Investment in People - Google and Human Capital

Here is a link to a recent article on Google’s approach to investment in people. Written from a Google perspective inevitably there are none of the criticisms that others have made of human resource management in the Googleplexes around the world.

However, the article is useful in explaining the huge emphasis that Google places on being transparent with their workforce and in giving employees freedom, autonomy and purposes in their jobs. I am sure A2 students will be able to draw some useful insights from reading through it.

Among the points that I jotted down were:

-Emphasis on employee communication, including open, honest Q&S sessions

- Sharing of detailed information with all employees, rather than keeping it confidential to the senior management team

- 360 degree feedback into the employee assessment process

- Intensive use of objectives against which Google can measure performance

- Emphasis on getting the recruitment process right - to hire the employees with the best fit for Google to achieve its objectives

- Recognition that many of Google’s employees are highly motivated by learning and developing their skills - employees stay at Google so long as they are developing themselves

- Use of small teams to work on new concepts, products and business problems (large teams thought to reduce productivity)