Good Research Paper On Google Vs. Apple: Employee Satisfaction And Motivation

Introduction 3

Nature of Work 3
Google 3
Apple 4
Working conditions, Terms and Conditions of Employment 4
Google 4
Apple 4

Personal Development and Career Opportunities 5

Google 5
Apple 5
Company’s Approach to Employee Motivation 5
Google 5

Apple 6

Employee Expectations 6
Google 7
Apple 7
Conclusion 8

Works cited 9

Introduction
Motivation in an organisation is a dependent variable while job satisfaction is considered as an independent variable. A well-managed organization considers its employees as the root source of quality and productive achievements. The success of an organisation depends on its frequency of target achievements for which the spirit of co-operation and commitment is necessary within the work sphere. In order to keep employees satisfied and committed to the organisation effective motivation is required at various stages. Payment and personal allowance are part of the package that reward and encourage employees according to their performance. Staff training is providing opportunities for self-improvement to overcome the challenges and appropriate information availability stimulate motivation among employees and groups that impacts the productivity (Tella, Ayeni and Popoola, 1). Motivation is part of psychological behaviour combined with personality, attitudes, and learning. Companies to keep their employee motivated, offer various motivators, including salary, wages and other condition of services. This paper highlights the human resource management strategies of two giant organisations, Apple and Google, in dealing and retaining their employees.
Nature of Work
Both Google and Apple are technological companies that offer work in cutting edge and latest technologies in software and hardware design and development. The nature of work varies according to experience and skill sets in both the companies.
Google
Google is a search driven company, and most its work is related to work on new technologies, search, research and focus being primarily on the search engine. The nature of work that it offers ranges from working on software products, tools and new gadgets that Google has been experimenting. It offers high decibel and high energy environment optimal for learning (Pfeffer and Veiga 38).
Apple
Apple is a product company focussing more on the hardware than software. Depending on the division a person works for within the company, the work nature varies from working on mobile applications over iOS or Mac applications over Mac OS (Pfeffer and Veiga 38).
Working conditions, Terms and Conditions of Employment
Google
Google has illustrated the immense growth in a short span of 15 years. Google products have changed daily life, and everyone is dependent not even without knowing it, such as Google Maps, Earth, translator, browser and the latest and highly appreciated one, Android. A two men company now possess more than 37, 000 employees that are spread in 40 countries. The success of Google indicates how organized this organization is and how it motivates and retains its employees. The commitment, loyalty, innovation and productivity of employees is resulting in the today’s Google. Google has maintained its image as an employee friendly company that provides a pleasant work atmosphere. From the high-quality perks to the luxurious treats for its workers, Google has been in the news for what it bestowed on its employee (Crowley).
Apple
The innovation and creativity process at Apple starts at hiring process itself. Apple encourages a culture of creativity and Apple has gained some of the brightest minds in the industry. Apple seeks creative and innovative people in its organization that further bring an environment of creativity and innovation within the company (Pfeffer and Veiga 38).
Personal Development and Career Opportunities
Google
Google promises a great work ambience to its employee. As the trendsetters, Larry Page and Sergey Brin invented a unique idea of providing the great workplace to the workers. To attract and preserve the talent, potential Google has searched for the secrets of triumph of previous successful organizations and their employee friendly strategies. They make the best multinational companies their model when setting their employee strategy. Google focuses on the human elements of motivation and satisfaction very considerably. It has a team that only manage the departments associated with employee rewards, perks and benefits (Crowley).
Apple
Apple is a company built on the unique culture. Apple encourages and developed a cult-like culture within the organization thereby attaching its employees to the company in a unique way. The environment at Apple is such that people come with a sense of doing for the world, ushering in a change. The environment encourages personal development to become an innovator, to do creative and innovative work. Apple has R&D division separate for Mac OS and another for its flagship products of iPhone and iTabs (Pfeffer and Veiga 38).
Company’s Approach to Employee Motivation
Google
A recent study has revealed that the deficiency in commitment is due to the lack of well-designed work in any organisation. Google assures that its worker has stimulating and inspiring work full of innovations. The repetitive work patterns block the chances of being creative and innovative and disengage the workers. Google has solved this problem through assuring that their employees are getting work of their choice. Regardless of pay or job status, every employee gets an opportunity to devote time to their choice of work. This approach very much unique in the industry leads to the high degree of satisfaction among the employees (Crowley).
Apple
Apple Computers is an extremely successful organization with many innovative products. The corporate leadership itself is very supportive in terms of ensuring an environment of high motivation and value to its employees. From iMac to iPod, iTunes and now iPhone and iTab the company has grown by leaps and bounds and always boasted of attracting and maintaining high talent within the organization. Apple adopted innovative strategies within itself to enhance employee satisfaction by not only providing a high-end career path but also benefit employees through various perks and benefits. Extensive training to its employees was one factor that made its employees more productive and also skilled in doing their jobs. The result was a favourable situation for both the company and the employees (Pfeffer and Veiga 38).
Employee Expectations
Compensation is a major concern for most getting into a new company. There are other factors as well that top the agenda and employers benefit in terms of quality hiring when they focus on those aspects as well. Job security is a very high factor when it comes to decision-making. Employers who put great focus on proving employment security top the list of talented future employees. Extensive training and skill development is something that most employees expect when joining an organization. This not only reduces the load of the employees but also benefits the company in terms of gaining, retaining quality and skilled workforce (Pfeffer and Veiga 42). A factor that is not asked for but benefit the companies is reducing the status differences amongst its employees. The status difference is sometimes more in terms of accessibility of giving ideas and contribution and contributing to organization growth (Pfeffer and Veiga 44). The idea of benefiting the organization and being of higher significance is a great motivation factor. Employee usually expects all information to be shared that at least impact or relate to them. Transparency goes long way in achieving employee satisfaction (Pfeffer and Veiga 48).
Google
Google as a company has tested positive for most of the points mentioned above. Google provides its employees a level of freedom that very seldom the company do. Employees are encouraged to devote some time from their working week to their projects of choice within the organization. It is a noticeable perk as most companies do allow personal ambitions to flourish but not at the expense of office time. Google has a culture of democracy that allows its employees to share their thoughts. Google as a company has maintained a transparency culture that provides its employees extraordinary amount of information placing a high degree of trust (Crowley).
Apple
Apple as a company has had gone through some rough phase in the past. Apple in the year of 1991 laid off as high as 10% of its workforce. This decision not only did impact the company’s reputation in terms of employee satisfaction but also implanted an image of the company as one with less employment security. Apple offers a high innovative environment for work but it is largely driven by management rules and principles. An environment of freedom is something that is difficult to create but liked by employees, in general. Not all of Apple’s problem are related to decisions on employee job roles and lay off decision, the Apple decisions to put its employees into various task zones also contributes an environment of less satisfaction. Albeit Apple offers an environment of high learning and great skill development. The compensation element of Apple is also high end, and it makes it one of the top favourites of employees as a work destination (Pfeffer and Veiga 48).
Conclusion
Both of the companies are world class. It is a dream to work either at Google or Apple. If I were to choose between one of them, I would choose Google. The decision is based on various benefits that are part of the package that Google offers. The freedom of work and the democratic culture of Google is a big plus. Also, the culture of Google that provides an open space for its employees to utilize as high as 20% of their workweek towards their goals is a big silver lining. Transparency and Information sharing along with high trust in employees makes Google the Numero Uno favourite destination to work.
Works cited
Tella, Adeyinka, C. O. Ayeni, and S. O. Popoola. "Work motivation, job satisfaction, and
organisational commitment of library personnel in academic and research libraries in
Oyo State, Nigeria." Library Philosophy and Practice9.2 (2007): 13.
Pfeffer, Jeffrey, and John F. Veiga. "Putting people first for organizational success."
The Academy of Management Executive 13.2 (1999): 37-48.
Crowley, Mark. 'Not A Happy Accident: How Google Deliberately
Designs Workplace Satisfaction'. Fast Company. N.p., 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.