CNNMoney.com’s list of 100 Best Companies to Work For 2007 is a valuable source of information for any Human Resources-Organizational Development director or consultant interested in understanding how to overcome employee challenges for 2008. What makes a company great starts with the quality of it’s human capital. We will review Google, first, illustrating the “why” behind their incredible ability to attract and retain talent.
What separates the Top Companies of 2007?
Google: The obvious answer people think of first is the incredible array of perks including gourmet food, campus lifestyle, hairstylists, dry cleaners, swimming spa, free doctors onsite and other perks too numerous to mention here.
Yet the real answer to why Google is such a sought after company is the philosophy:
1. 10 Things Google Has Found To Be True: is a document that outlines Google’s philosophies of doing business. These are their core values which allows and supports it’s employees in their vision with a open forum of communication of ideas.
2. Entrepreneurial spirit: is alive and well at Google. This spirit, as evidenced by the policy which encourages engineers to spend 20% of their work time on independent projects, is the main reason for Google’s success– employee loyalty and development.
3. Competitive Balance: Google has a collection of talent with some of the most intelligent, brilliant minds in the world. This best of breed talent pool ensures an environment that fosters personal growth, leadership through core group projects, independent projects which allow employees to “stretch out” and an ongoing training program of 100 hours per employee each year.
4. Healthy Peer Pressure: to perform and grow is constant and the driving factor that maintains this healthy competitive balance. The company has a policy where an employee may take a leave/sabbatical (paid) if they feel stagnant or in need of direction.
5. New talent: the final piece of the puzzle that makes Google’s competitive balance corporate culture go. Every year the cream of the recruiting crop applies to Google. This constant stream of fresh talent provides the last piece of “incentive” for current Googlers. If they fail to grow and improve there are virtually thousands of applicants salivating at the opportunity to replace them.
Google is the greatest example of intention manifesting into desired real outcomes of any of the top 100 company.
