Work Rules!

Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead

By Laszlo Bock

"Work Rules!" (2015) delves into Google's unique blend of operational brilliance and exceptional workplace culture. Penned by Laszlo Bock, Google's Senior VP of People Operations, this book uncovers the strategies Google employs to stand out as both a beacon of innovation and the world's most desirable employer.

Through Bock's insights, we learn the keys to attracting, nurturing, and retaining top talent, offering readers a comprehensive guide on creating an environment where innovation thrives alongside employee satisfaction.

About Laszlo Bock

As Google's Senior Vice President of People Operations, plays a pivotal role in shaping the company's global workforce. Tasked with the monumental responsibility of attracting, developing, and retaining over 50,000 "Googlers," his leadership has been instrumental in Google's acclaim as a leading employer.

Under Bock's stewardship, Google has achieved unparalleled recognition, securing the top employer position in the United States and 16 other countries over 100 times. His expertise in creating a thriving workplace culture is a testament to the innovative strategies that have propelled Google to the forefront of both technological advancement and workplace excellence.

Dive into the heart of Google's enviable workplace environment.

This distinction isn't solely attributed to the attractive stock options or the repeated accolades as the best place to work. At its core, Google embodies an ethos of personal liberation and intellectual camaraderie, a place where exceptional talents converge to redefine the boundaries of possibility.

The genesis of Google's esteemed culture can be traced back to its pioneering People Operations team, a beacon of HR innovation globally. Guided by Laszlo Bock, this division has been instrumental in cultivating an environment that champions Google's unique internal ethos.

This exploration will unveil:

• The rationale behind Google's unconventional approach to compensation;

• Insights on why financial incentives may paradoxically lead to employee dissatisfaction; and

• Strategies for attracting and securing top-tier talent, ensuring their longevity within the company.

Prepare to uncover the principles and practices that secure Google's position not just as a technological leader, but as a sanctuary for creativity and excellence.

The Core of Google's Culture

When you hear about working at Google, you probably think about beanbags, free food and other delightful perks.

But it isn’t the fun and the freebies that really makes Google so successful; it’s a manifesto of mission, transparency and voice.

Google’s mission is simple and powerful: “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

It’s a profound mission because firstly, it gives moral, rather than commercial meaning to employees’ work. That is, the information workers sift and sort through actually helps everyone who uses the search engine.

Second, the mission has no ceiling. A typical mission might be to become the market leader, but once this is accomplished, it’s no longer inspiring. At Google, however, employees are constantly motivated to explore new ways of organizing information.

Another key tenet of Google’s successful culture is its transparency.

In a traditional software company, a new engineer only sees the code from whatever projects they’re working on. At Google, however, a newcomer can access everything from product launch initiatives to another employee’s weekly status report.

Furthermore, each week the CEO updates the whole company on the past week and carves out time afterward for a 30 minute Q&A session. Thanks to this update, everyone knows who’s working on what, which ensures they don’t double up and work on it too. It also makes it clear who the go-to person is regarding a particular project.

Finally, Google gives every employee a voice. It values the input of everyone and gives them a say in how the company is run.

In fact, most practices within the company originated from employees.

In 2009, an annual Bureaucracy Busters program was launched so employees could identify their biggest frustrations.