10 Insights From 11 Months Of Working At Google

unravelIt will soon be a year of working at Google and milestones are always a good time for introspection.

I have a lot on my mind but there was one thing in particular that I wanted to share with you all:

What it is has been like working at Google.

Interesting, fun, surprising, insightful, inspiring, impactful, and more such words. This post shares that experience.

I went into Google with my own filters and expectations on what the experience would be like and what I would end up doing.

Looking back the reality has been different in so many ways, even for a jaded Silicon Valley veteran of layoffs and cool companies like myself.

Before I get any further I wanted to mention that I am the Analytics Evangelist for Google. I am a Consultant (a "red badge" as I often remark!). There is little difference between roles and expected outcomes between a full time employee and a consultant – nonetheless there is a very different benefits structure at multiple levels for consultants (as Johnny Law dictates). I also don't have any holdings of Google stock, and, not being a full time employee, I also don't hold any Google options.

Also my experience is positive, there is a small community that seeks sub optimal stuff about Google constantly. You can bounce now because you won't find it here.

With that squared away, ever wonder what makes Google tick?

Here are ten insights from / cool things about / reasons for / delightful surprises from almost a year of working at Google:

# 10: The amazingly fantastic food and impressive digs.
# 9: "Micro Efficiencies".
# 8: A company that truly cares.
# 7: Brain expansion opportunities.
# 6: The sheer amount of brilliant Google employees.
# 5: Empowerment (The big small company).
# 4: The scale of your impact.
# 3: Doing Good: Green & .org
# 2: It's a happening place. The energy, the vibe, the passion.
# 1: The brand.
+
What about the future?

Let me share some of the reasons why I picked the above ten. . . .

# 10: The amazingly fantastic food and impressive digs.

I am sure you have heard about the food, everything you have heard is true (and it probably understates the story).

slice cafe-google

Brett had always said one of the reasons I should work at Google was the food. My reply was "My level of gourmet is Taco Bell". :)

But he was right. I am convert (and much to Jennie's delight my level of gourmet is slowly moving up!).

Google has impressive food. It is not just that it is yummy, it is, but it is more that the diversity of the food and how fresh everything is and the number of cafes and dishes that you'll encounter only in the nicest restaurants.

I still can't get used to the fact that every day when I walk into a cafe the food is different and delicious and healthy and mostly organic.

Here's just one example:

      Red beet "Ravioli" with tarragon, cashew filling and yellow pepper puree.

red beet ravioli-google

It was to die for. And that's from a Taco Bell gourmet!

If you are at the Googleplex try to go to Cafe No Name (I love that place – world fusion food) and skip Charlie's. In Mt. View I also like Pure Ingredients, Slice (raw, vegan food, great smoothies as well) and Pintxo 47 (tapas!), each is unique in its own way. Hemispheres in NYC is also excellent.

You can eat every day at Google and never get bored. And you eat healthy, while having a nice one hour relaxing lunch with your co-workers.

As to the digs, I live in the Valley but I have also spent time at Google New York, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco and London. If you visit them I am sure you'll agree they are cool digs.

Space Ship One in B43 in Mt. View. . . .

space ship one-google

Maybe it is how each person personalizes their environment, maybe it is the vibrant colors, maybe it is the energy of people bustling around, maybe it is the pure oxygen that is pumped into each Google building worldwide (a reporter actually asked me that!).

You'll find cubicles that are 100% aluminum foil wrapped, others that are homages to star wars, others to universities or pop culture or countries or customers or …… its a long list.

Here's a good example. . . .

This past week I was in Atlanta and on my way to a conference room when I was stopped in my tracks. On my right was a Zen oasis. Mood lighting, bean bags and comfy chairs, plants, six small water fountains making bubbling soothing sounds. Ten mins in there will recharge anyone before or after a few hours of work (or after every hour of work!).

It is fun to work in a creative environment where collaboration is encouraged by the open layouts and yet you are never far from a nice view.

# 9: "Micro Efficiencies".

Google has all these "micro efficiencies" that are very clever and well thought out. Each in a small way makes life easy for someone working at Google, but taken in aggregate, in my opinion, add up to a big advantage for the company.

Here's a tiny example. . . .

wires conf room - google

All conference rooms are wired for everything you need to make your life easy. In my prior companies I had to reserve a projector, and mostly forgot, and carry my power bricks and my ethernet cables etc. At Google all the power adapters you need are in the conf room, Apple or ThinkPads, and there are two projectors in every conf room (and most have high bandwidth video conferencing) and did you see the dvi – vga converters? This makes my life easier in a small but significant way.

tech stop-google I also absolutely love the tech stop idea. If there is a tech support issue no need to open a ticket and wait for salvation from the help desk (though you can), you can simply walk to the closest Tech Stop and the Geek Gods there will fix any problem on the spot (and they smile and are super nice people). What a time saver!

Ditto for the Hardware Depots in various buildings. Need a mouse or head phones or a battery or power adapter or . . . any peripheral? Walk into the the Hardware Depot, scan your badge, pick up, walk out. Very convenient, huge time saver (no need to fill requisitions and do a long line of paperwork!).

There are so many little things that you'll find at Google that you'll come to appreciate, especially if you have worked for a while at other companies.

Micro efficiencies that result in significant macro efficiency.

# 8: A company that truly cares.

You sit on the outside and you read all the stories and your first thought was: "Yeah right! They do "all that"! Probably just to keep you at work and working like a dog."

To some extent I did too.

I was wrong, and so are you.

For any company it is easy to provide you with free food, get you shuttles to commute, have beer parties on fridays, decorate the offices nice, and have free drinks and Naked Juices. If it wanted to.

Typically what happens is that you get bored of the "cafe food" and the rest pretty quickly because often companies pay lip service to things like that.

At Google the food never gets boring because each cafe has a executive / sous chef and when you eat they'll come chat with you and ask you what you think of the food (to your utter shock the first few times). They actually care.

TGIF each friday at Google is something else.

The commute shuttles are very comfortable, have wi-fi and are frequent.

employee shuttle-google

I am struck at how with everything there is this touch of extra, and that shows that the company does really care about you.

Here is another example that struck me. . . .

We live in earthquake belt. And it is not that hard to create a earthquake kit for yourself. Gallon of water, first aid kit, manually chargeable flashlight / radio etc etc. Not that hard, yet few of us have it.

A couple of months ago I saw the Google employees walking around with nifty backpacks. They were earthquake kits that Google created for and gave all its employees (not contractors, legally that is not allowed).

That was so nice. It even had water! The company did not have to do it, to me it was about going to extra step for their employees.

This is why Google employees are so loyal to their company, the company tries to care for them and the employees care back.

# 7: Brain expansion opportunities.

For some reason this one surprised me. I don't know why.

This is not a uncommon sight as you walk into Google buildings. . . .

author at google announcements

On any given day at Google there are brilliant people visiting and giving talks and lectures. Politicians, authors (even niche ones: me!), professors, bright young folks (me, long ago!), environmentalists, journalists, dignitaries, monks, Nobel prize winners, venture capitalists and so on and so forth.

I am astounded at the ability to have access to so many brilliant and leading minds. If I have some time then I can take an hour out, go listen to someone brilliant and stretch my brain on a wide variety of topics.

Check these out:

After a while at any company your mind gets stale, you can't get out except for a conference or such. At Google you have alternatives.

This past year I have learned about microexpressions from Paul Ekman (be careful if you see me intently scanning your face!), saw the light when Barack Obama spoke, realized why John Chambers is so well admired, sat two seats away from Al Gore (the day before he won his Nobel prize!), had lunch with Guy Kawasaki, gave a presentation right after Ian Ayres (!!) and well I could keep going. I am sure you get the point.

At Google I am grateful to have the chance to exercise brain, get a new idea, learn something I otherwise would not have. It is priceless!

# 6: The sheer amount of brilliant Google employees.

There is a myth that everyone who works at Google is smart / brilliant / genius / replace your own term here. That is not true. Not everyone.

You'll still be astounded at the hit rate of truly brilliant google employees to the sub brilliant ones (see Mom, I can be diplomatic!).

It really does not matter who you are and what you have done before. You could be the greatest at your own field, I assure you in your meetings and as you walk around you'll see and work with people who you think are genius.

It will keep you humble, and that is a good thing. :)

Here's an example. . .

This, as you'll surely recognize, is Hans Rosling. . . .

hans rosling-web analytics an hour a day-google

To people who have anything to do with data he is pretty much as good as it gets. His cube is ten meters from where I sit. When I see him I am as giddy as a school girl who has just seen Brad Pitt.

If you don't know who Hans is check out these two videos (a must watch for anyone who remotely things they present data or do data visualization):

He is scanning my book in the picture. Can you imagine how incredibly cool that is for a humble little web analytics author like myself? I of course insisted he keep it.

It is a lot of fun working with smart people because they push you to be better, because you are sure the collaboration will result in something beautiful. Even when you can't talk quite the same "language". . . .

web analytics metrics definitions-google

That's from my white board. Phil is in the blue. I am the red. Notice his use of math as visualization. Notice my method of visualization. I smiled in the end, he is "Googlely" in his approach, me less so!!

[PS: That is the standard definition of what constitutes a bounce in scenarios where additional pieces of data exist – like exit clicks, event logging entries etc – and what the impact is on standard computation of Time On Site in those scenarios. How cool is that? :)]

Not everyone at Google is brilliant, but you'll constantly find people who inspire you and who you'll learn from. It is nice to have so many people who you'll genuinely respect.

# 5: Empowerment (The big small company).

If you are good at something, have passion to do it then you'll get empowered to go do it.

I know that sounds basic. It is not.

You could be just out of college and if want to then you'll get to solve some of the most complex challenges you would ever find. At other companies you'll get put into a hierarchy with layers and controls were for the first four years you might learn where all the files are.

I am being a bit dramatic, but not all that much.

In my second week there I was walking over to lunch with a young man and he was describing his work to me. He had been at Google for less than a year, straight from college and had completely rewritten one of the most challenging "code" during the last few months and his work had yielded dramatic results for Google.

He is good at what he does but I was simply struck by how a company this size would let someone so young and "untested" the task for solving such a complex challenge. And how awesome must it feel to know that you did that!

That's what I mean by empowerment.

legos google nyc

[Google NYC campus building made out of legos, above.]

Google is not a very small company (GOOG). It is only ten years old, and it is a "big" company now. Yet it functions like a small company. People sit together, cross functional teams, and each group is holistically responsible for getting stuff done. Few layers, lots of empowerment.

It is a big small company. That is the secret.

If you want to bite of a humongo challenge, and I do mean humongo, then you can rest assured that you'll get a chance to do it. You have to be passionate about your cause and be competent at it. Your youth or old age, your big title or small one, your "tenure" at the company will rarely be barriers.

You want to get @#$& done? You can.

That's a good feeling.

# 4: The scale of your impact.

This one is my personal favorite.

Google is not quite as big as many companies out there, but in its space it has a huge user base for most of its applications (search and beyond). Anything you analytics menu-googlework on will probably touch hundreds of thousands of people – if not multiple times that.

It is such a awesome thrill when you see your work in the hands of so many folks on this planet.

I think of a small idea and collaborate with the team and bam (!) they make it a reality.

In a few days something that was just in your brain is now in the hands of hundreds of thousands of people!

I open the app and there is such a deep sense of gratification when I see parts of it that helped with ("mine! that's mine!").

But more than that there is a thrill in the realization that something I helped create takes out just a little bit of stress out (even if five seconds worth) of the Users lives, makes data just a smidgen easier to understand, make a tiny bit of difference in how their customer experience.

In many other companies it takes time to drive change (see #5 above), even then you are just a cog, and even then your power to touch people (end users) is limited.

The scale at which you can touch people and make a tiny bit of difference in their day to day life is huge at Google.

It is also very liberating that you can do the right thing, the products are mostly free so you don't have to worry about the vagaries of trying to do things that are fluff or driven by other interests. You can focus on the customers.

The impact, for you and me, results in a high, a very high high.

# 3: Doing Good: Green & .org

This might not resonate with everyone but it is very important to me. One of the reasons Intuit was so nice, they did so many good and charitable things.

I am a Northern California person, I am green, I buy everything in An Inconvenient Truth! :)

Google has lots and lots of green initiatives. From the solar panels on the car ports that are around the buildings. . . .

solary array car port-google

to initiatives like the greener cars (I know green car is a oxymoron) like the plugin hybrid. . . .

recharge it car-google

to the cup of juice that I pick up at breakfast. . . .

biocompostable cup - google

In small and big ways you'll see around the offices Google takes green seriously in a very real and meaningful way.

They also support great causes, like the matching program for OLPC (one laptop per child) when you could buy one laptop and one would be given free to a child in the third world. Google's match meant two laptops would be given out for the one you bought.

google.org is a very ambitious initiative to to make a immense difference in the world that we live in. Lots of companies are lucky to be blessed with great wealth. I am always biased in favor of companies that don't wait to make a difference, they take action right way. Be it google.org or WalMart and their CFL initiative or the, most ambitious of it all, efforts of the Gates Foundation.

At a personal level it feels good to be a part of a company that tries to make a difference (and some day Google will even lick the problem of how much power web servers consume!!).

# 2: It's a happening place. The energy, the vibe, the passion.

Cool projects + empowerment + size of impact = A energetic fun happening place.

:)

Google employees are a passionate bunch, the have a energy to themselves regardless of how big or small their project is, and they are passionate. People work hard (and I might stress play hard, see below), and you feed off their energy.

volleyball googleplex

There is this constant sense that you are doing something to change the world, there is very positive vibe.

A great example is Testing On The Toilet.

Yes you heard it right.

I can only speak for the mens restroom of course. As you stand (or sit :) you can't fail to notice that in front of you a page that teaches the importance of testing. Each week a new "episode". Techie stuff, python and sawzall and bigtable and loops and so on and so forth.

That would be inconsequential (just like the sign that says "wash your hands after using the bathroom"). But the amazing thing is that these docs, deeply technical as they are, are written with a great sense of humor. Often subtle, usually techie, always entertaining.

It is not unusual for even someone like me to just stand there and read the whole thing (sadly blocking traffic!). I don't understand everything they teach but I am consistently struck by how well written it is, and the passion of the people who take writing better code so seriously.

It's just a example of the energy that you'll see, passionate people trying to do the right thing with a smile.

As Martha would say "That's a good thing."

# 1: The brand.

My son Chirag will be four in a couple months. The first word he could spell without looking at it was G O O G L E. I think he was two and half.

I don't wear too many Google shirts, I don't have too much Google stuff. He had visited Google a couple of times, he loves walking around, looking at stuff etc. As a result he has this deeply favorable view of the Google "brand".

I was impressed. Remember this is a little kid (he can spell more things now!).

The interesting thing is that the Google brand has the same effect on people of all ages. There is a thriving cottage industry in sub optimal google thoughts, but for the most part people have a wonderful positive response when you tell them you work for Google (even as a consultant!).

My friend Blaire was telling me how she gets stopped and asked nice things when she is wearing the Google "girl power" t-shirt. That's branding.

google-doodles

People have a positive opinion of Google and it transfers to your sense of pride in your company. Goes to show if you just produce a good product it can translate into something remarkable (something worth remarking).

Google is amongst a select list of companies that will look good on your resume for some time to come, there is little doubt about that.

Phew, deep breath.

That's the top ten reflecting on my own experience as a consultant at Google.

There are other things that full time employees might list, the 20% time, or 401k or health insurance or other benefits.

A parting thought. . . .

Google is 10 years old. Just 10 years old. The top ten list above illustrates perhaps some of why it has become so good so fast. Some things above are hard to do, but most big companies (say Fortune 1,000 atleast) can easily do all of them. Yet they don't.

The net net of all of the above is, IMHO, that Google is a faith based initiative. If you treat your employees exceptionally and give them room to breath, then they will reward you exceptionally.

What about the future?

google

What the company and its people have accomplished thus far is simply astounding.

But it has yet to face a shock, yet to truly feel pressured, yet to miss earnings for a couple of quarters.

It will.

It is not a question of if, it is a question of when. Circle of life.

It faces many challenges. It is doing many things right and it is probably doing other things wrong, and it does not know it yet. Time will tell.

There is a famous quote used by the great Warren Buffett. . . .

      "It's not until the tide goes out that you realize who's swimming naked ."

Google's greatness, and longevity, will be determined by not what it would have done until that point. But what it does when the tide goes out. Which perks go first, who makes the first sacrifices, what happens to the list of 10 above?

I am hopeful, based on my experience, that it will make the right choices.

PS:
Couple other (non Google, but leadership) related posts:

Comments

  1. 1

    "… my level of gourmet is slowly moving up!"

    Using mild chilli sauce now eh? Hold him back! He'll be using grated *named* cheese in no time!!

    ;-)

  2. 2

    Thanks for the insight. I've heard great things about working for Google. I've got a bit of a ways to go building up my skills as a web analyst, but one day I'd love to work there. Maybe I should bookmark this post for inspiration :)

  3. 3

    Avinash, I enjoyed this post. Frankly, it sounds too good to be true! But I am encouraged by your story of taking this role and passing on the big-ego, big-title opportunities that you did to pursue this, and it worked out. It gives me confidence to continue to pursue only what I'm passionate about and not focus on what other people think! Blessings to you in this new Year of the Rat!

  4. 4

    Wow.

  5. 5

    Hi Avinash,

    Great recruitment ad for Google ;-> Amazing what they have achieved in remarkably short time. With AdWords & AdSense continuing to provide buckets of money, it's going to be a long while before Google will face a 'shock' The key: Relevance. As long as GOOG provides the most relevant results in its countless offerings, anyone else remains in 2nd place…

    Chris

  6. 6

    Of course we had already read that Google was the #1 place to work the last two years running and then you sharing this… really makes the rest of us quite jealous! Just remember to count your blessings.

  7. 7

    I might have to reconsider working at Google now! Question is, are you? :)

  8. 8

    I know great people work at great places other than at Google, but usually the concentration of GREAT people all in one place is not as prevalent as it is at Google. I know though, that there are certainly the typical disgruntled employees there as there are at any company, regardless of how great. But I'm sure the number of them is greatly diminished.

  9. 9

    Hi Avinash,

    Great post – we all hate you now. ;-)

    I've always wondered why other companies do not offer the same benefits as Google.

    My hypothesis is:

    a) Google grew very fast but still retained its small company mentality. So it could afford the big company benefits and does it exceptionally well and with style.

    B) Big companies are often long living or "old". They have traditions and organisational structures that are simply hard to break up.

    Google is big and young. How many others are like that?

    I just hope that with time Google will set the standard in employee treatment the same as it does with search.

    Thanks,
    Michael

  10. 10

    Avinash,

    I think 1) It is great that you love what you do and can do it with a company that you feel good about working with. James Brausch might not agree (he's all about Freedom Business Systems) but it's rare to find work that brings joy.

    Also thank you for the Analytics Demystification post. I am just getting started with analytics and that is some eye opening information. When I was originally looking at it all it just seemed so confusing but now I've got 10 points and counting.

  11. 11

    Nice post Avinash. It sounds like you've had a great time at Google.

    As you mention, with so many millions of users and such a strong brand, it seems coupling your passion of web analytics with Google's products can, "make the world a better place."

  12. 12

    Avinash – Fascinating piece. No doubt corporate culture and innovation are major factors in a company's success. It's truly amazing how Google has managed to hold onto that and virtually nobody else can, or will. Thanks for sharing!

  13. 13

    2, 3, 6 8 and 10 are temporary and more a function of G's outsized profits = they go when outsize profits go, pure and simple.

    This act has played many times before, and what's funny is, each time the people who are playing the play mistake market timing and business cycle karma for their own magnificence.

    Women of Google photo shoots in Marie Claire, .org's to engineer cures for the world's ills, Priuses and 4000ft2 homes side-by-side, left-leaning voters and right-leaning ad matching algorithms. Oh, and 60-70% of revenues from brand terms. Icarus' wax is melting. . .

  14. 14

    Michael : You are right about your hypothesis, the only think missing there, IMHO, is this interesting ability that google has shown towards taking on "faith based initiatives".

    Most companies (Not all) don't do some of these these things because there isn't a cold blooded ROI number that can be computed for it (what's the hard ROI of having healthy snacks in the micro kitchens?).

    At Google they have shown a amazing ability to just go on faith that these things pay off. That is hard to do for most companies (and perhaps, as Chris points out, "easy" to do for Google).

    Notice the delightful irony of reading about the niceness of making "faith based decisions" on a hard core quantitative web analytics blog! :)

    Chris : Atleast I made it through your filter on 1, 4, 5, 7, and 9!! I'll take that.

    You are right about elements of this story and its re-occurrence. What Google has done (even if only for the new items) thus far is unique and interesting.

    Time will tell the story that is yet to unfold.

    Thanks.

    -Avinash.

  15. 15
    Alice Cooper Stalker says

    Avinash,

    Thanks for the post and insights. As an outsider, when I think of Google, I think of a culture that truely lives and breathes innovation. You always hear about the 20% guideline where employees are encouraged to spend 20% of their time in a given week working on 'pet projects' that are meaningful to them. What a great way to support and create innovation at a company. So many other companies are focussed in on 'time reporting' and what you did with your time. Google is inspiring and their non-confirming tactics are the key to it's advantage. Other companies can't keep up.

  16. 16

    Wow! That sounds so great! I remember before I've seen Google's offices from around the world and I was impressed. But now after reading your articles and insights on how it is to work in Google made me more impressed.

    How I wish I can work there as well..^^

  17. 17

    When is Google going to follow Microsoft to Cambridge, UK? Cambridge has some of the great things about Google like lots of clever people and lectures from Noble Prize winners to me. But do not forget the food – it looks fantastic – and would go well with the college port!

  18. 18

    I keep hoping the Chicago Googleplex will grow and become like it's Valley cousin. I live just down the street from it, so maybe it'll eventually swallow up our home and make my wife and I employee s :)

    I do think Google faces a lot of challenges keeping their "way of life" as they become a mega-corporation, but they certainly deserve credit for what they've built so far. Glad to hear you're enjoying the experience.

  19. 19

    Impressive ! Google must be the best firm to work in. Thanks for your feedback. What will be the next step in your carreer Avinash ?

  20. 20

    Can you follow up with a post on the people issues of the effect of all the wealth Google has created being unevenly distributed. Not that there is anything wrong but it must be strange to have relatively junior people who joined early being incredibly wealthy. How do people manange people who are financial independent? It must make for an upside down world!

  21. 21

    Further to my last comment, what can others learn from the Google experience in this matter of wealth creation and distribution and how it changes lifes?

  22. 22
    Alice Cooper Stalker says

    Philip,

    While you raise an interesting observation….I think that overall, it is irrelevant. Your comments imply that a corporations's hierarchy should be based on net worth and that the people that report to you should have less money than you. Avinash's post spoke about the passionate individuals at Google. My guess is that regardless of what their net worth is, these are the type of people that crave challenges and are there to be part of the overall progress that the company is making. These people get out of bed and come to work to contribute each day. They are big boys and girls. I believe that you can have money and still contribute. Working for a manager that thought I should be in a lesser financial situation than them so that they could intimidate me or threaten to take away my income in order to get me to do what they specifically want me to do would be a situation that I wouldn't want to be in because obviously, this type of manager is not a good manager.

  23. 23

    As soon as Google takes me up on my Google-Perth Expansion Office offer then I'm all about gourmet and volleyball and a mint on my pillow too.

    Sounds awesome, seriously, good on ya for scoring a gig there. I honestly have dreamt of working for Google since I first heard it's name. You're living my dream.

  24. 24

    What Google has done is simply astounding. From a technology standpoint, I have tried to switch to other search engines hoping to break the dependency but come back within a week as search results are just not as relevant.

    Also, you need to own a website and manage it through the Google Webmaster tools to realize how far behind its competitors are. Google just puts you in control and gives you everything you need to manage your website.

    Google culture rocks. When people live in Austin, TX they do not want to move to CA due to cost of living. But that rule breaks down when it is Google. Many of my friends have moved to CA just to work for Google. But you are right, it is a matter of what the company does when the momentum slows down that will define the company. Remember when Qualcomm was #1 in 100 Best Companies to Work For, it was also the same year when its stock soared to > $900. Coincidence…

  25. 25

    Philip : As you can imagine I get to work with all different kinds of people, from a distribution perspective.

    People who joined early, people who came to Google after being acquired, and some who are on the Forbes list.

    In my experience I have noticed absolutely no difference in their outlook or mindset or approach.

    I have thought about it for a day, since you posted your comment, if I was surprised at how things are. I think I am not surprised.

    The Silicon Valley is very unique place when it comes to primary motivations relating to why people work. Additionally Google is a unique place in of itself in terms of its organization structure (very flat) and in terms of why people work there. I think that makes this be a non issue in my own humble experience.

    Let me hasten to add that this is still the land that capitalism built. The fire, the ambition, the desire to do something innovative is strong and in some harmony with having the right mental model.

    -Avinash.

  26. 26

    Avinash, thanks for the insights. As someone who currently works in the depths of a fortune 20 company, I have always admired Google's culture.

    Although I don't know anyone personally that works for Google, what Ive read over the years on multiple occasions is inspiring.

    Its proves that a large company can operate without selling its soul for revenue. That if its people are passionate about what they do, then the sky is the limit for that company.

    The earlier post about the challenges of managing someone who may be wealthier than you (Google's early staff) is typical of a traditional work place mentality.

    It suggests that you must force your teams into performing their duties. Passion eliminates the need for so many traditional workplace policies but if you don't give new culture a chance, you'll continue to generate corporate zombies.

    Thanks for sharing your experience on working at Google.

  27. 27

    So impressive post.

    I am very happy to read this kind of witty one.

    BTW one question about "red badge".

    Even though I read some sentences after "red badge", still no idea.. ^^;;

    'Cause English is not my native one. But I agree English is very interesting language.. :D

    I am using Hangul for koreans.. I hope much more netizens or foreigners learn this one. ??( same meaning with ;-) )

    I agree most of tens, and hope similar experience in the future.. FYI I am a consultant, too. ^^

    I appreciate this post and your time again.

  28. 28

    Minjae : Your english is fine, I really appreciate having your thoughts. The "red badge" is a inside joke.

    Consultants (/contractors / temporary employees) at Google have a red box under their picture on their badge. Here's mine….

    red badge google

    Permanent Google employees (/full time employees) have a "white badge". Under their picture they will just have the name and some of the colorful google balls around it.

    So you see I was just making a inside joke (that perhaps only other Googlers would understand!).

    But now you know. ??

    Thanks for taking the time to write a comment.

    -Avinash.

  29. 29

    Very proud you use "??".. Thanks..

    BTW I am moved you donate the profit you get from the book titled "Web Analytics: An Hour a Day". I will send a surprising picture of the book with my second daughter.

    Definitely I understood..

    I will post one with your badge.. ^^

  30. 30

    I think you hit the nail on the head with why it must be great to work at Google, Avinash. The food and accommodations must certainly be mentioned and certainly receive the most attention and envy from outsiders, but being surrounded by motivated and innovative people must be the best part and I am glad you acknowledge that point. I think everything else feeds into that. Great (free) food, comfortable and creative surroundings, and the freedom and encouragement to foster your individuality within the team feeds into the high degree of motivation and innovative creativity. I would love to have that constant source of inspiration and like you love being challenged and opened to new ways of thinking. I respect and admire Google for taking this approach and feel that the ROI for the perks is more than covered by the innovation it fosters.

  31. 31

    Wow, this was an amazing read. Thank you so much for this. I've been so inspired by this article. I'm just starting my own company (Ukunto) and these are the things that I intuitively would like to implement into Ukunto in an authentic way.

    I really also enjoyed learning about Hans Rosling. What a great mind.

    Again, thank you so much for taking the time to write this article (it must have taken quite some time).

    Cheers, Hans

  32. 32

    I enjoyed your article.

    It reminded me of the days when I worked 20 years in R&D at HP starting as a summer intern in 1978 until I left in 1998 after 20 years to do things on my own.

    What amazes me about Google is how you get so many of us to do product development. You simply give us ads to place on our sites and we figure out how to get readers interested enough to read them. It is brilliant!

    I hope Google can continue to inspire employees. The "old HP" is long gone but in the old days, I built things like TV descramblers to get HBO for free from the air before that became illegal…. we did it just to learn how and then prove we could do it, all for fun and learning. Not too many companies are like that any more.

  33. 33

    Very interesting. It's hopefully the beginning of a trend as I know of some other companies with employee treatment like this imprinted into their corporate cultures. It often makes people work more and better as a result of simply treating them like people and doing what you can do help them.

  34. 34
    Vijay Chakravarthy says

    Cmon, it would have been much more fun to show a picture of Hans swallowing swords!!

  35. 35

    Wow. You almost make me wish I were younger.

    I've worked for myself most of my life because working anywhere else was too boring and mind numbing. Google sounds like a place I could work.. oh well, no "life do-overs" :-)

  36. 36

    Thanks for this read, i found it very insightful and would like to read more about the big G and what makes it tick… purely for serp purposes :-) Only kidding!! Thanks again.

  37. 37

    This was the way of an american worker, in my fathers era. My father is 79 now. Pride in work, appreciation from the upper staff, family picknics. I am glad for you. I wish the world could be a google.

    Captain Carl

  38. 38

    Nice article. Its very important for a company to take care of its employee to keep them intuitive, contented and productive. Google does it all. I am a Google fan, currently a Program Manager, wish to be a Product Manager in Google few years down the line. I am looking forward to that day. :)

  39. 39

    Very warm and fuzzy but just remember that the only purpose of a company is to make money for its shareholders so as soon as that stops or slows down, out go all the hugs and kisses. In fact the purpose of those teddy bears is to get employees to produce more/better/faster, etc. so I don't see it as an example of how to run a company unless its just an example of how to run a company to make more money. In that vein it has been very successful.

  40. 40

    Do they really serve "chemical-free" food at Google?

    How do you serve "chemical-free" food to engineers without inspiring laughter?

  41. 41

    Hi Avinash!!!
    This is by far one of my favourite article! I really enjoyed reading about your experience at Google.
    My favourite was the pic of Google NYC campus building made out of legos.
    I always enjoy reading your posts!

    thanks for sharing.
    best regards,
    Jia Adil

  42. 42
    Pertilly says

    What a wonderful article! I am currently an executive at Google and hope that, in the interest of fair journalism, you will not remove this post. There are a few things you should be aware of for when you become full-time:

    1.) Google is, first and foremost, a business. You will see more and more movement toward measuring ROI and cutting budgets in 2008 and beyond. This is what successful corporations do…

    2.) Corporate politics are alive at Google. Given the magnitude of headcount growth – doubling size in one year – there will be growing pains that manifest themselves in turnover, restructuring our org charts, lay-offs (disguised as firing to protect the stock price), and an increase in the number of "corporate climbers."

    It's important to stay aware of these things so you will be better prepared for when they do happen – and you will become more resilient to the change.

    Watch for the signs:
    * Slowly cutting back of benefits (incentives, perks, food) little by little
    * More people suddently leaving to "pursue other opportunities"
    * Sudden re-structuring of teams (shuffling of managers)
    * More explanation required from us to describe our projects/tasks impact on the bottom line (paperwork)
    * Events downsized (Google events/parties canceled or minimized)
    * Less schwag (ie. no more T-shirts, etc)
    * More automation (reducing need for headcount)
    * Reduction in the hiring of contractors or temps (and letting current contracts expire without renewal)

    Please stay aware…

  43. 43

    Pertilly,

    Would a company that is healthily growing always keep those perks up, because they are part of the running costs of a company? I think the only way for staying in business is to constantly grow and therefor be ahead of the inflation.

    Your argument would implement that the people that run google become more and more greedy for the sake of the stock holders. Which brings me to a whole new point, a company that just stays in the hands of a few investors (not at the stock market) can make decisions that might not be good for a company owned by stockholders, but that are good on the long run. Isn't this the reason why RedBull was able to stay this successful?

    Anyways, I just started a very small company (http://www.ukunto.com) and I've thought about what I'm going to do when the point comes to go public or not. I think I will try to hold on to it (if it ever comes to that point) so that the company can be successful and have lots of healthy ROI for my kids and kids kids.

    Cheers, Hans

  44. 44

    Pertilly ,

    Your post seems as if its a prediction based on what corporations have traditionally done.

    All be it there are some things that Google may not be able to avoid since they are publicly traded.

    However, I wonder if Google's culture and openness towards creativity can overcome the loss of productivity and loss of quality products big businesses experience when they go down the road you've mentioned.

  45. 45

    I've read a little about Google and how wonderful it treats its employee. Your benefits are equal in some instances above (401K) to benefit standards in Germany. Ever thought about having a knitting instructor enrich your employees free – unwind time? I’m more than happy to have a serious conversation about it. People who knit and crochet are relaxed, productive and creative. Talk about repetition… Although, knitting is comprised of only two stitches, knit and purl. However, due to a multitude of variations of these two stitches they’re magically forming the most beautiful patterns you can find in today’s fashion world.

  46. 46

    Thanks for making such a great summary of what it's like to work at Google!

  47. 47
    smartguy says

    Interesting post, thanks. I would have guessed google would be a great place to work.

    Too bad you have bought into Gore's "climate in crisis" BS though. If he believed it he would practice it.

  48. 48

    Hi smartguy,

    how is he not practicing it? Don't make such comments and don't even have the guts to put a URL into the post so that people can find you :-)

    Cheers, Hans

  49. 49

    Hello Avinash, it's a great post about and for Google! I really glad that there are people which are happy at work. And I dream about Google. I think it will be a great experience for me to work there. Anyway have a lot of great and fun working days! )

  50. 50

    Hi,

    Its Great to know your feelings about Google. It is encouraging me to be a part of google. You have Portrait your experience in such a away that it made me read till end though my office got over an hour back.

    take care and All the best

  51. 51
    Emanuel Vazquez says

    You guys make google seem AMAZING! I bet it is as amazing as it sounds. Free gourmet, Sweet!

  52. 52

    Was looking for someone on who/ and found this blog somehow. Good one though I wish you had taken pic of some desi food at Char***s ;)

  53. 53

    Thank you for this post. While I still consider myself a Yahoo fan (sorry:) ) I did enjoy my visit to the google plex last summer when I was in the bay area. It was like a college atmosphere in that people we having fun, laughing, and enjoying themselves. Almost everyone wore a google t-shirt and the energy was amazing.

  54. 54
    Aaron Addie says

    I think Google is the ideal dream job. Everything that Google offers is pretty much what people need and use on a daily basis. You don't have to leave the job because everything is right there for you at all times. There even open for all ideas, questions and comments. Also they dont mind feedback.

  55. 55

    It all sounds great, but I must say I love the one about having Hans Rosling 10 meters away from your station. For someone working with making sense out of data, it's a lot like working on detachment and having Dalai Lama meditating next door.

  56. 56

    It all sounds great, but I must say I love the one about having Hans Rosling 10 meters away from your station. For someone working with making sense out of data, it’sa lot like working on detachment and having Dalai Lama meditating next door.

  57. 57

    Thank you for this post as I've been wondering for quite awhile as to what goes on for someone working at Google. I read somewhere that Google produces 30% of it's energy from solar panels alone and was great to see actual photos of the panels on top of the car port roof. Thanks again!

  58. 58

    Great post Avinash! As a student in the tech field, I find posts such as these especially interesting, mostly as a prospect for the future. It seems like you really enjoy what you do. I'll definitely be a regular here at your blog from now on.

  59. 59
    Derek Vinson says

    I think this article was outstanding and very informative. The article showed me that there some good companies operating in a manner of achieving the company's goals and as well take care of the company's employees.

  60. 60

    Thank you for the insight. It would be good to translate some [even one] of the workplace practices into our small piece of the corporate world. Perhaps I'll make it my mission to replace the plastic cups with corn ones.

    Ironically I only found your 10 insights by using alltheweb, googling gave me an 'anti' site… still useful though. Cheers.

  61. 61
    Bobby Q says

    This is a great insight to working at Google. Being an employee myself, I can really appreciate all it has to offer.

    Here's a post i wrote on Jobnfo:
    http://www. jobnfo.com/taxonomy/term/13,1

  62. 62

    It all sounds great, but I must say I love the one about having Hans Rosling 10 meters away from your station. For someone working with making sense out of data, it’sa lot like working on detachment and having Dalai Lama meditating next door.

  63. 63

    Thanks for making such a great summary of what it’s like to work at Google!

  64. 64

    Thanks for making such a great summary of what it’s like to work at Google!

  65. 65

    Last year we were doing research about Google for a final year management unit. I wish I found your blog post right here. Google is a remarkable company. There should be more Googlers blogging about working Google, it's a big deal in the history of management.

  66. 66
    توبيكات says

    Last year we were doing research about Google for a final year management unit. I wish I found your blog post right here. Google is a remarkable company. There should be more Googlers blogging about working Google, it’s a big deal in the history of management.

  67. 67
    منتديات says

    It would be good to translate some [even one] of the workplace practices into our small piece of the corporate world. Perhaps I’ll make it my mission to replace the plastic cups with corn ones.

  68. 68
    Austin Chan says

    I am only 15 years old, and I've heard many times that Google is one of the best places to work, and this post by Avinash may change my life. One of my high prospects on my to-be list.

  69. 69

    Great Post, You are very lucky to be working with Google. I heard that Google is the best company for its great service to its employees. They also have a big aquarium where your eyes can relax there. Surely Google is one of the company which I will love to work for. Cheers and thanks for sharing your amazing working experience in Google.

  70. 70

    What a great list! I think it would be a good opportunity to work for google for any amount of time. Thanks for sharing.

  71. 71

    Wow! That looks awesome!

    Working at Google looks more like a lifestyle than a job!

  72. 72
    Surekha James says

    Hi Avinash

    Awesome awesome awesome post. I cannot stop saying that. Awesome!

    The truth is, I have been working exactly one year now in the IT industry. And purely on impulse I 'googled' working at Google. And I got this. This is so great. I really don't know how to explain the kind of appreciation that I have that you took the time to write this article, for whatever reason.

    You see, I love my work. The complex programming. The logical and sometimes quite illogical challenges. They thrill me. They make so undefinably happy. I've never been happier.

    But what makes me even happier is that I read this and I discovered that I can still keep working in this industry if I can at some point work for Google. I don't have to sell my soul to be satisfied at work and with my work. Thanks so much. You made my day. Literally.

  73. 73

    does it ever feel like they do this to keep u incases? to like give up your outterworld commitments? they provide all this so that they can keep their emplyees as focused on the job rather than excess worries outside the world. i believe google is a great employer but would you ever get tired of the same thing day in day out?

    i mean there are like 10 000 applicants per position!! its gotta be good.

  74. 74

    Hi,

    It's a wonderful article!!! It's amazing that all ideas can be converted into actions (applications!). And more than anything, the work – life balance at Google is amazing!!!

    When you said that google is yet to face a shock, the first thought that came to my mind is the mobile apps! I hope Google improves it's Mobile Apps. :)

  75. 75
    Robbie Osenga says

    Good Morning,

    I stumbled across this blog post and just wanted to say I really enjoyed it! I am coming out to tour the Mountain View Campus in a month and this really gave me some great insight. If you are still at google, I would love to meet up with you when I'm there. Here is my hope in coming to visit:

    I am a school principal, educational consultant & motivational speaker located in Central Illinois. As a school leader, it is becoming very clear that public education today, doesn't look a whole lot different from the 1950's. I think we are heading in the right direction, by trying to make education more collaborative and more about the ability to problem solve than to regurgitate rote facts. However, few seem to know what that looks like in practice. Ken Robinson has put out a great video talking about this gap, and it really does a great job asking questions. You can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U.

    I would like to help provide my educational community with the answers to the questions Ken Robinson is asking, and in my opinion part of the answer looks a lot like Google, in the way they run there organizations and the culture you promote on your campuses.

    In December I am going to make the journey Mountain View, CA to simply spend some time in there environment. I hope to experience the collaborative, creative and innovative culture, and dialogue with team members about ways in which we can move education forward.

    Here are the questions I am going to ask while out there:

    1. There appears to be a self-directed or self-regulated drive in this organization’s DNA; in what ways is this fostered and encouraged?

    2. What role does work environment/aesthetic play into your ability to be innovative on an individual level? How about at the collaborative level?

    3. Describe your individual process when seeking to be innovative, find a solution to a problem or complete a project.

    4. Describe your collaborative process when seeking to be innovative, find a solution to a problem or complete a project.

    5. In what ways did your k-12 education prepare you for what you are doing personally and professionally today?

    6. If you could change one thing about the typical educational process what would that be & why?

    My hope is to take the experience and information gathered from there and use it to motivate educators, lead students, and initiate new programs to encourage innovation and leadership for schools, and in particular high schoolers in Central Illinois. So, with that being said, I was wondering if you would be willing to have myself and a filmmaker friend of mine spend some time with you.

    I know you don't know me from Adam, but I hope that what I have shared resonates with you, and that you might consider spending some time. I appreciate all you do for google and our world and culture! Thanks in advance for your help, and I hope to hear from you soon!!

    Robbie

  76. 76

    One day…will share the same! :) Its wonderful to see your thoughts about Google…! Thanks for a wonderful walk down the Google Lane!

  77. 77
    Pritam Mohanty says

    Hey Avinash,

    I was using google to find something else and was really LUCKY to come across this article of yours. It is genuinely great and I got to know so much about Google, as an organization.

    You have explained the work culture, the atmosphere, the food, the people, the thought leadership and much more… so brilliantly, more over with such tiny details & pictures. I'm sharing this with my friends and colleagues and throw some light on the disparity of working styles of different companies…

    A BIG THANK YOU to YOU.

    Cheers,
    Pritam

  78. 78
    Srikant Aggarwal says

    I wish I could be part of the organization some day.

  79. 79
    Chrystal Fabian says

    My dream is to work for Google. Maybe someday an office will open in Salt Lake City.

    Until then…

  80. 80

    Avinash – great post. Interesting to get the Google perspective from someone on the inside.

    I am always excited to learn about company cultures and this shows some of the magic that is Google.

    Beyond the bowling alleys and free food is a company that empowers is people to be their best and give their best.

  81. 81
    Henry Shen says

    Thanks a lot for your article and the time you spent on writing it.

    I can feel it … believe me … the fresh culture of Google, as opposed to a big networking company in Silicon Valley, where the atmosphere is so oppressive … feeling like zombies walking in a cold dark cave, with no passion, devotion, enthusiasm, etc. I think working for my company is real miserable, so I just resigned … An opportunity of working for Google as a contractor popped out which made me Google for some information and get your post.

    Thanks!

  82. 82
    C_Peterson! says

    That sounds like a dream company, It is *Google* after all :)

    Thanks for sharing this post. I think great companies are made with great people and values. A workplace which is nothing less then a curse can never be that successful. It feels really nice to know about the internal behavior of this magnificent company.

  83. 83

    I really enjoyed reading your post on Google. What an awesome company.

    They treat the employees really well. This post gave me an insight into how Google works. Google is majestic and really great..

    Thanks for the information.

  84. 84
    Javier Struk says

    I think google is a very nice place to work, the environment make you feel is not a Job.

  85. 85
    Veronika says

    Still impressed… One of my former foreign exchange students was hired by Google. She loved working in CA and is now back in Germany working for Google in Berlin. Impressive to say the least.

    I am using Google products throughout my teaching and love them all.

Trackbacks

  1. […]
    10 Insights From 11 Months Of Working At Google

    Here is a great piece on someone NOT bashing Google for being the great company that they are:

    https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2008/02/10-insights-from-11-months-of-working-at-google.html
    […]

  2. […]
    I wish I could write as well as this.

    From Avinash Kaushik, the world’s coolest web analytics practitioner. I was fortunate to meet Avinash early last year at Web 2.0. More fortunate that he replied to an email after his presentation. And eternally grateful for the 2 visits to Google and him saying yes to working with us.

    The story I’m not going into is the one where his analytics work with a client of ours lifted their overall conversion rate by 10%. That might not sound like much but then again, this client turns over $350 million. As they say in the US, “You Do The Math…”

    Read his post twice. It’s all the brain food you need this week.
    […]

  3. […] Czytaj?c ten post na przemian zieleni?em si? i poci?em z zazdro?ci. Niech to b?dzie dla Was, dzieci, zach?t? do wyt??onej pracy. Ja mog? si? tylko pocieszy? tym, ?e na Politechnice Pozna?skiej za chwil? b?dzie tak samo… […]

  4. […] 10 Insights From 11 Months Of Working At Google – Sorry…no real PPC value here, this was just a cool blog post about the internal atmosphere of Google…loved this post. Lot's of valuable and actionable info in here about creating a motivational, profitable work environment. […]

  5. […] Read this fantastic blog post by Avinash Kaushik, who works in web analytics at Google. He lists 10 personal insights from the past 11 months he has spent at Google. The list reads like heaven to lil ole me who has spent far too many years in cubicle hell. Google even allows employees to cover 100% of their cubicle in tin foil, and then work like that! […]

  6. […]
    I did some snooping around, and found out that Google had bought Trendalyzer. I mentioned this to a couple of web analytics colleagues over lunch one day, and, the next thing I knew, one of them was pointing out that Avinash Kaushik had noted how he works 10 meters away from Rosling at Google (see #6). So, apparently Google bought Rosling along with his technology!

    I am admittedly a bit in awe of Rosling. It’s not just that he’s an incredibly sharp, passionate individual. It’s that he actually came up with a way to effectively represent 4 dimensions of data in a meaningful way. By illustrating time…using time…what he does is both simple and powerful.
    […]

  7. […] As of today I've been at Google for a year. I'll write something retrospective later, I'm too tired now. Another googler already wrote a lot from a similar perspective: 10 insights from 11 months of working at Google. […]

  8. […] Kaushik posted a list of ten things to envy about working at Google, which are, oddly enough, similar to the reasons Joel Spolsky says I would love being a sysadmin at […]

  9. […] 10 Insights From 11 Months Of Working At Google | Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik Google is a faith based initiative. If you treat your employees exceptionally and give them room to breath, then they will reward you exceptionally. (tags: google job management business) […]

  10. Google Analyzed…

    Now, before I start, this isn't about the typical metrics you expect to see in print. No graphs. No trend analysis. Not even Page Rank. This is a reflection on Corporate Culture by a man I believe is one of the finest and most sincere (and brilliant) web analytics people in the world: Avinash Kaushik. Here he is in his own words …

  11. […] 10 Insights From 11 Months Of Working At Google Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik […]

  12. […] This is an interesting read: 10 Insights From 11 Months Of Working At Google | Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik I NEARLY worked there, I actually got put off during the interviews as I was going for quite a senior role and the overiding quality they were looking for was "someone fun". Not that I can't do fun of course (if I try ), but am slightly more adept at other things… […]

  13. […] 10 insights from 11 months of working at Google. [Kaushik] […]

  14. […] An Hour a Day" because Mitch Joel recommended that book (in his podcast) and I found one of the most interesting blog articles about google ever. We've all heard the rumors about how it is to actually work at google, but this one was […]

  15. […]
    And now let me tell you about the second thing. Google.

    Yes, we’ve heard news reports of how fab this company is. But no real descriptions or photos right? You should go read what Avinash Kaushik, a Google analytics evangelist, has to say about Google.

    But duh. Isn’t he an evangelist? Shouldn’t he gush about the place?

    But hold your criticism until you read his blog post.

    I believe companies of the future should emulate after ones worth emulating.

    And until Google or Semco came along, we didn’t have a model to follow.
    […]

  16. […]
    The organizational psychologist in me loves to read insider accounts of life at innovative organizations like Google.

    10 Insights From 11 Months Of Working At Google | Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik
    […]

  17. […] The other reason I wanted to write this post was to bring home the importance of caring about people within your company. In a highly stressed out tech industry, this becomes all the more important. Some companies have been doing a great job at it and I wish others learn from them. Avinash Kaushik has a great scoop on 10 insights from 11 months of working at Google. I was quite impressed after reading this. […]

  18. […] As a follow up, here is the other side of the coin of what a fantastic environment feels like for an employee. […]

  19. […]
    Taigi, straipsnis apie žmogų, kuris dirba Google kompanijoj jau beveik metus. Jis rašo, kodėl jam ten gera dirbti. Kaip Google žiūri į savo darbuotojus, kaip juos lavina ir koki žmonės ten dirba. Labai įtikinamai parašytas straipsnis, taip įtikinamai, kad net pats užsimaniau padirbėti Google.
    Prašom: https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2008/02/10-insights-from-11-months-of-working-at-google.html […]

  20. […] Mrs. Parker would never let a Round Table discussion get too far without a bit of delightful professional jealousy to mix things up, and Ms. Erickson endeavours to follow her wicked example. 10 Insights From 11 Months of Working at Google at Occam’s Razor. Go on, drool. […]

  21. […]
    When, asked, what was it like working at Google, former Google employee Avinash Kaushik, says: “interesting, fun, surprising, insightful, inspiring, impactful, and more such words.”
    […]

  22. […] 10 Insights From 11 Months Of Working At Google | Occam's Razor by Avinash Kaushik […]

  23. […] Is It Like to Work With Facebook & Zuck? We have all heard about how it feels like to work at Google and how Google is the trend setter of creating the perfect environment for creativity and employee retention. But Facebook is different. Rarely have we ever heard about how it feels like to work with Mike Zuckerberg, a company that employs more than a 1,000 able people must have a story or two to share. […]

  24. […]
    A lot could be, and has been, said about why these companies top the list. Google’s 20% personal project time for engineers, lavish cafeterias, on staff barbers and oil changes at the office are easy candidates for reasons young people want to work for this online juggernaut. However, a look at the rest of the top 10 may reveal something else. Included are the U.S. Department of State, FBI, CIA, NASA, Teach for America and #11 is the Peace Corps.
    […]

  25. […]
    هذه التدوينة هي اطلالة سريعة على قوقل بمناسبة حصول الشركة حسب تصنيف مجلة Fortune على المركز الأول كأفضل مكان للعمل لعام ٢٠١٢. يصف السيد Avinash Kaushik العمل في قوقل بالمثير, الممتع، المثير للدهشه, الملهم و المؤثر وهكذا كلمات. بعد قرابة السنة من العمل في قوقل كتب السيد Kaushik تدوينة وصف بها انطباعاته عن الشركة في عشر نقاط , اخترت منها الآتي:
    […]

  26. […]
    The myriad cafeterias, free on-site haircuts, daycare, campus doctor, and speaker series — to name a few of the company’s perks — have even led some to call Googlers spoiled. But the people with access to these things appreciate it. This former Googler named the perks among the top 10 best parts about working there. Employees in this Reddit thread expressed similar sentiments. “I work in ads operations, and for people who like sysadminning, it’s as close to heaven as you can hope to get,” wrote Redditer flamingcow mentioning “crazy perks” as the first heavenly thing about the job.
    […]

  27. […]
    As it is, they don’t really give a shit about your desire for self-actualisation and whatnot. Tesco don’t really care about the love poetry of their shelf stackers, they want those tins of beans moved and stacked on the shelves ASAP. Companies pretend to care about their employees because unlike the milling machine humans are complicated beasts and you sometimes get better performance out of them by addressing their non-work issues. In the very distant past I recall The Firm doing some elements of this, it was a fun place to work in the early days and the BBC’s Television centre also had its own esprit de corps.
    […]

  28. […]
    Another item to consider is the sheer volume of money Google, Facebook, and other giants spend on their campuses. From bowling alleys to free café’s, laundry service, and building layout, they’ve thought of everything and brought the cube farm walls down. The net results, both Google and Facebook have each been ranked the number one company to work for. Facebook was named Glassdoor’s best company to work for in 2013 while Google topped Fortune’s 2013 best list.
    […]

  29. […]
    Google invested in providing a great dining experience for employees at its campus which also includes pool tables and swimming pools.  They were on track to hit an all-time high share price last month and currently rank #1 on the Forbes magazine Best Company to Work For list. The Parnassus Workplace Fund was created in 1984 – a mutual fund that includes companies that consistently land on that list – and it shows strong long-term growth, outpacing the S&P 500 Index for more than a decade. Dr. Noelle Nelson in her book “Make More Money by Making Your Employees Happy” cites the example of Alcoa that determined that safety (not profit or any other typical measure of company success) would be its focus in the late 80s and into the 90s.  Significant improvements in safety resulted in happier employees and also annual income growth near 500%!
    […]

  30. […]
    Kaushik A. “10 insights from 11 months of working at Google” [consultado el 22-07-2013]
    […]

  31. […]
    Harvard,Google,Apple, and the San Antonio Spurs all have a special "something in common". Are you really ready for the answer? That special "something" that these establishments have in common are (drum roll please) culture and a winning culture at that. When you think of anyone of these entities you imagine greatness. They strive to be the best in all facets of their particular arena. People ask me what is the difference between a championship contender and  those teams that are sub-par. The difference is in how the leaders of the organizations operate. It all trickles down from the top to the bottom.
    […]

  32. […]
    Are slides and ping pong tables important to a productive workplace? Going by the way we have looked at workplaces in the past it would seem to be just a distraction from work. Google employees would tell you it’s essential. The 20th century work environment was dominated by a carrot-stick approach to productivity but over the last few years this pursuit has begun to crumble away and rising from its ashes is something entirely different.
    […]

  33. […]
    10 Insights From 11 Months Of Working At Google – Feb 11, 2008 · It will soon be a year of working at Google and milestones are always a good time for introspection. I have a lot on my mind but there was one thing in ……
    […]

  34. […]
    Anything you work on will probably touch hundreds of thousands of people – if not multiple times that. It is such a awesome thrill when you see your work in the hands of so many folks on this planet. – Analytics evangelist on his personal blog, Kaushik.net. 
    […]

Add your Perspective

*