Google Case Notes

Google Case Notes:

This case highlights the human resource management (HR) practices at Google that are integral to the company’s long-term long-term success. The case illustrates specific specific components of Google’s HR strategy and also provides insights on some of the challenges Google faces as it continues to grow. Specifically the case eplores the company’s !enefits" pay" hiring" employee development" and employee retention retention practices. The challenges shared include those related to the need to shift hiring practices as a company grows" maintaining a strong company culture" and internationali#ation. Questions:

 B-12. What do you think of the idea of Google Go ogle correlating personal traits from from the employees’ answers on the survey to their performance, and then using that as the asis for screening !o candidates" #n other words, is it or is it not a good idea" $lease e%plain your answer. Hiring practices are clearly integral to Google’s Google’s success. Google depends on the talent of its’ employees to maintain the company’s competitiveness and they use their selection process to identify the talent that holds the traits that have h elped them succeed. $s the company grows" their intensive interview interview process has !ecome difficult difficult to maintain. Thus" an assessment assessment that can screen candidates !ased on these important traits will help effectively evaluate candidates.

However" there are legal implications in using tests in hiring" and thus" the company needs to ma%e sure that any test used is relia!le and valid. valid. The process of correlating correlating the personal traits that the employees reported to their performance demonstrates the criterion validity of the traits. Thus" this process is a good idea to help develop a relia!le and valid test.

 B-1&. 'he enefits that Google pays oviously represent represent an enormous e%pense. Based on what  you know aout Google and on what you read in this te%t, how would you defend all these enefits if you’re making a presentation to the security analysts who were analy(ing Google’s  performance" &mployee !enefits are an important component of the total rewards an organi#ation offers its employees. Google ma%es a significant investment investment in !enefits and the !enefits !enefits provided help to create the uni'ue and creative company culture. This company culture is an important component of the company’s overall strategy. strategy. Thus" the investment in employee !enefits is intended to contri!ute to the company company strategy. Google can use metrics to demonstrate this value to security analysts. analysts. Strategy-!ased metrics" for eample" focus on measuring how activities activities help achieve organi#ational goals. n this case" Google might might !e a!le to demonstrate how the employee !enefits contri!ute to attracting and retaining top talent.

 B-1). #f you wanted to hire the rightest people around, how would you go aout recruit recruiting ing and  selecting them" Google has !uilt a reputation reputation as a great place for the the !rightest people around to wor%. This ma%es their recruiting process a little easier" !ut !rings them selection challenges as they get a!out one million o! applicants a year. Their intensive selection practices have shifted over the years to accommodate screening those candidates.

However" other companies may not have the reputation to attract the !rightest and must ma%e strategic recruitment efforts efforts to hire the !rightest people. $ larger pool of candidates will li%ely yield the !rightest employees. employees. *ne thing that Google has done effectively effectively is that they have esta!lished a !rand image as an attractive wor%place. Their !enefits and wor% culture culture are %nown for inspiring creativity" and this attracts the !right candidates they are see%ing.

$ company should then use targeted outside sources of candidates to attract the !rightest people. +or eample" a company can recruit on top college campuses" or as% current employees for referrals.

+rom a selection perspective" a company can use an assessment tool such as a cognitive a!ility test to select the !rightest applicants. $ structured interview process that as%s o!-related 'uestions can also help identify the !rightest candidates in the recruitment pool.

 B-1*. 'o support its growth growth and e%pansion strategy, Google wants +among +among other traits people who are super-right and who work hard, often round-the-clock, and who are fle%ile and maintain a decent worklife alance. ist  ist five specific /0 policies or practices that you think Google has implemented or should implement to support its strategy, and e%plain your answer a nswer.. There are many HR policies or practices p ractices that can support its strategy to grow and epa nd with the support of super-!right" hardwor%ing hardwor%ing employees. Some eamples include, •

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or%place policies that support a flei!le and supportive wor% environment" such as flei!le wor% hours and convenience services such as on-site cafeterias. &mployee !enefits such as paid time-off" comprehensive healthcare insurance" and generous retirement !enefits that help employees relieve stress. Recruitment and selection practices that attract and select hard-wor%ing and smart employees.

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erformance management systems that provide employees with valua!le and developmental feed!ac%. /ase and incentive pay plans that provide appropriate rewards to retain wor%ers.

 B-1. What sorts of factors do you think Google will have to take into consideration as it tries tries transferring its culture and reward systems systems and way of doing usiness to its operations aroad" The first challenge Google will face is transferring its company culture to an international contet. The creative and flei!le wor% environment may not !e as accepted in different national cultures. +urther" incentives and rewards may may not !e effective effective in different cultural contets. contets. +or  eample" some cultures are less individualistic than the 0.S." and thus" our individual incentive awards may not !e as effective. ide ide variances in the cost-of-living around the world also create challenges in esta!lishing appropriate pay levels.

 B-1. Given the sorts of values and culture Google cherishes, cherishes, riefly descrie four specific activities you suggest they pursue during new-employee orientation. 1ust hiring the right right employees will not ensure ensure Google is successful. The on!oarding or newemployee orientation process is important to sociali#e the employee into the organi#ation’s culture and help them understand what wor%place !ehaviors will help them them !e successful. Given Google’s values and culture" the following are eamples of specific activities that could !e included in the new-employee orientation, •

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$ review of Google’s policies" including the &mployee Hand!oo%" so that the employee is aware of the !enefits availa!le" such as flei!le wor% schedules. $ tour of the facility so that the new employee %nows of all the facilities and !enefits availa!le. $n introduction to the employee’s new team and possi!ly some team-!uilding activities to help them !egin wor%ing with the team. $ review of incentive pay plans or other reward programs so that the employee understands what is rewarded.