Google works out mathematical formula to indicate staff who are likely to quit

[Anja Schuetz]

Just found this:

http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2009/05/20/50764/google-work...

Is such a formula possible?

... And would it even be a good thing?

If it's used - as they say - to prevent people from leaving, OK.

... But what if anyone would make assumptions from the result of this formula and fire those people "before they know they might leave" themselves?

[Ben Simonton]

Google management knows that its people are its most valuable asset and will do anything to unleash their full potential of creativity, innovation, productivity, motivation and commitment. They have taken a myriad of actions such as having 150 employees report to one manager in order to preclude any micromanagement. 20% of each employees time is spent on whatever the employee wants to do, not what any boss wants.

There are many other "respect the employee" actions, but Google is certainly not trying to figure out who to fire before they quit. Oh that all employers were as good to employees as Google.

Best regards, Ben

[Warren Young]

With 150 direct reports managers would need an algorithm to manage. Surely that is unrealistic even in a less traditional sense of what 'a manager' does.
The Victorian Police Commissioner created waves by changing her direct reports from 3 to 23. I 'd always understood that up to 10 was ideal - ay mopre you aren't going to get quality time and a patchy interface.
Maybe thats in the human to human world.

[Karen Schmidt]

Why is it that left brained types have to put numbers on everything. Next they will invent a formula for working out whether you are in love!

[Jay Forte]

Shouldn't the effort be spent on building an employee-focused workplace, aligning people to the right jobs, holding them accountable for performance and communicating openly and honestly with them - instead of trying to figure out who is might be thinking about leaving? My perspective has always been to understand employees and eliminate the reasons why employees would want to leave. A mathematical assessment of employee contentment may have been effective in the previous industrial age where there was less personal contact between managers and employees. Today, however, key to performance is the employee/manager relationship. When well built, this relationship will uncover if employees are unhappy. Another assessment tool to try to get into our employees heads seems to have little value. Just get good at asking employees what they think and feel, then respond.

Jay

To me, an employee-focused workplace, employees well matched to their responsibilities,