Google Talk: GOOGLE, WHAT EMPLOYEES SAY ABOUT GOOGLE, INC.

WHAT EMPLOYEES SAY ABOUT GOOGLE, INC.

Great Rated! collected feedback from Google, Inc. employees via an anonymous survey. Following are quotes that the data indicated represented common themes in employees’ feedback.

I've never worked at a company that I love and admire as much as I do Google. Not even close. There is hardly a day that passes, even after many years, in which I do not find myself thinking how fortunate I am to be here. This begins with a remarkable company culture built upon a clear underpinning of ethics and integrity, combined with the desire - and the ability - to do truly important things. If I were to sum up in as few words as possible why I love being at Google: Simply by being here, I feel very naturally motivated to be (and also very proud to be) my best possible self.

There are a ton of great perks - the free food, the inviting atmosphere, the vast array of projects that can be worked on - it's hard to pick just one. I've only been here a short time but I already feel pretty welcome and it's the first time in over a decade I've been excited to get out of bed and go to work in the morning. The focus on development and training is impressive. Most places I've worked I've been handed a project and a deliverable was expected right away. [However] here it seems that there is more concern that a new employee will learn about the company, its goals, its culture, how things operate, and working within the team than there is that a specific project will be completed quickly. I'm really impressed with the way things run and the amount of work people are able to complete.

The promotion process feels unfair. If you want a promotion, you need to start lobbying at least one year in advance.

Nap pods. Bikes. Free, amazing food. Stan the dinosaur. A fleet of employee transport buses. It feels like Google is as privileged to have me as I am to work here. Of course our pool of technical expertise is the best in the world, and our communication tools can't be beat. I mean, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn made a whole movie about how amazing it is to work here, and they don't even know the half of it. We build things that never stop feeling futuristic, and the internal pre-release versions are even moreso.

The atmosphere is amazing. Collaborative environment, friendly coworkers, everyone is extremely supportive and willing to help out. The amenities are great (gym, food, massage, etc.). It is very fun.

[I wish they would] increase amount of vacation days and be more encouraging to take them. Encourage more [of a] work/life balance.

Everyone here is given a chance to contribute regardless of their position; if they have an interesting idea, they are encouraged to pursue it - regardless of how profitable it is. This type of environment cultivates creativity and innovation. A work/life balance is strongly encouraged through extracurricular programs and resources. Google has teams that work specifically to help everyone [here] achieve a satisfying work/life balance, regardless of position and level. This includes having fitness classes early in the morning, at lunch and in the evening to allow Googlers to stay healthy no matter when they choose to come into work. They also provide food to ensure that Googlers maintain a healthy diet.

Sometimes we can't hire people quickly enough, and it's because we're really picky. There are obvious upsides to that, but the downside is that the workload spreads across the remainder of my group.

This is a very special place to work. The company knows employees are their greatest asset and give us the most they can to keep us happy and healthy.

The most unique aspect of working at Google is the complete transparency from our leaders. Each one is approachable, honest and committed to improving the company for the benefit of the employees, our customers and the millions of people who depend on Google every day. Leaders openly share company information that I never dreamed of having access to anywhere else I've worked. Former CEO Eric Schmidt routinely hosts video conferences where he gives detailed overviews of Board Meetings. Co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin address the entire company each week and open themselves up to questions from anyone who'd like to ask one. Anyone.

There are some growing pains - as the company gets larger there are some sacrifices: space gets a little tighter, events are more crowded, cross-team communication becomes more difficult, etc.

Google really cares about our happiness, and provides benefits to make it a better place to work. In addition to the typical benefits such as good health/dental/vision insurance, we are provided with other perks. We get free food/snacks/drinks, have health centers on campus, massages, gym, shuttle in to work, and many other perks. Among my favorites are the rock climbing wall and the bowling alley on campus. The perks Google provides make it a very enjoyable place to be, not just when working, but also leisure time.