Talent Management Practices at Google: A Case Study

This report analyzes the talent management practices at Google, one of the world's leading companies, and provides insights on recruitment, training, and retention strategies. The study aims to benchmark these practices with Tesco and identify areas for improvement.

Unit 6 – Managing a
Successful Business Project
(Talent management)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................3
P1 Project aims and objectives....................................................................................................3
P2 Project management plan.......................................................................................................4
P3 Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart............................................................................5
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................7
P4 Small scale research...............................................................................................................7
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................9
P5 Data Analysis and Findings....................................................................................................9
P6 Recommendations................................................................................................................14
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................15
P7 Value of undertaking project to meet objectives..................................................................15
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................18

INTRODUCTION
Talent management refers to the constant process of attraction and retention of talented
and high performing employees by developing their skills and competencies, and consistently
motivating them in improving their performance (McDonnell and et.al., 2017). The organisation
where the HRM consultant is working is taken to be Tesco and the talent management practices
of the blue-chip company Google will be analysed as it is believed to have the best practices in
retaining, recruiting and training its employees. Google is an American multinational company
which provides internet-based services, software and hardware to billions of customers and is
one of the biggest technology company in the world. The main purpose is creation of a motivated
workforce that will stay with the company for a longer period of time. This report will aim at
conducting a research on talent management performed in the organisation Google along with
project management and reflect on the value gained from doing the project in meeting the
objectives.
LO 1
P1 Project aims and objectives
The project will be based on the evaluation of practices of talent management that are
implemented by best companies in the world to deal with human resource management in
innovative and creative ways to achieve all organisational objectives effectively.
Aim: To determine the talent management policies and strategies adopted by Google
Objectives:
 To understand the talent management practices used by Google in order to conduct its
recruitment.
 To determine the approaches and tactics used by Google for training and development of its
employees.
 To identify the talent management practices employed by Google in order to retain its best
talent and employees.
 To benchmarking the talent management practices of Tesco and Google and identification of
needs of improvement at Tesco.
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P2 Project management plan
Project management can refer to the processes, methods, knowledge, skills and
experience that is deployed for achievement of the aim and objectives of this research project. It
constitutes of five phases initiation, planning, implementation, performance and closure. In the
initiation stage, the business case is justified and a feasibility study is conducted where the
project goals are evaluated (Radujković and Sjekavica, 2017).
 Aim: To evaluate the talent management practices that are practiced in Google in terms
of recruitment and selection, training and development and staff retention. The entire
project will take place through primary and secondary research on Google LLC to find
out the human resource policies and practices employed in the company by the HR
management.
 Deliverables: The deliverables of this projects will be non-tangible information and
knowledge regarding the best practices and strategies followed in Google which can be
incorporated in Tesco to improve its recruitment process, training and development
process and to reduce the employee turnover at Tesco.
 Time: The entire duration for this project will be 7 weeks and time management will be
taken care of by proper scheduling of the entire research project.
 Quality: The quality is aimed to be high for all the relevant stakeholder and will be
highly valid and reliable and can be effectively employed in Tesco. The research will be
done through the best primary methods of questionnaire and secondary research will
adopt the most recent and authentic journal articles, internet sources and books.
 Communication: In order to conduct communication, most appropriate channels like
emails and telephone will be adopted for the exchange of information to stakeholders and
to the respondents, email will be used to send the questionnaires. Weekly check-ins,
meetings, status reports, project dashboards and formal presentations will be used.
Opportunities for feedback will also be presented, transparency will be adopted, status
will be updated o stakeholders on time (Lauren and Schreiber, 2018).
 Resources: The major resources used for the project are project management tools and
software like MS projects, MS Word, Questionnaires distribution through email and
internet for research, Ms Excel for graphical representation. Various journals,
publications, electronic sources, books, business reports etc.
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 Risk: The major risk involved in the project are cost and budget-based risk which can
occur due to overbudgeting. Another risk that the project may face is the psychological
risk that can occur from the responses given in a biased or highly subjective way by the
respondents. There can be operational risks involved, time management risk, technology
risk, communication and resource risk and miscellaneous threats (Galli, 2018).
P3 Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart
Time Line
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Research Project 49 days Wed 25-11-20 Mon 01-02-21
1. Initiation: Feasibility
Test 4 days Wed 25-11-20 Mon 30-11-20
2. Planning: Setting aims
and objectives 6 days Tue 01-12-20 Tue 08-12-20 2
3. Implementation:
Conducting research
and data analysis
26 days Wed 09-12-20 Wed 13-01-21 3
4. Evaluation: Conclusion
and recommendations 11 days Thu 14-01-21 Thu 28-01-21 4
5. Closure and submission 2 days Fri 29-01-21 Mon 01-02-21 5
Work Breakdown Structure
5

Gantt Chart
6
Research
Project
Initiation:
Feasibility Test
Planning: Setting
aims and
objectives
Implementation:
Conducting
research and data
analysis
Evaluation:
Conclusion and
recommendation
s
Closure and
submission

LO 2
P4 Small scale research
Research methodology
The research type undertaken in this study is based on the qualitative method and it
consists of gathering and analysis of the non-numerical data for gaining a deep understanding of
opinions, concepts and experiences and the collected data can be further used for creation of new
ideas and theories for research. The approach that will we adopted will be inductive as there will
be acceptance of middle ground and inferences of general meanings and concepts rather than
quantifiable conclusions, as the study will study various talent management strategies of Google
and benchmark with Tesco. The research philosophy will be interpretivism as the inferences will
be not classified into black and white categories but rather give insights on deeper meanings
(Durdella, 2017).
Data collection
The gathering of the data will consist of collection, measuring and analysis of accurate
insights by use of validated techniques. There are two main types of data collection methods,
primary and secondary. In primary research, the data is collected first hand using and
questionnaire method will be adopted using purposive sampling of HR managers at Google
working in various offices primarily concentrating in the European and American branches. A
non-probability sampling will be used and the sample size will be 10. Relevant questionnaires
will be distributed to the HR mangers through email and all the responses will be analysed. On
the other hand, the secondary research is the already published research, which will be conducted
using various journal articles, publications, magazines, internet and electronic sources, books,
business and government reports etc. to lay the foundation and substantiating the primary
research to reach an insightful conclusion (Ruggiano and Perry, 2019).
Secondary research
As per Collings and et.al., (2017) talent management approaches have been evolving over
the years for catering the needs of the people centric trends and has become a necessity in the
dynamic hanging world. The global trends and human resource management resulted in
renaissance of the workplace culture. Talent management is a strategic process and methodically
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organised way for recruiting the right candidate for the job position and supporting their growth
optimally aligning the corporate and business objectives. There are six phases of talent
management which are planning, attracting, selecting, developing, retaining and transitioning to
which company strategies are applied for getting high productivity and outcomes from the
employees.
However, Anlesinya and Amponsah-Tawiah, (2020) explains that talent management
model has four primary components of acquiring which includes employer branding, recruitment
and on-boarding; assessment which involves talent analytics and succession planning; develop
which includes workforce panning, engagement and retention practices; and finally deploying of
goal alignment, learning and development, career-path planning and performance management.
According to Shrivastava, Nagdev and Rajesh, (2018) recruitment in top blue-chip
companies is done effectively through multiple sources inculcating both internal and external
sources. In other words, talent acquisition is focussed more by such companies which involve
recruiting, tracking, inter viewing and onboarding through various recruitment management
systems and is a forward-thinking process. It is aimed at creation of long-term strategic plan
rather than filling out positions, and the process decreases chances of unsuccessful hires.
As per Okolie, (2020) the talent management practices at top companies is focussed more
upon learning and long-term development of all its employees through frequent workshops,
courses, programs etc. Major strategies used by the companies are leadership programs, onsite
training courses, job seminars and conferences, professional skill development programs,
certifications, skill development, customised training, virtual learning, incubator programs,
online educational courses etc.
Rombaut and Guerry, (2020) states that for retention of employees, the top companies
apply the best practices of motivating their employees and increasing the job satisfaction through
rewards and recognition, fringe benefits, employee engagement activities, effecting learning
programs, work-life balance, organisational culture and facilities, flexible structures,
successional planning etc. Many companies increase the communication efficiency, give high
visibility assignments, pair the employees with effective mentors, invest in training programs,
conduct performance appraisals etc.
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LO 3
P5 Data Analysis and Findings
Primary research: Data analysis
The data gathered from the questionnaire method of primary research will be analysed using
thematic analysis.
Theme 1: Are talent management practices implemented effectively in your organisation?
Rate the effectiveness on a scale from 1 to 5.
Particulars Responses
Scale level 1 0
Scale level 2 0
Scale level 3 0
Scale level 4 3
Scale level 5 7
Total 10
Theme 2: Which among the following practices are best suited for talent acquisition?
Particulars Responses
Enhance company brand in recruiting market 2
Proactive search and communication with
potential candidates
1
9

Marketing through new and creative means 1
Emphasize on strategic workforce planning 1
Improve candidate pre-screening 0
All of the above 5
Total 10
Theme 3: What are the sourcing strategies that are adopted by the organisation?
Particulars Responses
Job post 0
Web searches and career search engines 0
Social networking 0
All the above 10
Total 10
10

Theme 4: Select the training and development methods deployed in the organisation.
Particulars Responses
Employee to employee network (g2g) 0
Microlearning 0
Discussions and Simulations 0
On the job training 0
All of the above 10
Total 10
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Theme 5: Are employment engagement activities conducted in the workplace on a periodical
basis?
Particulars Responses
Yes 8
No 2
Total 10
Theme 6: Which among these are the best retention strategies employed in the organisation?
Particulars Responses
Recruitment of the right people 0
Improvement of the managers ability 0
Giving employees constant feedback 1
Empowering Employees 2
Continuously measure and enhance retention
strategies
1
All of the above 6
Total 10
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Findings and interpretation
From the above pictorial representations, it can be concluded that Google is adopting all
relevant talent management approaches across various branches as 70% of the HR managers
agree regarding effective implementation. It was observed that Google used all the recruitment
strategies of enhancing company brand, communicating with potential candidates, marketing
through new means, emphasizing strategic workforce planning and improving candidate pre-
screening and 50% managers agreed all are significant. The sourcing strategies used were Job
post, Web searches and career search engines and Social networking through employee referrals,
campus recruitment, professional networking, ad-word search engines, contests, brain teasers etc.
As agreed by 100% of the managers, the training methods adopted were Employee to employee
network (g2g) which provides first hand learning opportunities to all employees, Microlearning,
Discussions and Simulations and On-the-job training with customised designed workshops and
courses, overall focussing on a result oriented and innovative approach (Shittu, 2017). The
employee engagement activities like team building exercise which lead to motivation of
employees are employed on a periodical basis in 80% branches by the HR managers. This boosts
the motivation and sense of belongingness in employees. The retention strategies that are
focussed by the HR managers are Recruitment of the right people, Improvement of the managers
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ability, continuously measure and enhance retention strategies, Empowering Employees and
Giving employees constant feedback (Steiber and Alänge, 2013). Apart from these, Google has
focussed on major employee benefits and perks that are creative such as free meals, innovative
work environment, best paid leaves, educational programs, medical benefits etc. All these lead to
a high employee retention rate of employees in Google.
P6 Recommendations
As per the results obtained from the secondary and primary research, it can be observed
that Google is effectively implementing the talent management strategies which has smoothened
its recruitment process, developed the competencies of employees and helped it maintain a very
low employee turnover. Tesco can adopt various approaches that top companies and google
implements for increasing the efficiency of human resource management and improving
employee productivity. In terms of recruitment strategies, Tesco focuses more on just
recruitment and hires through intranet for internal recruitment and online careers page and job
portals for external recruitment. Google adopts a more forward-looking approach by focussing
on talent acquisition with innovative and creative sourcing, campus hiring, social networking etc.
In context of training and development, Tesco focuses on workshops, training through
shadowing, mentoring, coaching and job rotation, retail apprenticeships. Google adopts a more
employee centric approach which is highly result oriented and involves microlearning or the
whisper course to nudges a better company and g2g or Googler to Googler training tracking
which is an employee network to nurture them. In relation to staff retention, Tesco has a higher
employee turnover as compared to Google. The primary reasons can be attributed to the
employee centric approaches of Google and the fringe benefits, perks, rewards and remuneration
employed along with the brand reputation. Tesco can include creative thing like frequent
employee engagement activities, salary hikes, recognition programs for high performing
employees, hiring the right candidates, improving leadership qualities, improving brand equity,
teaching managers etc.
Apart from these, other trending talents management practices that can be employed in
Tesco are effective focus on talent acquisition and workforce planning along with focusing on
the creation of job descriptions that encompasses skills, experience and other things which are
aligned with job role and organisational objectives (McDonnell and et.al., 2017). Assessment of
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the candidate effectively and if he or she is the right cultural fit through language, passion,
personal values. Focussing on coaching, keeping employees happy, giving constructive criticism
during performance appraisals, continuous feedback and counselling. The company can also
increase the frequency of training and development programs as per the needs of the employees
instead of quarterly workshops and equipping all employees with the right tools and systems by
deploying latest technologies in the work stations. Tesco can also start focussing on the value of
rewards and recognition, career management and career planning, importance to success
planning, between employee engagement for increasing the staff retention. The company can
also adopt the best HR software like Google for its decision cycle and employee maintenance to
increase overall efficiency of all talent management processes (Lopes, 2016).
LO 4
P7 Value of undertaking project to meet objectives
Businesses in the market have to make sure that they have the right analyses and the right
data in order to be able to select the right tool and techniques for themselves which is going to
make the performance of the company higher. Communication is very important in any
organization in making the sense of direction and other factors in the market are strong which is
going to make the company have higher reputations and brand value in the market. There are a
lot of objectives which a business has in the market and that have to be achieved since the
competition in the market is increasing rapidly. Business can collect their data from primary and
secondary data but they must analyse it effectively so that they can make the right decisions and
the business will be able to achieve their objectives on time.
There is a lot of learning which is present in the organization which is going to make the
performance of the company be impacted. Since there is high competition therefore it is
important for the organization to be able to use the right measures and strategies in order to be
able to operate effectively. There are a lot of tools and techniques which are present in the
market but after analysing the market only then the business will be able to make the right
measures and planning for themselves for the future which is going to make and help the
organization be able to operate effectively (Kaldiyarov and et.al., 2016). Talent management is a
very important factor for the business to have so that the satisfaction of the employees is also
going to be present in the market which is going to be very help for the company in having a
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long and successful functioning in the market. The company in the market will have to make the
right decisions for themselves which is going to be helpful for the company’s long run in the
market if they are going to analyse and make the most of talent management in the company
which is good for the brand image and reputation.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that there is a need for businesses in the
market to make sure that they have the right strategies and measures in order to make the
company be able to operate effectively and efficiently in the market so that there is going to be
higher performance. The competition in the market is increasing which needs to be well
maintained and analysed so that the company will be able to function effectively and efficiently
in the market. Talent management is a very important factor for making sure that the internal
factors of the business are under control which is going to be effective for the company’s higher
reputation and brand value in the market which is going to make the economic factor and
operations higher matching the expectations of the customers.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Collings, D.G., and et.al., 2017. The Oxford handbook of talent management. Oxford University
Press.Anlesinya, A. and Amponsah-Tawiah, K., 2020. Towards a responsible talent
management model. European Journal of Training and Development.
Durdella, N., 2017. Qualitative dissertation methodology: A guide for research design and
methods. Sage Publications.
Galli, B.J., 2018. Risks related to lean six sigma deployment and sustainment risks: How project
management can help. International Journal of Service Science, Management,
Engineering, and Technology (IJSSMET), 9(3), pp.82-105.
Kaldiyarov, A and et.al., 2016. Process approach to managing real investment projects focused
on import substitution of products. Journal of Applied Economic Sciences. 11(7).
pp.1368-1375.
Lauren, B. and Schreiber, J., 2018. An integrative literature review of project management in
technical and professional communication. Technical Communication, 65(1), pp.85-106.
Lopes, S.A., 2016. High performers are not superheroes: bridging exclusive and inclusive talent
management approaches for law firm sustainability. International Journal of the Legal
Profession, 23(2), pp.207-231.
McDonnell, A., and et.al., 2017. Talent management: a systematic review and future
prospects. European Journal of International Management, 11(1), pp.86-128.
McDonnell, A., and et.al., 2017. Talent management: a systematic review and future
prospects. European Journal of International Management, 11(1), pp.86-128.
Okolie, U.C., 2020. DEVELOPING THE HUMAN RESOURCES EFFECTIVENESS
THRUOGH TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT. Annals of Spiru Haret University.
Economic Series, 20(3), pp.81-95.
Radujković, M. and Sjekavica, M., 2017. Project management success factors. Procedia
engineering, 196, pp.607-615.
Rombaut, E. and Guerry, M.A., 2020. The effectiveness of employee retention through an uplift
modeling approach. International Journal of Manpower.
Ruggiano, N. and Perry, T.E., 2019. Conducting secondary analysis of qualitative data: Should
we, can we, and how?. Qualitative Social Work, 18(1), pp.81-97.
Shittu, A.A., 2017. An investigation of human resource management in the organization, on the
example of “Google Inc.” Doctoral dissertation.
Shrivastava, S., Nagdev, K. and Rajesh, A., 2018. Redefining HR using people analytics: the
case of Google. Human Resource Management International Digest.
Steiber, A. and Alänge, S., 2013. A corporate system for continuous innovation: the case of
Google Inc. European Journal of Innovation Management.
Online
Google’s Performance Management Practices, Francisco Homem de Mello, 2019. Available
through: <https://qulture.rocks/en/blog/googles-performance-management-practices-part-
1/>
Secrets of Google’s talent retention success, Elizabeth Matsanguo, 2015. Available through:
https://www.europeanceo.com/business-and-management/secrets-of-googles-talent-
retention-success/
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APPENDIX
Questionnaire
1. Are talent management practices implemented effectively in your organisation? Rate the
effectiveness on a scale from 1 to 5.
 Scale level 1
 Scale level 2
 Scale level 3
 Scale level 4
 Scale level 5
2. Which among the following practices are best suited for talent acquisition?
 Enhancing company brand and reputation in recruiting market
 Proactively searching for and communicating with potential candidates
 Marketing through new means
 Emphasizing strategic workforce planning
 Improving candidate pre-screening
 All of the above
3. What are the sourcing strategies that are adopted by the organisation?
 Job post
 Web searches and career search engines
 Social networking (employee referral, college recruitment, professional
networking, recruiter trainers, ad-word search engines, contests, brain teasers, and
Friends of Google)
 All the above
18
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Designation:
Company and branch:

4. Select the training and development methods deployed in the organisation.
 Employee to employee network (g2g)
 Microlearning
 Discussions and Simulations
 On-the-job training
 All of the above
5. Are employment engagement activities conducted in the workplace on a periodical basis?
 Yes
 No
6. Which among these are the best retention strategies employed in the organisation?
 Recruiting the right people
 Improving the managers ability to manage
 Give employees constant feedback concerning their goals
 Empower Employees to manage their own career
 Continuously measure and improve retention strategies
 All of the above
7. Suggest the best talent management approaches that the company can further enhance or
adopt.
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