Fundamentals of Management Seventh Edition Case 4

2) Google is doing a lot for its employees but obviously not enough to retain several of its talented employees. Using what you have learned from studying the various motivation theories, what does this situation tell you about employee motivation?
First of all, our firmly opinion is that talented and educated employees are more goal- oriented and enterprising. In other words if the company they work, is not able to satisfy their own needs and ambitions, they tend to quit. As it is mentioned in Victor Vroom’s Expantancy Theory, comprehending an employee’s crucial objectives and the relation between effort-performance-reward-individual’s goal satisfaction had to be taken into consideration in order to retain the well- informed workers. In Google, although beneficial and motivator services such as perks, spa, swimming pool and delicious gourmet meals have been provided; it is not enough to keep some of the employees in this firm. Thus, we can see that, if company’s opportunities do not meet talented employees’ expectations of promotion ; there is no way to suppress their entrepreneurial spirit. 3) What do you think is Google’s biggest challenge in keeping employees motivated?
Needless to say , talented and high educated employees’ expectations are difficult to meet with Google’s extraordinary opportunities which was mentioned in answer of question two. Moreover, the need for freedom may lead them to leave the company and set up their own business. For instance Sean Knapp, Bismarck Lepe and Belsasar Lepe refused Google’s offer , including a blank check, so as to start their own company which runs in web video sector. Their passion for innovation pushes them to leave Google and establish their own company, Ooyala. The reason why Google has to prevent creative and talented employees from resigning is that Google is a superior company and sustaining it’s perfectionist principles is compulsory for Google.
4) If you were managing a team of Google employees, how would you keep them motivated?
It is our contention that a superior and quite successful company like Google, has to focus on not only work qualities of company’s employees but also their personal desires one by one. For instance,while one employee is likely to wish to go on a holiday , the other can need extra money in addition to her wage. What’s more, freedom given to personnels who are in a search of making difference are inadequate and Google’s attitude towards them was somewhat inappropriate. We are of the opinion that rather than giving a blank check, Google managers could have made them feel as an indispensable part of the company.