socialising newly recruited employees

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Competition

There is a lot of competition between Google and other companies when it comes to salaries and

working hours. Salaries at Google are comparatively less than than what they pay at Yahoo andMicrosoft while the working hours are nearly the same for everyone. These entire tech companies

make their employees work a lot but then give them plenty of benefits. Working hours at Yahoo and

Microsoft are more than 40 hours per week though they do get paid for overtime and are

compensated with other benefits at work. These organizations do not put any pressure on their

employees but they manage to get their work done even if they have to put in more hours.

There is no such thing as competition amongst Google employees as it does not bode well.

Collaboration is encouraged amongst employees as this will lead to more productivity. Employees

are given access to tools such as blogs, collaboration tools such as google talk as this will allow for

more integration across the organization. They have also come up with casual events where they

come up with previews of the forthcoming events of the week. Employees are encouraged to ask

any questions they like so that they can learn more about the organization. The employees of

Google play a big role as they can determine what policy is to be made later if they do not agree with

something. The spirit of collaboration amongst Google employees is so high that employees use

each other as guinea pigs during the product development process. The products are tested

internally amongst employees to see what their reactions are before they are rolled out to the

public. This allows the developers to get feedback from their peers so that they can make changes to

the design before they roll it out.

2.4. Social Good

A social system is a complex set of human relationships interacting in many

ways. Within an organization, the social system includes all the people in it and

their relationships to each other and to the outside world (Pettigrew, 1979). Google

has the informal corporate motto Dont be Evil, which reminds its employees that

commitment to be ethical is part and parcel of being a leader at

Google. 99% of the employees indicate that, Management is honest and ethical

in its business practices (Ben Elgin, 2005). The standards of conduct that Google

employees adhere to concern internal business practices (respecting each other,

protecting confidentiality, protecting Googles assets, etc), external

relations with customers and partners, and the impact on of Google's work on

the larger society (Google Solar Panel Project, 2009). The behavior of one member


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can have an impact, either directly or indirectly, on the behavior ofothers. Also, the

social system does not have boundaries; it exchanges goods, ideas, culture with the

environment around it.

Our culture

Its really the people that make Google the kind of company it is. We hire people who are

smart and determined, and we favor ability over experience. Although Googlers share

common goals and visions for the company,we hail from all walks of lifeand speak dozens

of languages, reflecting the global audience that we serve. And when not at work, Googlers

pursue interests ranging from cycling to beekeeping, from frisbee to foxtrot.

We strive to maintain the open culture often associated with startups, in which everyone is a

hands-on contributor and feels comfortable sharing ideas and opinions. In our weekly all-

hands (TGIF) meetingsnot to mention over email or in the cafeGooglers ask questions

directly to Larry, Sergey and other execs about any number of company issues. Our offices

and cafes are designed to encourage interactions between Googlers within and across teams,

and to spark conversation about work as well as play.

The Work Life Motivation team diagnostic measures individual perception across fivedimensions:

Trust

Research has shown that in organisations with high levels of trust things can happen upto 60% faster and with significantly lower costs. Trust also stimulates greater creativityand collaboration.

Relationships

Strong relationships form the glue that binds people together through difficultchallenges or periods of change. Studies have shown that one of the best predictors of ateams success is how the team members feel about each other.

Pride and purpose

A recent study into what motivates people in the workplace suggests that the ability tomake progress in meaningful work can be hugely motivating. Employees who are proudof what they do, feel valued and who have a sense of achievement perform better andhave a stronger sense of commitment.

Support for me
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For people to achieve great results their work needs to be properly supported by theirmanager and the organisation. Failure to provide that support creates blockages andconstraints which slow things down, reducing motivation and inhibiting progress.

Respect, encouragement and emotional support create happier employees and

happiness has been consistently shown to contribute to success in all areas of life. Thepositive emotions associated with happiness are infectious; they spread throughout theworkplace generating high levels of creativity and commitment.

WORK LIFE MOTIVATION describes the internal force which transforms thoughts and feelings about

our working environment into actions and behaviour. Everything we experience, whether at work or inour personal life, gives rise to emotions which we then interpret (make sense of) and give meaning.

The interpretations we make are based on a number of factors; our own beliefs, values and attitudesas well as the organisational context. Research has consistently shown that the strongest influenceson our emotions and perceptions in theworkplace are:1. The trust we have in the whole organisation2. How we feel about the job we do3. How we feel about the people we work with

When these three factors give rise to positive emotions and perceptions, we become happier andmore motivated; as a result we act and behave more positively, reaching higher levels of performanceand becoming more successful at what we do. The results of this increased Work Life Motivation aresignificant and can be measured through increased: Pace

Performance Commitment Creativity CollaborationBy measuring the influences that most affect Work Life Motivation, development plans can be createdat individual and team levels to improve performance right across the organisation.The Work Life Motivation Team Diagnostic measures individual perception across five dimensions:

TRUST:Research has shown that in organisations with high levels of trust things can happen up to60% faster and with significantly lower costs. Trust also stimulates greater creativity and collaboration.

RELATIONSHIPS:Strong relationships form the glue that binds people together through difficultchallenges or periods of change. Studies have shown that one of the best predictors of a teamssuccess is how the team members feel about each other.

PRIDE and PURPOSE:A recent study into what motivates people in the workplace suggests that theability to make progress in meaningful work can be hugely motivating. Employees who are proud ofwhat they do, feel valued and who have a sense of achievement perform better and have a strongersense of commitment.

SUPPORT FOR MY WORK:For people to achieve great results their work needs to be properlysupported by their manager and the organisation. Failure to provide that support creates blockagesand constraints which slow things down, reducing motivation and inhibiting progress.

SUPPORT FOR ME:Respect, encouragement and emotional support create happier employees andhappiness has been consistently shown to contribute to success in all areas of life. The positiveemotions associated with happiness are infectious; they spread throughout the workplace generatinghigh levels of creativity and commitment. Although Work Life Motivation is an internal force it is not


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isolated within individuals; it extends outwards from each person like a magnetic force influencing theemotions and perceptions of everyone it reaches. This makes Work Life Motivation an incrediblypowerful force within a business; when positive it pulls people together, uniting and focussing them ina way that makes great things possible. On the other hand, if Work Life Motivation is inconsistent ornegative then it pushes people apart, causing tension and uncertainty; people become morefocussed on themselves and as a result performance suffers.

INTRODUCTIONRelationships1 I feel included here; there are no cliques

2 People readily collaborate right across the organisation

3 People here know theyre all working towards the same objectives; they dont try

to compete with each other

4 Leaders here create a positive climate in the organisation

5 People round here are able to be open about their emotions

6 People are aware of the impact their actions and behaviour have on others

7 People value others who have different ways of working to their own; its not a

cause of tension or conflict

8 If things change at short notice, people are very good at adapting and getting on

with things without fuss or bother9 I feel as though people here understand me as an individual

10 People here are very supportive; they readily help each other

11 Whenever theres conflict between people its resolved quickly and calmly

12 When faced with adversity or problems, people are generally optimistic and

confident about the outcome

13 People round here stick together through good times and bad

14 I feel as though I truly belong in this organisation

15 People in this organisation are treated like adults

Pride and Purpose1 I receive regular feedback from my manager which helps me to sustain or improve

my performance2 I understand exactly how my job contributes to my organisations vision

3 At the end of most days, I feel good about the progress Ive made in my work

4 My work means a lot to me

5 I feel really good about my workits well worthwhile

6 Im clear about the work goals I need to achieve

7 Im clear about what I need to do, to achieve my work goals

8 I believe my work is valued

9 I enjoy the problem-solving I have to do in my work

10 People at work are open to my new ideas

Support for my work1 I have a good mix of short-term and long-term work goals

2 Once Ive been given a task, Im free to decide how Ill do the work

3 Im given enough time to complete my work

4 My manager gives me the support I need, to move forward with my work

5 Im encouraged to learn from mistakes (Im not blamed)

6 I never feel micro-managed or controlled

7 My manager helps me overcome obstacles, so I can move forward with my work

8 If Im given a task, I know the resources I need will be available

9 My work tasks challenge me in a positive way

10 Im well-supported by my peer team

Support for me1 I get a lot of encouragement from people around me at work

2 I feel respected at work

3 People at work care about me as a person


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4 My efforts and successes are recognised at work

5 I get plenty of opportunity to work through problems and discuss ideas with

colleagues

6 My organisation encourages me to have a good work-life balance

7 I feel valued for the work I do

8 Whether things are going well or not at work, I never feel Im on my own

9 My manager cares about me and my well-being

10 My manager recognises it when Ive gone the extra mile at work

motivational theory

Thanks to Jim Barker - Reproduction of

this cartoon is expressly forbidden

without permission from Jim Barker

motivational team building

Human social needs include family, affection, relationships, and work groups. Employers are acontributor in satisfying the social needs of administrative employees in numerous ways. One

way is by professional or personal communications with colleagues or customers, which also

causes friendships and relationships to form. The feeling of being a valued asset to the

organization will also satisfy administrative employees' social needs with the feeling of job

security. Working at a higher employment level, the social needs of administrative staff will not be

satisfied without the assurance that they are employed with a stabile organization that whose

compensation will satisfy his or her

Garcez, C.(2006). Job Satisfaction: The Challenges Transformed Organizations Face. Retrieved August 13, 2009

from the World Wide Web: http://aplawrence.com/Misc/job_satisfaction.html

Gates, B. (2001). Innovation Management Polices for Large Corporations. Retrived August 13, 2009 from the

World Wide Web:

http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/organization_flat.html
http://www.jimbarker.net/http://www.jimbarker.net/http://www.jimbarker.net/http://www.jimbarker.net/http://www.jimbarker.net/http://www.jimbarker.net/http://www.jimbarker.net/


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Jex, S.M. (2008). Organizational Psychology: A Scientist Practioner Approach. New Jersey: John Wiley and Son

Kotelnikov, V. (2001). Empowering People and Making Faster Decisions. Retrieved August 14, 2009 from the

World Wide Web: http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/organization_flat.html

Powers, M. ( 2009). Employee Empowerment. Retrieved August 12, 2009 from the Wide Web:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1559562/employee_empowerment_paper.html?cat=3

It seems almost certain now that Google and innovation are synonymous to each other. And to makesure that this sense of innovation is deeply instilled in the work culture at Google India, Googlers (as the

employees are fondly referred to as) enjoy the freedom to innovate and spend 20% of their time on

anything they are really passionate about. It was perhaps this freedom that led to the creation of the path

breaking Google Map Maker in 2008 which was conceived and developed by the Indian engineering team.

Having set Indian operations in 2003, Google India has achieved the numero uno spot in Great Place to

Work Institutes Study. Also ranked #1 in the Industry Category of the IT sector, Google India has

always adopted a collaborative work culture encouraging employees to build a unique camaraderie

amongst each other through programs such as Peer Bonus (where an employee nominates a co-worker or

a colleague for a bonus for helping him achieve his target or complete an assignment), Know Your Noogler

Wall (where interesting trivia about new joiners are put up along with their goofy pictures to help others

know them well), et al.

Interesting enough, when People Mattersasked (on separate occasions) Shailesh Rao, MD, and D.N.

Prasad, Program ManagerPeople Technology and Operations & People BrandJAPACabout the three

things that make Google India a great workplace personally for them, the response was unanimous: The

sheer brilliance and caliber of great minds they get to work with, the sense of pride they get out of this

unique opportunity to make a change to the world, and lastly, the extensive focus on innovation thatenables them to passionately and constantly think of innovative products and services and keeps them

motivated each single day. They share their thoughts with us on the success story of Google India as a

great workplace.

What are the HR practices followed at Google India that differentiates it from its counterparts

in the industry?

Shailesh Rao: We provide a sense of empowerment to our employees and encourage them to take

initiatives. We have bright young people working for us who have this urge to be heard, which compels

them to always think of innovation and be empowered. Secondly, we give them a fun and stimulating work
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1559562/employee_empowerment_paper.html?cat=3http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1559562/employee_empowerment_paper.html?cat=3http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1559562/employee_empowerment_paper.html?cat=3


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environment so as to enhance their productivity. Working at Google is not about the number of hours you

put in but with how much passion you work within the stipulated time frame.

Would you say that Google India is a great workplace because it is a successful company, or

vice versa?

D.N. Prasad: If you look at the values of Google, then there are a few things among many that Google

stands for viz. working with great people, innovation being the lifeblood of Google and Googlers, constantly

challenging the status quo, empowerment to employees, diversity to reflect our user base in our

workforce, etc. Leveraging on the capability of its people to come out with brilliant products and services,

Google has become what it is today and expanded its customer base across the globe. I would say that

Google is a successful company because it is a great workplace and enjoys the complete passion and

commitment of its people.

How do practices such as Peer Bonus Programs help in team building and eventually

contribute to the success of the organisation?

D.N. Prasad: These programs are not as much about team building but for celebrating the success of the

organization. These programs are not only for team building but also ensure good practices and

recognition at peer and functional levels.

Given the vastness and diversity of the workforce at Google India, how do you go about

managing this diversity?

Shailesh Rao: It starts with treating everybody with respect regardless of role, gender and position.

Secondly, by giving freedom and empowerment to people to take decisions. I fundamentally believe that

1,500 smart managers have the capability to take better decisions than a handful of senior managers.

Further, we keep on conducting formal and informal forums and one-on-one meetings to enable employees

across functions and levels to interact with each other.

2 Comments


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In general, education is 'mind preparation' and is carried out remote from the actual work

area, training is the systematic development of the attitude, knowledge, skill pattern required

by a person to perform a given task or job adequately and development is 'the growth of the

individual in terms of ability, understanding and awareness'.

Within an organization all three are necessary in order to:

Develop workers to undertake higher-grade tasks; Provide the conventional training of new and young workers (e.g. as apprentices,

clerks, etc.); Raise efficiency and standards of performance; Meet legislative requirements (e.g. health and safety); Inform people (induction training, pre-retirement courses, etc.);

From time to time meet special needs arising from technical, legislative, andknowledge need changes. Meeting these needs is achieved via the 'training loop'.

(Schematic available in PDF version.)

The diagnosis of other than conventional needs is complex and often depends uponthe intuition or personal experience of managers and needs revealed by deficiencies.Sources of inspiration include:

Common sense - it is often obvious that new machines, work systems, taskrequirements and changes in job content will require workers to be prepared;

Shortcomings revealed by statistics of output per head, performance indices, unitcosts, etc. and behavioral failures revealed by absentee figures, lateness, sicknessetc. records;

Recommendations of government and industry training organizations; Inspiration and innovations of individual managers and supervisors; Forecasts and predictions about staffing needs; Inspirations prompted by the technical press, training journals, reports of the

experience of others; The suggestions made by specialist (e.g. education and training officers, safety

engineers, work-study staff and management services personnel).

Designing training is far more than devising courses; it can include activities such as:

Learning from observation of trained workers;

Receiving coaching from seniors; Discovery as the result of working party, project team membership or attendance at

meetings; Job swaps within and without the organization; Undertaking planned reading, or follow from the use of selfteaching texts and video

tapes; Learning via involvement in research, report writing and visiting other works or

organizations.

socialising newly recruited employees

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