Workforce Prospective Articles

Did you know that Google started out with only a handful of employees working in a suburban garage in 1998? Today, the company has more than 20,000 workers in offices located throughout the world. And the company founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, credit much of their success to Google's quirky office culture that breaks so many business norms.

Could you learn some lessons from companies like Google that think outside of the box when it comes to the workplace? They've seen positive results including increased creativity, productivity and employee retention, so you might, too.

A few ways you can retool your workplace include:

• Rethinking office design. Consider opening closed cubicles so teams can work together. Also, do you really need "hard offices" or could some walls come down to make more room for everyone?
• Offering the right amenities. Are your break rooms stocked with healthy snacks to keep your staff energized? And, having centrally-located cafeterias may foster on-the-fly meetings and spark better collaboration among team members.
• Providing stressbusters. Perks like foozball, pianos, and weight rooms can help everyone stay motivated. (At Google, it's not uncommon to see exercise balls rolling through the halls.)
• Cultivating creativity. Whirlpool Corporation invites staff from all areas of the company to contribute ideas for new products. And Google supports an "Innovation Time Off" program that encourages workers to spend part of each week on projects that interest them. Gmail and AdSense were born of this program.

Want to learn more about innovative strategies for your office? Visit these links:

• The Google Culture (Google.com)
• Making the Workplace Fun (AllBusiness.com)
• Why Office Design Matters (Harvard Business School)
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Open Plan Offices (BYOB.com)
• Top Small Workplaces 2008 (Wall Street Journal)