Google human resource structure

Organization and the unique characteristics of the work environment

The success that Google has achieved in its operations is linked to the effectiveness in the organization culture and the structure that supports excellence in innovation. The structure of the company is not conventional and the culture is not typical since it makes emphasis on change and direct social links in the firm (Huselid, 2005). The organization has embraced the importance of organizational structure and culture, which has helped it succeed. The benefits are shown in the business that the organization has involved that has continued to expand and prosper. The dominant position held by the organization in the world.

The organization’s structure

The structure applied in the organization is considered cross-sectional as there is a matrix which considers a degree of flatness. The main characteristics of the organization can be summarized to being product-based, function-based and flat. Function based characteristic have been used in the organization in grouping the employees. In its operation, the organization has a sales operations team, design team, engineering team and a product management team. The teams in the organization are expected to ensure their area of operations is perfect and are in line with the objectives of the organization (Huselid, 2005). Product-based characteristic has also been used to group the employees using the products that they develop for the organization. There is a group of employees responsible for the development of its Nexus devices and that which is responsible for the Fiber business. Flat characteristic structure of the organization implies that the employees can easily interact without having to follow a channel. The employees can also meet and share information across departments.

Organization culture

The organization culture of Google is not typical due to the impact that the organization structure poses. In the organization, structure and culture have interacted to influence the ability of the organization. The culture of the organization is innovative, open, support small company and family rapport and innovative.

Openness in the organization is achieved from the structure. The employees are free to give their opinions and ideas on what they think about the products of the organization, innovation is a culture that is in the heart of the organization. The organization has been able to achieve innovation in its environment through building a high-trust workplace culture.  This has laid a foundation for innovation. All the employees are considered to contribute innovative ideas to the operation of the organization. The organization has also had the culture of encouraging smart employees who have continuously struggled for excellence. The experiment and projects that have been proposed by the employees are also supported (Jarvis, 2011). Google’s organization structure has focused on excellence and it is through this that there is sharing of the right information in the organization and the capability to respond to the market needs when required.

Management of ethical issues, conflicts and managerial challenges

Conflicts are unavoidable in every business. At Google, conflicts and management challenges have been experienced from different sources including employees and customers relationships and even between the workers of the organization themselves. It is from the conflicts, ethical issues and management challenges that the management have been able to come up with different methods through which the values of the organization are maintained while at the same time solving the issues that arise.

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One of the methods that have been applied by the management is having positive perspective on the conflicts and the issues when they arise. The management in most cases has accepted that conflicts occur and they are able to affect the culture of the organization. They have accepted that conflict can be asset to the organization since it is unavoidable in the operations of the organization (Huselid, 2005). After the conflicts have been accepted, innovation have been most of the time inspired from the creative solutions that the management have been able to come up with in the organizations. The benefit of this method of conflict resolution is that there has been the emergence of new ways of thinking.

The other method applied in conflict resolution in the organization is grievance procedure. Google has a grievance procedure for solutions of problems when they arise in the organization for all the employees (Need, 2012). They have made the employees from all the departments and levels of the organization believe that all their voices are important in the solution of problems that arise and there will be the right response given to the voices. The method has been used to prevent growth of bitterness’ and resentment. The method has enabled handling of conflicts openly and quickly. The employees through the process have also been able to see value on the conflict resolution process and get satisfied with the decisions made.

Getting to the cause is a factor that has been important in ethical issues, conflicts and managerial problems at Google. In this method, the organization in the conflicts has focused on the deep-rooted cause of the problems rather than superficial effects when accessing the conflicts. In conflicts, the parties involved have always claimed to have issues with the work procedures, company policies or the behavior of other workers (Jarvis, 2011). Google in solving these issues have the tendency of going deep into investigating the situations as the problems might be caused by something deeper than what is thought to be. It has also been considered that addressing surface issues will not create a lasting solution to the issues. When an incident occurs, the organization has always looked to get deep and solve such situation such that the operations of the organization are not affected with such situations in the future. When a solution is reached, the organization review the solution with the employees to ensure there is no party favored in the solution criteria used.

Every employee in Google participated in conflict resolution practice. When there is a conflict, all the parties are involved in finding a solution to the problem. The organization have held it that employees will get committed to the solutions that are obtained for conflicts when they are allowed to participate in obtaining the solutions (Jarvis, 2011). The leadership also holds that there is more than just a side to a conflict. They have always sought to have solutions that prevent the occurrence of the conflict again.

Recommendation for the future

Google over the past years have had successful improvements in its management. The increased improvements have led to increased focus in management. Preserving the culture and the structure of the organization and increased satisfaction of the consumers while at the same time the workers feeling part of the organization (Need, 2012). More improvement to the management of the organization will be possible when the managers improve on their behavior. The management of the organization should be a good coach. They should be able to carry out activities that show their dedication to deliver quality to the consumers and also to the workers. The management should also increasingly empower their team and there should be no micromanagement. The managers should be able to have the right management skills and make the workers empowered so that they deliver quality to their work.

The innovation culture of the organization can be maintained when the management will increasingly become productive and result oriented. Innovation is linked productivity while considering the needs of the consumers. Being productive and result oriented will also need the management to be good communicators. Good communication will also be important when there are problems arising in the organization as there will be easy resolution. The manager of the organization will improve the productivity of the organization when he possess the right technical skills and have a clearer vision and strategy for the team (Huselid, 2005). The manager hence needs to be aware of the current operation environment, the likely risks that can be encountered and increased training to help deal with the challenges that will be faced in the organization in the future. When there are troubles or conflicts in the team, there is the need to have trouble making a transition to the team. The manager should spend little time managing and communicating but focus more on the goals and the objectives of the organization.