Hrm in Google
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
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
References: to the paper may also be found in publications of AnthroTech Society. v Some of the results of this “20% time” can be seen in the beta offerings provided to the public at the Google Labs website (labs.google.com) which showcases experiments still being evaluated and the ‘graduates’ – products and services developed inside Google that are now part of their current offerings. Some of Google’s newer services like Orkut, Gmail, Adsense and Google News have originated in such independent endeavours. Marissa Mayer, Vice President at Google, mentioned in a speech at Stanford University that more than half of Google’s new product launches originated from the 20% time. The complete video is available at http://stanford‐online.stanford.edu/courses/msande472/060517‐msande472‐300.asx vi For example, the Engineering Team holds a quarterly “All‐Hands” Meeting led by the Senior Vice President of Engineering. The Engineering All‐Hands speaks to Google’s core philosophy that employees prefer to hear company news in person, and directly from their leaders, rather than from an anonymous “cascaded” email chain. vii The process of voting is akin to the Business philosophy of democratic system, which is also mentioned in ‘The Ten Things’. viii In addition to the whiteboards, employees can find suggestion boxes throughout the office, where they’re free to enter any sort of suggestion from a new drink they would like available to their dismay over the continued use of disposable dishes. ix In addition, they have a program called the “Google‐o‐meter” which allows people to post ideas for changes and improvements at the company. Employees can then vote on whether the idea is good or bad which will move the suggestion up the page. x A great example is the Codelab tutorial series, which are continually updated online modules designed to help engineers get up to speed on new Google technologies. They have broadened and deepened their focus on learning throughout the last year. They expanded their learning and development management team worldwide. More‐over, they hired a new director who’ll be working to create “Google University,” a centralized learning organization designed to coordinate the numerous offerings, ensure quality, and, over the next couple of years, expand the range of educational programs offered. xi Google Grants is a unique, in‐kind advertising program, which, by harnessing the power of Google’s flagship advertising product, Google Adwords, enables non‐profits to better engage their constituents online. Google Grants has awarded AdWords advertising to hundreds of non‐profit groups whose missions range from animal welfare to literacy, from supporting homeless children to promoting HIV education. xii At 1.6 megawatts (an output capable of powering approximately 1,000 California homes) Google’s is the largest solar installation on any corporate site in the world. xiii This is in accordance with Google’s business strategy of connecting with various communities across the border. Every now and then, Google’s home page on the internet has a special logo and theme based on some significant event, date, season, or festival. Google’s product of iGoogle and Gmail! Themes are also based on the same principle. xiv Recent products like Orkut, GMail, Google News, etc. do not contribute more than 1% combined to Google’s revenues. 99% of revenues are still generated through online advertisements. xv Google released its latest version of Google Earth while includes underwater imagery in early 2009. 9 i February 18, 2009 Prepared by Anurag Gupta