Google strongly believes in encouraging its employees to become teachers, in the name of building a more creative, satisfied workforce.
In 2013, employees held more than 2,000 “classes” to educate one another on topics including algorithm design and fire breathing.
In addition to those formalized lectures, though, Google’s engineers have created a simple system of support that keeps employees happy, according to the new book “Work Rules!” by Google’s HR boss Laszlo Bock.
More than 30 Googlers with a broad understanding of the company have volunteered to become “Tech Advisers” to offer their fellow technical employees confidential, one-on-one venting sessions.
The point of the system is to give people a safe, objective person to bounce ideas off of.
“I don’t have the context and I don’t have a strong opinion about what they should do,” a Tech Adviser named Chee Chew says, according to the book. “I don’t have a vested interest in the decision, so I listen more and connect more. This is very different from most conversations with my direct reports and teammates. It’s really built for reflection. The connection is with the person as opposed to just the project.”
Chew shared an experience where he met with a high-level engineer who felt as if she needed to leave Google. They had planned to meet for 50 minutes but ended up talking for two and a half hours. In that time, the engineer got to “work through a bunch of stuff” while Chew brainstormed with her and encouraged her.
The engineer benefitted from the conversation — she ended up staying with the company — but Tech Advisers get a lot out of the experience as well. Those who participate say they have improved their listening skills, empathy, and self-awareness, becoming better managers, leaders, and even spouses. And all it took was a group of engineers deciding that creating this resource was important.
“The secret sauce is that the engineers really own this, not People Operations,” program manager Shannon Mahon said in Bock’s book.
Google employees have also created company-wide “Guru” programs in which volunteers advise others on specific topics like career advice, leadership, sales, and parenting.
Having Googlers coach one another not only saves money, Bock writes, it creates a more intimate community.
This article is published in collaboration with Business Insider. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.
To keep up with the Agenda subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Author: Jillian D’Onfro writes for Business Insider’s Technology vertical and focuses on covering Google and e-commerce.
