Google's human resource management and organizational behavior promote a positive culture of innovation. Moreover, a flexible & inclusive work environment enhancing creativity innovation and focuses on building collaborations. Google is a multinational company of technology that concentrates on artificial intelligence tools, cloud computing, quantum computing and search engine technology (Organizational behavior, 2023). It is globally famous all over the world due to its high-quality brands and services. It was founded in 1998, by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in US. The vision of Google is to collect information about the whole people and places of the world and make it available to everyone. According to research, Google has 91.7% part of the global search engine market and in August 2023 it reached on 95.2%. By It has 91.9% of the market share in January 2022.
Google is a famous technology brand company, and hybrid or remote working is at the forefront of this. It encourages hybrid and remote working, especially after the pandemic situation. It uses different tools like the Google Workspace app, Google Meet, Google Drive, Gmail and digital technologies to connect its teams (Griffin, Phillips and Gully, 2020). They promote a healthy and positive environment in their organization and offer flexibility in operating work to employees. The report will discuss the hybrid/ remote working strategies adopted by the organization, and discuss their strengths, challenges and improvement areas. The report's aim is to analyze human resource management and organizational behavior of the organization and focus on employee initiatives, cultures, leadership and HR policies as well as practices.
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Critically Describe Hybrid/ Remote Working Strategy In Google Using Examples At Individual, Group And Strategic Levels
A hybrid/ Remote working strategy implies for a flexible work strategy. It is a method to work from any location such as home or other remote areas, which offered to employees. This type of work uses technology to help and connect teammates together. If they are not in the same place, even then they can do their job without frustration. The main aim of the company is to provide freedom as well as flexibility to employees so they can work freely and contribute to the company’s success. Through this, company also ensures that their employees perform good work and help the company in achieving high profitability in the long term (Hirsch, et. al, 2021). The hybrid or remote working strategy includes some components such as flexibility in workplaces, employee empowerment, performance measurement tools, technology expansion, open communication, training & development programs and adaptable policies.
McKinsey’s 7S framework of Google:
The McKinsey 7s framework is a management tool that analyzes and improves organizational effectiveness. The objective of this model is to achieve success in business by identifying the seven components- strategies, styles, structures, staff, skills, and staffs Systems, and shared values.
HRM strategy-
The effective strategy helps in gaining a competitive advantage in the competitor market. The human resource strategy of Google in hybrid or remote working connects to innovation in technologies, employee well-being and collaborations with new companies. The aim of the HRM strategy is to offer flexible schedules for jobs and freedom to staff members, maintain work-life balance and retain qualified and talented people (Dowling, et. al, 2022). For Example: Google enables its employees to select workplace or location on a personal basis, choices and current job requirements. The strategy is aligned with its goals of promoting innovation, attracting talent, and adaption to changing work preferences.
Structure includes the nature of hierarchy and departmental arrangements of the organization. It also displays the workflow of the organization. The organizational structure of Google is decentralized and uses a flat hierarchy in management. The company promotes hybrid or remote working through computer-generated communication tools and also ensures that their team members can cooperate easily via online platforms. For example, the company uses many tools or apps like Google Meet, duo, hangouts, Google Drive Gmail and Google Workspace to connect their teammates to perform their job. it also encourages innovation, flexibility of work, and work-life balance in the organization.
Management and leadership style
The style of leadership the company chooses for their management. The style describes how the leaders interact with their employees and guide them to achieve the business objectives. The company’s leadership style encourages autonomy, innovation, flexibility, outcomes, and trust (Razmi, Mehrvar and Hassani, 2020). The leadership style approach fosters employees to take ownership of their work and promotes a positive culture in business for work. For example, Google’s managers are only focusing on the results or outcomes of the task, they do not see how the employees are working, from where they are working (Roberts, 2022). They only see their performances and allow them to manage their schedules.
Employee skills, training and development
Skills refer to the abilities and aptitudes that exist in the employees and company. The company invests its money and efforts in digital technologies and the skills development that are necessary for doing remote work. The skills could be digital literacy, artificial intelligence knowledge, data computing, change management education, time management techniques and effective virtual communication. For example, Google organizes training programs for employees for their skill development and knowledge-building in the field of remote work. It also conducts workshops on maintaining a positive culture and work-life balance in a hybrid environment for the team members (Ancona and Backman, 2010).
ICT and other systems
The system contains the processes and the regular activities of the organization and employees to get the job done. The company systems are designed in a way that supports remote work, collaboration, technology, innovation and changes, and productivity. The system includes IT infrastructure, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud computing tools, cybersecurity measures and digital technology for effective communication and project management (Luo, et. al, 2022). For example, google promotes real-time collaboration tools and data computing that help employees work from any place on a project work with their teammates. The system of google is helpful in accepting the new changes in the organization dynamics.
Employees or staff in recruitment, retention, reward, and relations
Staff covers the company’s physical or human resources, employees training experience, recruitment, retention, reward, and relations. The company’s workforce is diversely famous all over the world and they promote an inclusive and cooperative culture in the organization. Firm empowers its staff members to bring new innovative ideas and unique approaches to their box. For example, Google supports a sense of belonging in its area by its simulated employee resource groups and links employees across geographical borders.
Culture or shared values
Shared values and morals are the important beliefs of an organization that give direction to its culture. It is the core values of the business that are placed in work ethics and organizational culture (Gray, et. al, 2021). The company's shared values include innovation, flexibility, collaboration and taking care of the employee's well-being. The shared values are reflected in their HR strategies and remote working. For example, Google supports the mental and physical health of employees, provides benefits encourage flexible work schedules and encourages a positive & healthy environment due to its commitment to employee well-being.
Critically Discuss Google’s Strengths At Hybrid/ Remote Working And Weaknesses/ Challenges They Face
Strengths and weaknesses help in understanding the company's positive and negative parts, it also shows the core competencies, abilities, and challenges of the organization. The strengths and weaknesses of Google at hybrid or remote working are:
Strengths:
Innovative and positive culture- The culture of the company is innovative and positive, as it lays more emphasis on encouraging their employees for flexible work. They promote innovation in technologies, change management and culture development (Michels and Murphy, 2021). They invite their employees to come forward and suggest creative and unique ideas for the development of the business (Albashtawi. and Al Bataineh, 2020). The company is primarily focused on employee’s well-being and their overall health. They encourage their employees for creative problem-solving and maintain their work-life balance.
Advanced Technology- Google is globally famous for its technological advancement in the world. It uses artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, quantum mechanics, cloud computing technology and digital sciences to elaborate its brand identity. The company has a number of tools to expand its operations such as Google Workspace, hangouts, Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Cloud. They take the help of these tools to collaborate with other people and connect their team members for remote jobs.
Flexibility in work- The Company promotes flexibility in remote or hybrid job work. The flexibility helps employees in scheduling their work hours at the time of their job. They foster a healthy work environment in hybrid modes (Zuñiga-Tonio, et. al, 2021). The flexibility of work allows employees to perform their work from any location and at any time. They support freedom and give the right to employee to control their time by themselves.
Attracting Global Talent- The Company attracts great professionals and talented persons from different regions through its hybrid mode. The hybrid mode helps attract and retain talented people from all over the world. This helps the company make a great team containing various skills and unique ideas from all over the world (Verginer and Riccaboni, 2021). They want the best and experienced employees with great knowledge of their technology fieldwork. They believe in outputs or results, which are coming from the employee's work. They do not consider in what way their employees perform the work, they only consider the product of work.
Weaknesses:
Security and data concerns- The Company faces many security and privacy issues in hybrid working mode. It is a big technology company and due to its large number of data, sometimes it faces privacy issues. The issues are related to cybersecurity threat measures. In the case of hybrid working, employees work from diverse locations. Meanwhile, the risk of data leaking, stealing and hacking increases to the large extent. The company can use effective tools and systems of cyber security protection and anti-virus software to mitigate the risk. They need high investment in dealing with these technologies which could be hard (Ahmed, et. al, 2021). It is a challenge for the company to maintain the data security and data privacy of the personal information of employees.
Performance checking- It is complicated to measure the performances of employees from diverse locations, so the company require smart ways and techniques to measure the performance. The company can use special tools and technologies like computer software and artificial intelligence to check the performance of employees. The tool helps know what employees are doing and how they contribute to the business's success and growth. By identifying this thing company are able to make decisions about employees' life. It helps make fair decisions that benefit the business and the employee. The process needs high metrics and a system to check the efficiency of employees; it is a challenge for Google to arrange resources to do this evaluation.
Collaboration and communication- Employees are facing issues due to the lack of effective communication skills in remote or hybrid working. They feel difficulty in working together with their colleagues in online mode. Misunderstanding and confusion happen among employees due to unfamiliarity with the rules of online working. The company can use a special category of tools to connect their teammates from different locations. It can increase communication efficiency and create a sense of connectivity between them. It is a challenge for the company to maintain effective communication in hybrid or remote modes at the time of collaborating, it causes misunderstanding between employees (Virtual Leadership Styles for Remote Businesses, 2023).
Digital fatigue or stress- This term is used for stress and anxiety that happens because of excessive screen time, online meetings and too much concentration on virtual platforms. Spending too much time on screen not only causes the eyes but also gives a feeling of tiredness and stress (Torvela, et. al, 2022). Google are aware of this situation, and they are trying to help their employees to overcome this thing. They can give enough breaks to their employees, reduce their screen time connect them with natural activity and also make sure that their work is not too tiring. The issue of digital fatigue is a challenge for the company and it also decreases job satisfaction and their well beings.
Critically Reflect On Own Understanding Of Managing, Leading And Resourcing For Improved Hybrid/ Remote Working Has Been Shaped
I appreciate the complexity of managing a remote or hybrid workforce through this assignment and module. It not only involves assigning tasks to employees but also includes developing a culture of trust, loyalty, honesty, open communication and provides the facility of proper resources & support to employees to deal with the change in a digital environment. Managing a remote workforce is not only giving tasks to them but also providing a positive atmosphere in the organization for work (Toopshekan, Yousefi and Astaraei, 2020). Referring gibbs model, I think the environment should be in a manner where every member of staff feels secure and safe and talks openly with their colleagues; they keep honesty in their words and support other members' opinions.
According to my knowledge, the company wants every employee who is working from home and the rest who are working from the office to be updated on the current information of the company to coordinate with their staff members easily. I have learnt that when handling staff members in a hybrid situation, there is a requirement to carefully understand the needs of each individual and his/ her working style to adapt to the new changes and circumstances. Managing an office team like a friend helps in understanding each other thoughts, feelings, emotions and provides proper resources to employees to generate the best work.
The traditional leadership model is different from leading in a hybrid or remote context and it goes beyond the model's reach. It is an approach that not only assigns orders to employees but also ensures that employees are doing their work systematically or not or as per the instructions. It also checks the performance and efficiency of staff (Bratton, 2023). The hybrid mode focuses on outcomes, good results, product empowerment and development and the growth of a common vision that matches everyone's goals and a more and more dispersed workforce (Phillips, et. al, 2020). It is clearly said in this module or assignment that it is essential to set expectations, promote inclusivity and respond to the different emerging needs of teammates. This assignment lays emphasis on the importance of leadership and management, and promoting a positive virtual culture of working to direct, motivate, inspire and guide staff members. The company want every employee should know what the business expects from them and in what way they are contributing to success and profitability (How to be a high-performing leader in a hybrid workplace, 2023). The leaders not only assign orders but also inspire and guide their staff on how to operate their work, because of the nature of their business environment.
It is more than just providing the necessary technical tools when it comes to resource allocation in a hybrid and remote working environment (Babapour Chafi, Hultberg and Bozic Yams, 2021). It includes Spending money on training and development programs that are specially designed to improve ICT skills and promote adaptability in business. When I talk about hybrid or remote working, it is totally new for employees to work in this mode. So they need good tools such as good quality computers, laptops, and good Wi-Fi connectivity in their locations to execute their work and advanced skills or digital knowledge to use these tools.
The assignment talks about setting good rules for business where employees feel happy and healthy not too stressed or depressed. The good rules help them accept the challenges and changes in the working style of business. They maintain their environment as well as their staff feeling fresh and comfortable when doing office work. Human resources are also allocated to the expansion of HR policy that addresses the distinctive challenges of hybrid working, the challenges are related to ensuring work-life balance and maintaining the well-being and mental health of employees (Mark, et. al, 2022). The assignment underlines the importance of a global approach to resource allocation, covering both technical and human aspects. The tools help in achieving productivity and also make employees' lives better.
The assignment has expanded my understanding of the complications which are involved in positively managing, leading, and resourcing for better hybrid/ remote working. There is a need to develop an inclusive approach that not only considers the technical infrastructure but also the people and cultural aspects of working from home. The McKinsey 7s model provided a comprehensive framework for analyzing organizational culture design and various dimensions of organizational effectiveness. It includes all important elements that are important for understanding organizational effectiveness. It tells about the plan or strategy, how things are organized, business processes, how the leaders lead their employees and what style they choose for it, the team members, employee skills and competencies, and shared values and morals, of business (Dumitru, et. al, 2021). It guides my critical reflection on the strengths and challenges related to hybrid or remote working. I see the need for continuous learning and adaptability in remote work to manage the emerging landscape. In the context of this assignment and module, I am in a position to reflect on what I have learned about the dynamic relationship within the strategy, organizational structure, culture, or other critical elements for capable hybrid remote working in modern organizations.
Conclusion
In summary, the report was about the hybrid/ remote working strategy of Google Company. In which, they had covered the human resource management and organizational behavior of an organization focusing on employee initiatives, culture, leadership and HRM practices. The McKinsey 7s framework provided clear insights about this hybrid strategy by including detailed information about the style, skills, structure, systems, shared values, staff and strategy of the business. The reflection part shows my understanding of managing, leading, and resourcing to improve hybrid remote working.
Recommendations
Google should provide regular training, conduct skills development programs for employees and update them with the new changes related to Google tools. They encourage their employees to use effective communication and virtual assistant apps to improve their existing skills.
Company needs to set clear rules and regulations related to the working hours of employees, and encourage a positive culture to prevent conflicts or disputes and get more free time for employees for enjoyment.
Focus need to be placed on organizing global events, celebrate great achievements and generate opportunities for casual interactions and can take the help of technology tools to cover the gaps between remote working and office staff.
Firm should conduct skill development workshops for digital literacy and provide mentorship and guidance to employees wherever they need in their work to build their knowledge and growth.
References
Books and Journals
Ahmed, G., 2021. Improving IoT privacy, data protection and security concerns. International Journal of Technology, Innovation and Management (IJTIM), 1(1).
Albashtawi, A. and Al Bataineh, K., 2020. The effectiveness of google classroom among EFL students in Jordan: An innovative teaching and learning online platform. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 15(11), pp.78-88.
Ancona, D. and Backman, E., 2010. Power and Influence. Harvard Business Review.
Babapour Chafi, M., Hultberg, A. and Bozic Yams, N., 2021. Post-pandemic office work: Perceived challenges and opportunities for a sustainable work environment. Sustainability, 14(1), p.294.
Bratton, J., 2023. Organizational leadership. Second edition. Mary Robinson.
Dowling, B., Goldstein, D., Park, M. and Price, H., 2022. Hybrid work: Making it fit with your diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. The McKinsey Quarterly.
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Gray, D., 2021. What makes successful frameworks rise above the rest. MIT Sloan Management Review, 62(4), pp.1-6.
Griffin, R.W., Phillips, J.M. and Gully, S.M., 2020. Organizational behavior: Managing people and organizations. CENGAGE learning.
Hirsch, P.B., 2021. Sustaining corporate culture in a world of hybrid work. Journal of Business Strategy, 42(5), pp.358-361.
Luo, Y., 2022. A general framework of digitization risks in international business. Journal of international business studies, 53(2), pp.344-361.
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Michels, D. and Murphy, K., 2021. How Good Is Your Company at Change?. Harvard Business Review.
Phillips, S., 2020. Working through the pandemic: Accelerating the transition to remote working. Business Information Review, 37(3), pp.129-134.
Razmi, J., Mehrvar, M. and Hassani, A., 2020. An assessment model of McKinsey 7s model-based framework for knowledge management maturity in agility promotion. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, 19(04), p.2050036.
Toopshekan, A., Yousefi, H. and Astaraei, F.R., 2020. Technical, economic, and performance analysis of a hybrid energy system using a novel dispatch strategy. Energy, 213, p.118850.
Torvela, R., 2022. Digital Eye Strain in the New Era of Digitalization after the Outbreak of COVID-19: Scoping Review.
Verginer, L. and Riccaboni, M., 2021. Talent goes to global cities: The world network of scientists’ mobility. Research policy, 50(1), p.104127.
Zuñiga-Tonio, J., 2021. Google Classroom as a tool of support for flexible learning in the new normal. Journal of Education, Management and Development Studies, 1(2), pp.25-39.
Online
How to be a high-performing leader in a hybrid workplace. 2023. Online. Available through: < https://www.ey.com/en_uk/workforce/how-to-be-a-high-performing-leader-in-a-hybrid-workplace>.
Organizational behavior. 2023. Online. Available through.: <https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/what-is-organizational-behavior/>.
Roberts, C., 2022. Servant leadership: “The most powerful concept of leadership. Online. Available through: < https://www.managers.org.uk/knowledge-and-insights/article/servant-leadership-the-most-powerful-concept-of-leadership/#author>.
Virtual Leadership Styles for Remote Businesses. 2023. Online. Available through: < https://online.maryville.edu/blog/virtual-leadership/#.Yfc4jujHTn0.linkedin>.
