Google Work/Life Balance
Lewis M. Mims
Professor Don Dutko
HRM 425
27 August 2011
Google: Work/Life and Being Number One
From its inception as an internet search company, ironically Google has become a staple in all aspects of internet communication. Within the last decade, they have successfully transcended their business operations. For such a company to radically change the way people communicate, I will discuss how its diverse work/life balance programs helped them achieve there leadership position, and considering several factors, how these programs have them that constantly regarded as a best company to work for. To attain my goal, I have constructed my paper based on several aspects of Google. First, I shall provide an account of Google’s history. Google’s history is relevant to my paper in that it will display its company culture and the radical thinking that separates them from their competition. Next, I will identify Google’s work/life balance programs and why they were implemented. Finally, I will elaborate on the results of these programs, what impacts they have on Google’s workforce, and industry reaction.
GOOGLE’S HISTORY What is known as Google today, a multinational, multifaceted corporation, is the two year result of two college graduates. In 1996, Larry Page and Sergey Brin began collaborating on a search engine called BackRub, the precursor to Google (“Google”). The following year, Page and Brin decided to formally change the name of their internet search engine from BackRub to Google, “a play on the word “googol,” a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros” (“Google”).
Google experiences another milestone in its early history in 1998. The co-founder of Sun, Andy Bechtolsheim writes a check for $100,000 to Google, Inc. Ironically, Google, Inc. did not exist yet in this business form. Google begins to receive accolades for its prowess and user-friendly interface. Between 2000 and 2001, Google begins to
Professor Don Dutko
HRM 425
27 August 2011
Google: Work/Life and Being Number One
From its inception as an internet search company, ironically Google has become a staple in all aspects of internet communication. Within the last decade, they have successfully transcended their business operations. For such a company to radically change the way people communicate, I will discuss how its diverse work/life balance programs helped them achieve there leadership position, and considering several factors, how these programs have them that constantly regarded as a best company to work for. To attain my goal, I have constructed my paper based on several aspects of Google. First, I shall provide an account of Google’s history. Google’s history is relevant to my paper in that it will display its company culture and the radical thinking that separates them from their competition. Next, I will identify Google’s work/life balance programs and why they were implemented. Finally, I will elaborate on the results of these programs, what impacts they have on Google’s workforce, and industry reaction.
GOOGLE’S HISTORY What is known as Google today, a multinational, multifaceted corporation, is the two year result of two college graduates. In 1996, Larry Page and Sergey Brin began collaborating on a search engine called BackRub, the precursor to Google (“Google”). The following year, Page and Brin decided to formally change the name of their internet search engine from BackRub to Google, “a play on the word “googol,” a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros” (“Google”).
Google experiences another milestone in its early history in 1998. The co-founder of Sun, Andy Bechtolsheim writes a check for $100,000 to Google, Inc. Ironically, Google, Inc. did not exist yet in this business form. Google begins to receive accolades for its prowess and user-friendly interface. Between 2000 and 2001, Google begins to
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