the banners that
greets you as you enter Google’s Toronto Officei reads “proud to be geeks”. How this very philosophy dictates their
business strategy can be understood from the fact that Larry Page once remarked that Google was comprised of people
with ‘frighteningly’ single‐minded focus. Google offices are seen not as locations where people go to work, but rather as
dream‐houses for these geeks to retire to when they want to create something innovative and state of the art.
“Four years ago, the average search took about 3 seconds. Today, it is down to about 0.2 seconds. And since 0.2 is
greater than zero, it’s not fast enough”. A small statement from Peter Norvig, an engineer at Google, tells the tale of the
work culture and employee commitment at Google – the employees don’t need the next deadline or next project
proposal to work on creating something, but rather an intrinsic9 challenge – a challenge that could be driven by self
benchmarks, or by peer influence, or simply, the quest for solving something. As a company, Google completely
understands that such is the nature of devoted and committed geeks – and provides everything that is possible to keep
these geeks motivated to work on novel and creative pursuits.

explanation, as Larry Page puts it in his official blog, comes from the intrinsic Google’s vision – Google wants its
employees to be as committed to technology solutions and services as the founders themselves were when they were
busy conceptualizing this very vision in the dormitories at Stanford University during their college days. From providing
everything that the employees need for them to focus on creativity and innovation, to helping these employees have the
right information and the right resources for their work, Google has always focussed on the human capital creation and
retention since becoming operational in September 1998. The business strategy for Google is tightly coupled and
strongly reflected in their company’s vision statement, now known as ‘The Ten Things’10 because of the way Google was
able to envisage, and more importantly, deliver, this vision.
This philosophy11 at Google has served as the operating guidelines for the Human Resource Department there in a very
broad and yet amicable manner. It is clear from this philosophy that Google, when formed, was aimed at creating
innovative and unique solutions which would uphold the brand equity and reputation of the company not by who its
employees were, and how did they dress and behave, but rather from whether the product they launched in the market
could deliver what it promised or not.
As a company, Google was founded and has succeeded on the shoulders of its innovative products and clutter‐free
presentation. The strategy has been to provide the user a completely precise and to‐the‐point customer experience –
and to accept12 short term losses over long term goals. The fact that Google’s home page always consists of exactly 37
wordsiii proves the point.
The informal structure of work setting, the focus on creativity across diverse areas of internet technology, and the
performance delivery promise that Google incorporates in its vision is testified by the success13 of its first IPO last year.
However, the innovative and novel management techniques, the unique demographics of workforce, and the marvel of
web services that Google launches every now and then are not as distinguishable and clear to external observers, more
so from a non‐technology background. The rigorous accountability, the relentless attention to detail, and the cuttingedge
ideas are not the secretive components of its success14 anymore. However, the way the HR functions and policies
have aligned themselves with the business model and vision makes Google

HR as a Strategic Partner for Business
HR department at any organization has a unique challenge – it has to ensure that the employees are motivated and
committed to the organization with complete integrity and honesty. However, at the same time, the HR department has
to ensure that the market dynamics are not adversely affected by the sheer volumes of investment involved in the
process. In some ways, HR department should act as a service provideriv for the employees, and treat employees as its

The business model and strategy of not merely trying, but actually delivering the best solution has been a benchmark of
the work culture at Google. The workplaces and office locations all over the world are built over sprawling spaces which
provide the employees not only with every possible space for creativity and innovation, but also ensures that the
employees’ ideas are duly and uncompromisingly studied, worked on, and acknowledged.
Recruitment and Selection
Recruitment at Google is the first and foremost step in the overall HR processes. With the reputation and promise that
Google holds for thousands of technology professionals who want to make Google their second home, more than 1300
Resumes are received each day by Google. Hiring the right people is a key HR philosophy at Google – the median age of
employees at Google is 27 years, making it the youngest workforce across the industry. However, the retention rate, and
the turnover data at Google proves that the organization has been successfully16 able to attract, retain, and motivate the
most difficult crop of employees – the Y generation cyber‐generation professionals who are prone to changing their
affiliations quicker than they change their clothes.
Google hosts many external events throughout the year which reflect a combination of their excellent recruiting
practices and their awareness of the internal culture they want to maintain. They are explicitly seeking to attract the
kinds of people to the company who will be successful in their open, collaborative culture.
Training and Development
Google employees are offered tremendous opportunities to learn and grow. Professional development opportunities
offered to all employees include classes on individual and team presentation skills, content development, business
writing, executive speaking, delivering feedback, and management/leadership. Free foreign language lessons, including
French, Spanish, Japanese, and Mandarin are also sponsored by Google. Given the prominence of engineers at Google,
particular attention is paid to providing unique development opportunities for this group.
An Engineering training group, engEDU, provides orientation and training classes, mentoring, career development, and
tutorial services – all programs built by and for engineers. Google has also expanded its global learning and development
team during the last year and is creating new leadership development programs to help develop and support Google’s
future leaders. In a survey, 92% of employees indicated that they are provided T&D to further them professionally, and
97%17 indicate that they are given the resources and equipment to do their job.
It is mandatory for all employees to undergo T&D sessions for a minimum of 120 hours/year, which is about three times
the industry average in North America of 43 hours/year. This shows the amount of effort, time and money that Google
invests in its employees to keep them abreast of the professional and technological advancements.

Innovation and Creativity
There is a strong culture of innovation and experimentation at Google with engineers encouragedv to take 20% of their
time to develop new product or service offerings, or to provide enhancements to current offerings. Innovation from
inside the firm is the norm for most engineering based software development companies. What is unique at Google is
the support provided by the company, the collaboration among engineers working on each others’ projects, and the
final set of results that Google is able to achieve with the creativity and expertise of its engineers.
Social Good
Google has the informal corporate motto “Don’t be Evil”, which reminds its employees that commitment to be ethical is
part and parcel of being a leader at Google. 99% of the employees indicate18 that, “Management is honest and ethical in
its business practices”. The standards of conduct that Google employees adhere to concern internal business practices
(respecting each other, protecting confidentiality, protecting Google‘s assets, etc), external relations with customers and
partners, and the impact on of Google's work on the larger society19.
Compensation Structure
Google stands out as being one of the most sought after and yet one of the most underpaying20 employers in the
industry. However, the HR strategy fits perfectly with the business model and vision at Google – wherein employees are
attracted not to the short term monetary returns from work, but rather to the support system that could help them
create anything. So the work hives at Google have day care and elder care centres, have spa and hair salons, car wash
and oil check facilities, and virtually everything that a technology‐obsessed geek would like to worry least about, in form
of an all inclusive liberal benefits package, but the actual take‐out cash component is negligible. The innovative Stock
Option system at Google ensures that all employees get compensated21 competitively thanks to the remarkable equity
growth of the company.
So strong is the work culture and employee committed bent upon technology solutions rather than tangible
compensation that Google became the first company where the Board of Directors requested for a reduction22 in their
salaries and compensation because they felt they were getting paid more money than they needed. All the employees
agreed on the sentiment, and in 2005‐06, the employees formally demanded a wage cut themselves. During the same
period, the turnover23 was 1.43%.

Best Practice Examples
Creating a great workplace requires more than a specific set of programs and practices ‐ there is no one set of perks and
benefits that work for all. Best Companies develop their own unique cultures in their own ways, with the common
feature being that employees are able to say "I trust the people I work for, have pride in what I do, and enjoy the people I
work with."
 Google institutes quarterly company‐wide strategy sessions with senior executives and separate sessions to
assess the company’s performance during the previous quarter. These gatherings are intended both to celebrate
the organization’s achievements over the course of the quarter and to introduce objectives for the new quarter.
Opportunities are provided at these sessions for employees to ask questions of senior leadership about the
company’s strategic direction and performance. Functional teams supplementvi this all‐hands session with their
own department‐specific meetings led by senior members.
 Google realizes that not everyone feels comfortable speaking up in a public forum. That’s why they conduct a
series of regular surveys to solicit input directly from employees on a range of topics. The annual Job Satisfaction
Survey, the Engineering Team survey, the Sales Team Survey and numerous others gather data from employees
anonymously. They then draw on those findings to improve and shape their various programs. They publish the
high level results for all employees to read on their internal website, and managers are expected to discuss
results with their teams.
 Google has an in‐house blogging tool that allows employees to start their own blogs. Employees can use these
blogs to communicate personal stories, to provide work updates, or to share notes. These blogs can only be
accessed internally, and these online forums are yet another way that Google encourages cross‐functional
interaction across all levels of the organization.
 TGIFs are an informal company‐wide weekly get together which include a preview of the week to come, a recap
of the week’s big events, and a question and answer session. While every week is a little different, the highlight
of TGIF is always the Question and Answer section; no question is off‐limits. Their team webcasts TGIFs to
Google offices around the globe and archives them for those whose time zones or schedules prevent them from
attending the meeting in person. Some of Google field offices have taken to hosting their own TGIFs, with senior
leaders joining when possible either in person or via video‐conference. They encourage all Google employees,
regardless of location, to submit questions for TGIF through email if they can’t (or opt not to) ask the question in
person. Other employees votevii on these questions so that the most relevant work their way to the top of the
queue.
 In addition to more formal venues, Google’s philosophy is reflected in their “whiteboard” culture. Employees
start or add to whiteboard discussions on topics ranging from future Google products to life at Google. You’ll
find these oversize whiteboardsviii all over Google.
 Employees drive Google’s product development process. They first release new products and features
internallyix across the company, allowing employees to explore the product and provide feedback to the
engineers and managers who developed it.
Google wants employees to maintain the best possible work/life balance, so they offer flexible work hours, parttime
work options, and telecommuting if the specific job allows. A generous vacation policy is provided and a
vacation donation program is also used to provide an opportunity for employees to help out their fellow coworkers
during a time of need. The program allows employees to voluntarily donate a portion of their accrued
vacation hours to another eligible employee in case of an emergency.
 While they maintain more specialized learning programs in virtually every department, the Engineering group
has taken the idea of continuous learning to new heightsx. The Engineering training group, or engEDU, aims to
provide Google Engineers with compelling educational opportunities throughout their lives at Google, including
everything from orientation classes to mentoring to career development.
 In 2007, Google kicked off their “Candidates@Google” speaker series, inviting 2008 Presidential candidates to
stop by headquarters to speak with their employees. In addition to these political luminaries, Google hosts
regular Tech Talks where speakers both internal and external present their insights on timely topics. Google's
engineering tech talk program is a vital part of their engineering knowledge transfer efforts, and typifies
Google’s culture, which encourages engineers to air their ideas in an arena composed of highly technical
colleagues, who challenge each other to push the boundaries of their thinking.
 In Q2 2007, Google announced a new equity program for employees called Transferable Stock Options (TSOs) –
a first‐of‐its‐kind program designed to help employees derive value24 from their options by selling instead of
exercising them. “The goal is quite simple,” says David Rolefson, Google’s Director of Compensation Programs.
“It is to increase the perceived value of the option to the employee.”
 Google maintains a strong Code of Conduct that it expects all employees to adhere to. To ensure that employees
feel safe in reporting any potential violation of the policy, and/or asking questions about an action that might be
construed to be a violation, Google enforces a strict "no retaliation" policy. Retaliation for reporting a possible
violation of the Code of Conduct, otherwise making a complaint regarding a possible violation of the Code or
participating in any investigation of a possible violation of the Code is strictly prohibited. If a complaint of
retaliation is substantiated, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination. The
Code of Conduct, and the No Retaliation Policy both serve to uphold strong ethical behaviour at Google.
 Google places a high value on the opinions of employees. Any employee can approach any manager to discuss
any issue. The official policy25 states: Google desires to maintain a friendly, cooperative atmosphere between
employees and all levels of management. Consequently, the Company provides opportunities for you to express
yourself without recrimination. If you have a problem with your Manager that, despite your mutual efforts,
cannot be resolved, you may discuss this with the next higher level of management or with Human Resources.
You may request that the Human Resources person or a co‐worker accompany you in an advisory capacity in any
meeting. While Google prides itself on being an open organization where you can approach any member of
management directly, we recommend you first attempt to resolve the issue through your Manager or Human
Resources. If not satisfied, you may then continue the process with the successive levels up to the CEO. Concerns,
conflicts and complaints will be carefully considered and facilitated promptly.

Hey anjali,

I also got some information on Human Resources Practices at Google In Terms of Some Management Perspectives and would like to share it with you and other student's. So please download and check it.
 

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