This article will reflect upon Google's best practices, which make them one of the best creative places to work. I have used the motivational, job designing, and reward structuring theories to analyse the best practices employed by Google. It will help you understand the science behind the work actions of Google and many other organisations.
It is widely acknowledged that when brilliant minds come together, they can create the most innovative products. Companies go to the best colleges and universities around the world to hire the right people, assessing them using various tools and parameters to build a team with the best creative people. However, the real challenge is to keep these best hires loyal to the company. Every company is looking for such scarce talent. Therefore, the real challenge for Google was to maintain a high motivational level among employees and make their jobs and rewards attractive.
In the two-factor theory, Hertzberg explained hygiene factors as the primary conditions under which employees are expected to perform their work. Hertzberg explains that hygiene factors in the organisation only ensure no job dissatisfaction. Therefore, to increase job satisfaction and employees’ performance, a company has to introduce other motivating factors (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2015).
Over the years, Google has not just increased the number of hygiene factors defined by Hertzberg but also changed their meaning for the tech industry. For example, Google is famous for its creative office design (the one which I have used above), free gourmet meals, free body massage and dry-cleaning services, to name a few. This long list of perks has increased the bar for hygiene factors initially defined by Hertzberg. In addition, Google's management believes that employees are loyal and successful when valued and supported (Luenendonk, 2019). Google provides employees with the freedom to select their projects, work schedules, and approaches (Luenendonk, 2019). Google's conduct creates several learning opportunities crucial for employees' personal growth. One such example is their flagship learning program of the G2G connect policy to encourage peer learning in the company.
Furthermore, to encourage employees to take risky product decisions, Google has created a sense of psychological safety among its employees, which helps them build redefining products for their consumers (Vozza, 2018). Psychological safety also increases job satisfaction and employee performance. Therefore, we can safely conclude that Google has wisely and effectively used the two-factor theory by Herzberg to redefine hygiene factors.
Inner work life theory explains that emotions and perceptions of an employee significantly influence their motivation (Amabile and Kramer, 2007). It is acclaimed that employees subconsciously work under the influence of their inner work life (Amabile and Kramer, 2007). Google also tried to create an office environment filled with positive emotions. Google provide its employees with challenging and exciting work and make their work breaks filled with fun activities like bowling and wall climbing.
Google's management maintains the highest level of transparency with its employees. Employees in Google are aware of the issues discussed in board meetings and product launches and their road maps (Bock, 2011). Transparency with employees is crucial for building trust and a positive work environment (Bock, 2011). Google employees frequently connect with senior management, reduce tensions and induce positivity through Q&A sessions, TGIF sessions, and Google + conversations at the workplace. Results of an annual employee survey conducted by HR reflect that ~97% of its employees feel positive emotions. Reflection on such surveys can help a company identify any potential issue and take timely corrective action (Luenendonk, 2019; Bock, 2011; Boston Consulting Group, 2014).
Reflection of Google's actions suggests that it makes good use of suggestions from the goal-setting theory. For instance, Fixit is a 24-hour challenge for the employees of Google. Another example is town hall meetings to announce quarterly goals and targets. Clarity of the goals and expectations increases employees' engagement and enthusiasm (Bock, 2011).
These actions help Google develop a positive perception among employees about the company and their work, leading to an increase in employee engagement. Increased employee engagement results in creative ideas, design, solutions, and productivity levels among employees. The action from Google increases the belief of its employees in the vision and mission (Boston Consulting Group, 2014).
Inner work theory also mentions that the feeling of task accomplishment increases employees' motivation level. Self-determination theory also suggests similar findings. Self-determination theory advocates the use of intrinsic rewards such as challenging assignments and initiatives which provide an autonomous motivation. Intrinsic rewards are essential to induce creativity, ownership, and innovation at work (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2015). Therefore, Google designs challenging tasks for employees, inspiring them to do tasks differently (Luenendonk, 2019). The high performance among Google employees reflects that job features and individual experience are directly proportional to motivation, satisfaction, and performance.
I have used the job characteristics model to assess jobs at Google using the below-mentioned parameters:
- Skill variety
- Task Identity
- Task Significance
- Autonomy
- Feedback
After evaluating the experience and feedback of employees on different public forums, I can conclude that Google tries to balance all the factors mentioned above equally. The model suggests that combining various tasks and natural team formulation at work also increases an employee's contribution toward a product or service (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2015). It creates a meaningful work pattern for employees (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2015). Google’s idea behind the unorthodox office design and micro kitchen is to develop unplanned interactions between different teams to foster creative ideas from self-defined groups. Employees can choose their own goals and tasks to increase the above-stated job aspects, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation in the workplace.
Google has another unique rule of 80-20, where 20% of the week's time is for employee-initiated projects. Gmail is one example where employees used their 20% week time on self-initiated projects (Luenendonk, 2019). A study suggests that when employees have the power to recraft their jobs, it quadruples their strength, motive, and passion (Wrzesniewski, Berg and Dutton, 2010). Allowing employees to use 20% week time on the self-directed project increases the personal touch in the job and provides a greater sense of control at work. Google further increases the positive perception at work mentioned in the inner work life theory through job crafting.
Lastly, Google offers very competitive and thoughtful extrinsic rewards to its employees alongside intrinsic rewards mentioned earlier. Research shows that monetary rewards are the most influential factors for employee motivation and performance. Financial benefits help satisfy a wide range of low-level needs identified by Maslow in his model of motivation (Aguinis, Joo and Gottfredson, 2012). Monetary rewards should be designed thoughtfully; otherwise, even generous rewards cannot motivate employees. A study suggests a good salary structure may include performance-linked incentives, ensure timely distribution of benefits, and provide clear performance objectives. Therefore, a compelling mix of monetary and non-monetary rewards can motivate employees (Aguinis et al., 2012). Furthermore, Google maintains a fair balance between fixed and performance-based rewards. For instance, a competitive salary package in Google comes with an annual cash bonus and equity plans linked to their performance.
Further, every quarter, Google awards its best manager in the town hall for creating a healthy competitive environment and balancing positive emotions. In addition, low performing managers are provided with training and guidance to promote learning, which helps to create a positive environment. (Luenendonk, 2019).
In another observation, Google’s salary structure also reflects the belief in shared capitalism. In shared capitalism, employees are offered Employee Stock Ownership Plan [ESOP], Employee Stock Purchase Plans [ESPP] and other profit-sharing models to induce a feeling of ownership. In addition, a study suggests that when employees' performance is linked with workplace performance, there is an increased sense of hard work and commitment to the organisation and a decrease in attrition (Kornelakis, 2018). These benefits reflect that Google considers its employees an essential stakeholders, crucial for further increasing loyalty and motivation.
In conclusion, multiple factors make a workplace favourite among employees. However, especially in this post covid era where employees are reluctant to return to the workplace, organisations should look for the best practices and employ the highest level of transparency and honesty.
The views expressed in this article as based on secondary research conducted by the author. Please take the author's permission before quoting or using it somewhere else.
