Employee incentives in IT companies : what can we learn from Google?

Abstract

Attracting and retaining IT professionals have emerged as top management concerns in the last years. This is particular relevant for companies with core business processes in IT that have much to gain from talented IT professionals. Google is one of those companies. Showing a considerable growth in recent years and pointed out as one of the best companies in US to work for, Google presents itself as an interesting case for studying employee incentives policies in IT companies. Using a netnographic approach to look into a work life blog discussion with the participation of present and past Google employees, a total reward strategy framework is used to analyze the data and generate new insights. Work life topics suggested upfront such as community involvement, health and wellness, work flexibility and cultural environment are particularly important. Administrative efficiency, workplace stability and equipment and technology are some new topics that may be worth to consider in a framework to guide incentive policies for a total reward strategy in IT companies.