Google.org: Recogizing Social Responsibility When You See It

I recently took note of Google.org, Google's charitable and extra socially responsible are of their already wonderful company.  Beyond providing many of their products free of charge or cheap, they are saving the environment while doing it.  On their website, the little copy they have on the front page is dedicated to their mission:

Google.org aspires to use the power of information and technology to address the global challenges of our age: climate change, poverty and emerging disease. In collaboration with experienced partners working in each of these fields, we will invest our resources and tap the strengths of Google’s employees and global operations to advance five major initiatives: Develop Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal (RE), RechargeIT, Predict and Prevent, Inform and Empower to Improve Public Services, and Fuel the Growth of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

I love it!  It is great to know that a company is donating and focusing on charitable giving.  Beyond this, Google is vastly known for their fantastic benefits, cost efficiency and of course paying their employees very well. 

With Google in mind, I think there are a few specific things that have helped to create a new ideology in how to create a great company, one that attracts the best of talent, one that understands the value of our youth, and one that makes a rumble in the past ideologies of how a company should be run.

Build a Great Structure and Allow for Creativity + Innovation
     Google is well known for allowing its employees to invest their time in their own projects.  Of course these projects become the products of Google, but that I believe is a bonus: your own personal projects are thrown into a humongous market (like what, more then half of the search engine market in the world?).  Build an office or create an environment that inspires your creative juices.  This can come in the form of your dorm room, your room, study, all the way up to the company building itself.  Some things include comfortable furniture, colorful environments, a break-away from the cubicle environment, and the acceptance of personal items of inspiration.  Beyond that comes long breaks, calming areas (refer to a post earlier made about concentration (http://www.thecrazystudent.com/2008/08/how-to-concentrate-article-published-in.html), relaxation areas and techniques, and a stress free environment.  I guess what it comes down to is listening to what your employees want, or otherwise what the students around you want!

Supply the benefits as well as the perks
     Yep.  Find a way to make your group more attractive then others.  Progressive companies are great, but make sure to provide a fantastic benefits package.  NEVER, I repeat, NEVER skimp out on how you treat your employees.  Provide perks, like items discussed above, but also great food selections, free stuff, and great opportunities for employees or people to excel.  Beyond this comes the understanding of employee happiness:  not only KEEP them happy, make sure they are beyond happy about coming to work (or to your group).  If you keep them happy, you will keep the company happy, the customers happy, and the stockholders happy. 

It is not about the money, it is about your capacity and more
    Yes I understand that these things do affect the bottom line, but it isn't about how much everything costs, right?  Well, yes and no.  Do what is within your budget and your capacity (+ more).  Be creative, and go after the most important items that you can.  Ask your employees what they value the most in the perks you have come up with.  As them for their most favorite, down to the one that they would like to have but can do without.  Again, be creative.  Think of things that are cheap, but affective.

Well, I guess it is time for me to go back to the drawing board for my own company, but also all the student organizations I have led in the past. 

Good luck!