Google is a 21st Century cyber beast of huge and terrifying proportions. It is a data diplodocus, a search engine stegosaurus and a technological tyrannosaurus rolled into one. It seems unstoppable.
It is certainly one of the world’s biggest and most successful companies.
And as the firm has grown, so has the number of its staff. Now that’s good news for Google: it’s not such good news for the person who has to help hire all its new recruits.
Enter Lazlo Bock. Since he joined Google as its Head of Human Resources, he has seen the company grow from 6000 employees to 60,000 – that’s an awful lot of resumes to get through.
So how does he do it? Well, in a new interview, Bock has revealed some of his HR secrets to the business world, from the need to give meaning to employees’ roles to paying attention to performances.
Here at s1jobs, of course, we have our own secret weapon. His name is Davey and he knows stuff.
Need top-secret tips about the world of HR and recruitment to help you out in your career? Just ask Davey!
We got the ball rolling with a few questions of our own.
Davey, one thing Lazlo highlights is the need for the right people and to treat the right people right. What on earth does he mean . . . and is he right?
The man speaks the truth. Recruitment consultants and HR advisors need to listen to Aretha: R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Choose the people who are the best match to the role but always respect all your colleagues – so ensure employees, new and old, are looked after correctly and fairly. This will be the key to a happy team . . . and longevity in your own role as HR Manager.
Freedom and personality are big themes for Lazlo: how do I let these shine through without all-out anarchy in the workplace?
First, don’t treat staff as numbers in your black book: this will never tot up to happiness. Look for individuality instead. Listen to opinions, even when they differ from your own: you can trust the choices you make but always keep your door open to different voices. This is what builds a good employee relations team.
Of course, if you’re an employment advisor, at a call centre for example, deviating wildly from the core mission isn’t recommended. But everyone should have a platform to air their opinions on how things work – or don’t. That’s what makes progress.
Surely no-one can be expected to go through every single resume?
HR services and recruitment officers, right across the spectrum from advisers to team leaders and managers, need to be attentive to every opportunity.
Consider, reconsider and then question everything you’ve just learned about a job applicant or promotion candidate all over again.
You’re looking for the best, and even if you have 4000 CVs piled mountain-high on your desk, you need to be prepared to look at them all.
If you don’t, you could miss out on the perfect person for the job!
Can you really tailor your approach to very employee?
Remember that development and job improvement is different from performance. Good development advisors know that everyone progresses at different speeds and often bring completely different skills to the table. Improved performance stems from careful development, not from criticism, so, yes, it’s recognising how to get the best from individuals.
What’s the best advice you know for HR professionals?
Stay true to yourself, stay true to your company. Recruiters and co-ordinators must find and support people who fit the company ethos. The flip side is that everyone needs to be on the same page going forward, and trust that you, and your company, are on their side.