Even in a tough economy when there are often dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants for each job opening, smart employers know that giving employees perks and incentives leads to greater productivity.
Google is a shining example of this. Some of the perks they offer employees include free haircuts… an onsite gym… onsite play room with ping pong, foosball, and pool tables… washing machines on site and a dry cleaning service… and many more.
However, the perk Google gives their employees that I find the most fascinating – and that any company can clone for their own benefit – is allowing its employees to spend up to 20% of their work week on research projects of their own choice. So if an employee works 5 days per week, that means they can devote up to a full day on projects unrelated to their regular work load.
Why would Google do this? For starters, it keeps employees from getting stale and shows that the company gives them a unique benefit they couldn't get anywhere else. Equally important, Google says that a number of their products in Google Labs are the direct result of this policy. So it's a winning policy all around.
This is a policy you could easily clone for your own business. If a full day seems like too much, how about starting with half a day?
The benefits are many. You'll retain employeees longer (it costs far more to train a new employee than retain existing staff), increase employee satisfaction and productivity, and possibly get valuable new products or services as well.
Why not "Google" your business starting today?
Great post Bob! Too bad my boss would never go for that. Our company is too “professional”…
Completely agree! It 'seems' like a waste of time at first blush, but how many amazing ideas come from inventing, playing, figuring stuff out. You can't bottle that, IMO — you just have to let it happen.
And for further evidence of this, I believe Xerox did / does the same thing — a certain number of hours per week were allowed to be allocated to "Thinking" or something similar. Same strategy; probably same great results!
Brett.
Hi Bob,
Very interesting……to say the least. This type of thinking IS the way forward. We've only got to see the advanced ideas, and help ….for surfer and webmaster alike… that big G is cooking up for us to show that it works. Google does get some flak from time to time, deservedly so at times, however they are progressive and proactive in everything that they do. Let's follow in their footsteps and maybe ….just maybe we will enjoy the success that they have had.
All the best
Marcus
Wow, what a refreshing concept. I really wish I could do that in my business.
Ideas would be endless.
Google has it right. Most of us who work in the United States are not valued for our ideas, but for the time we put into it. 8-5, punch the clock. This is a leftover from the industrial age and if businesses are going to strive, they will need to follow the Google example. I recently created and launched a massive viral campaign and was crushed when the owner the company I work for rushed me out of the office at 5:10 p.m. because he was in a hurry to leave for the day. I had just launched a social media campaign with NO Budget and just the brains in my head and internet access. As you know, Bob, I was angry and crushed to be so unappreciated. That day I decided to do whatever possible to get out of that place and of course do I work hard and give them my best ideas now. Sadly, NO. They get my time and my labor, not my brains!
This is brilliant, Bob and I totally agree with Marcus above. People think that Google is the best because of their technology but that technology is developed by their people. They obviously know how to attract and keep great staff. Imagine if every company operated like this. What a world that would be.
Eric Haaranen
I agree the idea is a good one. Before I would impose this on an organization I would suggest you take this on yourself. Block time for yourself and see how it works. The challenges of making a person perform their normal duties in 32 hours might be resisted at first but could be overcome with some creative ideas as well.
@Mario – someday you might be someone's boss.
@PA – Find a problem, block some time and try it.
Good Hunting.
There are a few companies that have worked out that it pays to offer people time to do their own thing.
A very few companies are also embarking on something called ROWE which stands for results oriented work environment. This effectively gets people focused on delivering results.
It matters not one scrap whether people are in all day, a half day, a few hours etc.. They just have to deliver.
I think it was BestBuy who have implemented this strategy with some great results.
Regards from the UK
Steve
Great idea that motivate the employees and keep them with. Research is a subject that benefits the society what ever be the subject. The employer gets the cream. The employee feels the satisfaction of freedom. The inspiration to contribute the best needs nothing more than a subject of interest, research, a feast to the brain.
Fantastic I should add once more.
Great insight, Bob… In this case, Google has a great system for taking care of it's employees and it also increases productivity. More businesses should observe and implement similar practices.
Continued success!
- Matt
Thomas Edison said that his greatest invention was his laboratory where his team of inventors would "play". It was no coincidence that he was responsible for holding 1,093 patents in his name.
Google knows the same secret and that is why they are paving the way along the internet super highway.
letting employees do what they want is pretty easy … the harder part is to let them do what they want and have them do something that benefits the company.
Especially because they tend to not tell you what they came up with unless you set some points so they can be sure that nobody laughs about them etc.. Once they understand that its your intention for them to do their own company-benefiting stuff, it gets pretty productive … but you always have to fuel the process. just my experience
A line from an old song goes..
"I wan't to be free ..To do what I want to do"
Who would disagree with that thought train as far as their own life in concerned?
Smart of Google to enable their employees to move towards that ideal within the work place.
Great minds are often very curious minds that hate monotony.
Such a policy can only help Google lure in the best employees ( possibly at a cheaper price) and help keep them there longer term.
Obvious potential upsides as well in the new product production front from letting creative minds run free.
Cheers
Mick
I agree with the idea that we should try this on ourselves first (as business owners). Let us spend one day per week on thinking and exploring new ways to market, execute business processes, improve customer service and like.
This way, we will know how much regular work suffers because of this and be mentally prepared when there is some (initial) work lost due to employees indulging in 'explore new ideas'.
Arun