Review of The Book Work Rules

Review of The Book Work Rules

“Work Rules: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead” is a riveting masterpiece written by Laszlo Bock. The book was originally published on 7^th April 2015 and squarely falls within the genre of self-help books. Laszlo Bock is an accomplished businessman tracing his roots in America, fundamentally, he is a renowned cooperate manager credited with transforming prominent blue-chip companies globally. Currently, he is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Humu, a technology company that seeks to help managers improve on the productive output in their employees while ensuring their overall satisfaction and gratification. It is noteworthy that Bock formerly held the prestigious position of Senior Vice President of People Operations at Google. The foundation and basis of his thoughts in this text are thus premised and founded on the great success he registered while at Google. His key responsibilities were to attract and develop content while retaining through delight Google customers and clients. During his illustrious tenure at Google, the company was recognized as the best employer for thirty years in a row receiving awards in excess of hundreds. From the foregoing, this text is credited with revolutionizing global perceptions about human resource by opening up for scrutiny how Google intricately manages its HR. This book targets practitioners in the HR department as well as leaders in organizations. Interestingly, all the chapters of this texts provide insight as well as giveaways to readers. All the assertions made are illustrative and have evidential value.

The hallmark of this paper is to undertake an in-depth review of this text with an aim to providing insight on the management of human resource, which is critical for the success of any enterprise. This paper, therefore, focusses on the propositions of Block in his book work rules.

Bock opines that the success of human resource at Google is premised on its recruitment culture. Firstly, the company has constituted effective yet unconventional methods in the recruitment of its staff(Johnson,2017). It is instructive to note that Google receives between 1 to 3 million job applications from prospective employees every year while absorbing a paltry 5,000. To achieve this, the company resolved to use committees for recruitment purposes; this was developed after all other methods conventionally used for recruitment failed. Laszlo reveals that to this date, the success and viability for the employment of any potential employee must be predicated on four key skills: Employees must demonstrate enviable cognitive abilities, this should not be merely based on the traditional GPA score. Secondly, they should exhibit prospects of leadership within them. In addition, they should show cultural fitness within the realm of Google framework. Lastly, the employees must be deemed to possess knowledge related to their roles. (Goldberg,2015).Consequently, the overriding philosophy in the recruitment at Google, according to Bock is that companies should seek to hire the best in a wide variety of ways and that managers must not enjoy absolute monopoly with regard to recruitment of employees. Further, he gives a clarion call to managers to provide more freedom, trust, and authority to their employees. This sounds controversial yet fundamental in ensuring they exercise self-directed discipline and restraint. (Sharma,2017).

This book also reveals that Google deliberately mitigates unwanted and toxic politics that are internal to the work environment. Laszlo remembers an instance during his earlier days at the company when he made a complaint to his manager about one of his colleagues. To his utter shock, the manager roped in the colleague to provide an impetus for the resolution of the conflict in a mutually acceptable fashion. This incidence provided a valuable lesson to Bock on the need to foster relationships at work as this creates a cohesive work Environment devoid of conflict. The result is positive projections in the attitude of workers providing fodder for increased productivity and output on the human resource.

Block reveals that organizations need to be experimental in their attempts to reform and better productivity; accordingly, Google cleverly introduced reforms under the guise of being temporary experimentations. This made it easier to reverse should Googlers object. I agree that this method essentially eliminated the sense of entitlement. Bock reveals that Google shopping express was developed as a result of this experimentation.

Interestingly, the book suggests that employees need to be given more freedom and bestow trust on them while giving them unparalleled opportunities to exercise authority. (Shama,2020) disagrees that by observing that affording too much leverage to employees is a sure recipe for failure. She notes that a certain degree of restraint and responsibility must be instilled among the employees for the realization of order and tranquility at the workplace. I resonate with her observation since when given too much freedom, employees are likely to be lethargic hence affecting their output. It is my feeling that the workplace must be known for order, and employees must always be guided by instructions from their superiors.

Bock appeals to managers to set realistic goals in all their endeavors.It is instructive that goals drive the agenda of any organization and sets it towards the right trajectory. This is an agreeable proposition by Bock. The goals of organizations must be achievable and realistic in nature. Practical goals make employees feel passionate as they undertake their duties and ultimately allows them to own both the process and the ultimate results. (Johnson,2017) asserts that setting unrealistic goals is the inception of failure in any enterprise.

The book also advises managers of companies to avoid taking away choices from employees. It champions for a reduction of friction for options that they desire. Confronted with the need for a behavioral change on its employees, Bock advises that forcing choices on employees invites rebellion. Google introduced a very well thought out approach for ensuring that healthy food like dried fruits and nuts are giving prominence at the display so as to increase their visibility

.Conversely, junk like candy was placed in tiny containers to relegate them to invisibility. By employing the principle of proximity, Google was able to achieve correct dieting for its staff. The motivation behind this was a desire to enhance healthy living and control of diseases that are lifestyle in nature. This is, in my opinion, a well-executed approach.

Bock is quick to point out that not all experiments will suffice in the work environment; some are dimmed to fail. He outlines the case of an attempt to introduce Meatless Mondays among the staff. This idea was well-received by strict vegetarians, but it was considered outrageous by the rest terming it too invasive and an attempt to remote control their lives. The lesson to be learned in this failed experiment is that employees don’t like a scenario where choices are made for them and that they will offer resistance directed at the reclamation of their rights and liberties.

Another fundamental takeaway from Bock’s Book is the role of managers in the achievement of objectives of any particular firm. Accordingly ,managers are presented as sources of inspiration and drive to their teams. Managers must as of necessity provide care and ensure overall growth of the staff. They must also ensure they  cultivate passion in the team to achieve satisfaction of employees as they undertake their obligations. In his Book, Bock explains that Google developed a benchmark for gauging the managers comprising of eight key indicators that help to determine their effectiveness. Accordingly, the judges are expected to demonstrate the ability to coach the teams by empowering them and desisting from micromanaging the employees. They were also required to show concern for the overall well-being of the employees. More importantly, they were charged with the responsibility of taking charge of the drive for the productivity of the firm.

I associate myself with this strategy since it places the role of managers centrally to the realization of a firm’s success. It is my submission that managers are not merely supervisors but serious actors in the overall success of the firm.

Banker(2015) agrees with the idea of mass empowerment implementation at Google, and this is geared at eliminating status symbols and making sound decisions based on scientific data and not the prejudiced opinions of managers. This is a deliberate step in advancing for objectivity within the workplace and denouncing subjectivity. Organizations at all times must be guided by sound and verifiable data in making judgments and not hearsay.

The book overall offers insightful thoughts to managers, whether of small, medium, or big companies. It is a very generous attempt to open up to the operations at Google with a view to improving the management of enterprises. All efforts are seemingly directed at ensuring that the human resource is well taken care of for the good of the business. It appears to readers of Block that Google places a lot of premium on creating a conducive staff exploit their productivity and potential. Managers, on the other hand, play a pivotal role of mentorship and offering leadership, their role is primarily to offer guidance and being the first among equals.

I definitely vouch for this book not only for established enterprises but also for coming startups.

The book is a vital tool for those who are liberal in approach and trustful in nature since it places the core of success on employees by giving them the utmost trust and authority.

On the flip side, those who wish to copy Google’s

the strategy should proceed with a lot of caution since every enterprise is unique on its own rights, and borrowing of the ideas proposed in the text should be guided with practicality and enforceability.

Conclusively, I consider it a successful text since it makes very intriguing and thought-provoking proposals on what must be done to succeed in the management of a business.

REFERENCES

Johnson, K. (2017). Work Rules! Insights from Inside Google. Marriott Student Review, 1(1), 14.

Moore, D. A. (2015). Work Rules! Insights from Inside Google that Will Transform How You Live and Lead. Laszlo Bock. Hachette. 416 pp., ISBN-13: 978-1455554799.

Goldberg, E. L. (2015). Work Rules!: Insights from Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead. People & Strategy, 38(4), 76-77.

Parkinson, C. N., & Lancaster, O. (1958). Parkinson’s Law or the Pursuit of Progress (p. 48). London: Murray.