TAKINGRESPONSIBILITY
HowGoogleSearchesfortheRightJobRequirements
Each year,around 2.5million people applytowork atGoogle—about 60résumésforeverycurrent employee.What makesthecompanyso attractive? Google isfamousforperkssuchasfreefoodandon- site recreation,but these are just the most obvious signsofaphilosophy ofvaluingemployees.Google’s leaders are committed to designing jobs that are highlymotivating—partlytodowhatisrightbutalso tounleashcreativity.
Decisions aboutjobdesign,likeother decisionsat Google, are driven bydata.The company conducts frequent surveysto measure whether employees are satisfied with avariety ofpersonnel decisions, such ashowcompensationisstructuredor howthey feel abouta newworkspace.Itsharestheresultswith employees and usesattitude and performancemea- sures toidentifydecisionsassociatedwithhigh performance.
JobsatGoogle aremotivating forseveralreasons. First, the company defines its mission in exciting terms. Software engineers, for example, do not just create programs or systems;they help “develop the next-generation technologiesthat change how mil- lions interact.” Employees have great control over their time:theycannegotiate workhours withtheir supervisor or take breaks to work out, get a mas- sage,ortakeanapwhenever theyneed torecharge. Everyemployee maydevoteupto20percent ofeach workweek to aproject heor shechooses, within or beyond the employee’sjobdescription.Google also offers flexibility related to the differences in how peopledotheir bestthinking andworking.Itcreates workspacesfordiversity,withareastomeet andtalk as wellas areasforquietconcentrationandspacesfor exercise.To support hiringofpeoplewhothrivewith flexibility,jobspecificationsincludeversatility,strong
ambition, problem-solvingskills,andabilitytowork onteams.
WhenGoogleappliesdatatomanagers’jobs,itlooks for the behaviors associated with motivated workers. Jobdescriptions maybeasspecificasdetailing actions to take on anemployee’sfirstday.These actions, ac- cording toLaszloBock,theheadofPeopleOperations atGoogle, areassociatedwith15percent greater pro- ductivitymonths later.
Googleappliesitsconcern foremployeewell-beingto ergonomics.The mainconcern inanofficesettingis that hoursbehindadeskcanbeunhealthy.Thehealthrisksin- creasefurther whenemployeesaresnackingandgaining weight.Here,asinotherareas,solutionsfocusonchoices, with thecompanynudgingemployeestowardhealthyop- tions.While allsnacksarefree,thehealthiest optionsare displayedmostprominently. Forergonomics, employees maychooseadjustablesit-stand desksortreadmill desks, sotheycanspendtimeoutoftheirchairs.
Questions
1.What elements ofmotivating jobshasGoogle put into place,according tothisdescription? Name a fewother elements that might be appropriateat Google.
2.What are the ergonomic challenges of jobs at Google?Howdoesthecompanygive workersflexibilityinmeeting thosechallenges?
3. Describe the strategic role of HR Division in Google?
Sources:Googlecompanywebsite,“SoftwareEngineering,”Careers,
2014;ChristopherColeman,as toldtoVenessaWong,“HowtoCreate aWorkplacePeopleNeverWant to Leave,”BloombergBusinessweek,April11,2013, aHappyAccident:HowGoogleDeliber- atelyDesignsWorkplaceSatisfaction,”FastCompany,March21,2013,
inGoogle’sPerks,”NewYorkTimes,March15,2013, Pods,”CBSNews,January22,2013,