Not only is Google the biggest Internet search engine, it also has one of the biggest, most interesting, workplace ever. Located in Mountain View California, it holds 8,000 or so employees. Because of this, it faces a lot of everyday challenges such as serving food for everyone: because Google has engaged itself to give free food to a minimum of three times a day. This commitment is the reason behind the urban legend of the Google 15. The Google 15 is the 15 pounds every new employee gets at the beginning of their hiring. Having one of the leaders in architecture, Clive Wilkinson Architects, gave them the opportunity to have a creative working environment. This company is responsible for giving a fresh and different look to the Googleplex. When we enter the Googleplex, you know it’s not like any other workplace you’ve been. The cozy atmosphere, the bicycles all around you, everything is different. Each and every single employee can use of his creativity to do his job. They are also allowed to bring pets at work, but mainly dogs. Furthermore, breakfast, lunch and dinner are all free of charge. The main cafeteria, The Charlie’s Place, was named after the creator of Google, Charlie Ayers. The different cafeterias around the campus, offers a lot of variety. Food such as sushi, organic food, meals from around the world can be found pretty much everywhere on the campus. If you feel hungry during the afternoon it’s easy to get something to eat. According to a blogger, Vasanth Sridharan, Google would approximately spend $72 of food, for each employees.
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Oh you're there?! Come in!!!
Google has over 20 buildings than can hold several thousand Googlers and more than 200 dogs. Due to some interest in environment, Google has an on-site organic garden supplies a portion of our cafĂ©’s produce. Further more, hundreds of community bikes are placed all around the campus. In the summer months, beach volleyball is a popular pastime at the Googleplex. Other than that, to prove their interest regarding environment, there is solar panels that produces about 30% of the electricity power necessary on the campus, it also helps to recharge our fleet of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles. Things such a physical health is important to the higher-ups of Google, heated “endless pools” are available year round and the Googleplex has four gyms. Durability is highly vital to the company, in fact, the floors made of tiny quartz stones that are more durable than carpet or wood. The Googleplex uses only sustainably harvested wood for construction. The building is certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which is a great accomplishment. The world has a great sentimental value to Google. In fact, lobbies display real time search from all over the world. Additionally each building has geographically named rooms. For example you need a bike to get from Tunis to Bora Bora. Finally, creativity is important for Google and writable surfaces are now a tradition there. It’s used for drawing and writing down ideas and master plans.
Monday, November 14, 2011
It's like on a campus!!!
Google came up with a fun working environment to help their employees to be more creative. October 2nd 2006, the newly moved Google building opened. It’s the second biggest Google office around the world after the original Googleplex in California. Googlers have all the reason in the world to stay at their office. Imagine everything you want : pool table, TVs, Sushi Bars, showers... It is probably there. Food at Google is really important; we could assume that it's food for thought. All the food from M&M to sophisticated espressos is free. The Campuslike atmosphere gives Google’s employees a new twist. In fact, instead of leaving on lunch hours, as most of New-Yorkers do, they are encouraged to stay at the office and socialize. They even created on Thursday a party called Thank God It’s Almost Friday. Dressing there is pretty casual, from jeans and t-shirts to classy suits wore with no tie. It’s important to say that even if most of the are Googlers young, the party they throw is a lot more mature than what their dot-com competitors would do. Going back to food, cafeterias encourage local food, which is an excellent thing. Everything is so good at the Googleplex that, as James Tipton say, everyone gains 10 to 15 pounds in their first months there. Giving opportunity to work freely and having fun during breaks seems to be very profitable. Being able to use free will in creation is a really interesting feature. Some even say that Google is interesting as a start-up because you can really follow your own ides! This means that you don’t have to take the risk in starting a business but you have just as much creativity as if you did. Imagination is also used to make social events interesting. As an example, on December 14th, one of the employees decided to organize an art show. For the very first event, employees were allowed to bring guests for the first time of Google's history. A good way to resume how it’s like working for Google is by stating that it is like academic life all over again, but while getting paid.
BACKATHOME Show Program Sheet
Opening of the Radio Show
26 seconds
Host opens show with an brief introduction.Speaker: Host (Billy – William G.)
Link to Ethic in Business 13 seconds Billy introduces the subject with Zen Master. Speaker: Host (Billy) Colleague (Zen Master- Alex A.O)
Feature 1: Google’s working environment : 2 minutes 50 How does the Googleplex works Billy, Zen and Ronald, looks at the different
things Google does to make the employeesfeel comfortable. Speakers: Colleague (Alex A.O.) Ronald (Alex A.O.) Host (William G.) Ad break
27 seconds Launch of Google’s Urkontinent Beer. Speaker: Ad presenter (William G.)
Link to the question regarding Feature 1 15 seconds Host introduces the question below: “What do you think about Google’s way of treating employees” Speaker: Host (William G.)
Feature 2: Problems? 3 minutes 30 The team asks to the public what they think about Google’s way of doing. Speakers: Host (William) Ronald (Alex) Colleague (Alex)
Caller 1 (Roger - William) Caller 2 (Louis - Alex) Caller 3 (Linda – William)
Closing of the BACKATHOME Show 1 minute Host thanks his team and callers, and
wishes safety to everyone, Colleaguepresents the next show and closes. Speaker: Host (William) Colleague (Alex)
8 minutes 41
26 seconds
Host opens show with an brief introduction.
Speaker: Host (Billy – William G.)
Link to Ethic in Business
13 seconds
Billy introduces the subject with Zen Master.
Speaker: Host (Billy)
Colleague (Zen Master- Alex A.O)
Feature 1: Google’s working environment :
2 minutes 50
How does the Googleplex works
Billy, Zen and Ronald, looks at the different
things Google does to make the employees
feel comfortable.
Speakers: Colleague (Alex A.O.)
Ronald (Alex A.O.)
Host (William G.)
Ad break
27 seconds
Launch of Google’s Urkontinent Beer.
Speaker: Ad presenter (William G.)
Link to the question regarding Feature 1
15 seconds
Host introduces the question below:
“What do you think about Google’s way of treating employees”
Speaker: Host (William G.)
Feature 2: Problems?
3 minutes 30
The team asks to the public what they
think about Google’s way of doing.
Speakers: Host (William)
Ronald (Alex)
Colleague (Alex)
Caller 1 (Roger - William)
Caller 2 (Louis - Alex)
Caller 3 (Linda – William)
Closing of the BACKATHOME Show
1 minute
Host thanks his team and callers, and
wishes safety to everyone, Colleague
presents the next show and closes.
Speaker: Host (William)
Colleague (Alex)
8 minutes 41
(amazing, no?!)
The best employer in the world?
According to Fortune magazine, Google may be the best employer in the world; and because of that, job turnovers are low and the employees of the Californian firm are highly satisfied with their job. Why are they so satisfied like this? Mainly because the executives at Google quickly understood that the employees are at the heart of a company and that employees who are well treated are more likely to perform well than neglected employees : so Google made sure that their employees are happy to work for them by implementing attractive social perks. For example, Google’s employees’ health care is fully covered by the company, and new moms are entitled to 18 weeks of paid maternity leave while dads get 7 weeks. As a comparison, it is two weeks more than the Quebec government would give. Moreover , employees are authorized to bring their pets to work, but this rule is currently being revised after an employee brought (and lost) a python in the Manhattan’s office. Google also built their offices so that no employee could be further away than a hundred feet from a place where they serve food, which is healthy and delicious. Moreover, Google is proactive in their environmental policies by giving subsidies to their employees for buying electric cars, something that gets more popular everyday in California. In conclusion, Google managed to rise to the top of the ranking by being different form it’s competitors, such as Bingham McCutchen, Camden Property and eBay (who are all giving their employees attractive working conditions their way), by being different, original and trendy, which keeps their employees motivated and serious when it’s time to work.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Radio Show
CJDB 99.7 FM's
BACKATHOME radio show
Starring William Gagnon as :
Billy Gagnon
The advertiser
Roger
Linda
and Alex Arsenault-Ouellet as :
Zen Master
Ronald McKenzie
Louis
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