Business students and engineering students usually don’t see eye to eye, but they seem to agree on one thing – given a choice, they’d love to work at Google. What’s more, even men and women seem to be unanimous in their desire to work at the tech giant.
These were the findings of a study conducted by Universum, a global research and advisory firm that specializes in employer branding. The survey asked more than 240,000 business and engineering students from across the globe what was important to them and which companies they would most like to work for. The results were the same as they’d been for the last 3 years the survey had been conducted – Google was the no. 1 employer of choice across all categories.
It is not surprising the young people want to work at Google “Millennials want to truly understand a company’s purpose, align with it, and work with others to propel the organization’s performance,” Universum said. “Millennials are highly attracted to entrepreneurial energy in the workplace. They want to work in innovative settings, unencumbered by infrastructure, while still delivering strong financial results. Consequently, the tech industry generally attracts this kind of talent.”
Google has managed to retain its entrepreneurial culture in spite of having become a large company with over 55,000 employees globally. Employees are given leeway in choosing their projects and are even allowed to work on projects of their own choosing on the now-famous 20% time allocation. The offices are more reminiscent of college campuses than serious places of business, with their bright decor and snazzy furnishings.
Google also aims to take care of daily tasks that whittle away at employee productivity, such as laundry. It provides laundry services in its office, along with a helpful concierge that cares of your bills and other miscellaneous errands. Google is also famous for providing solid life insurance, and in the event of an employee’s death, their nearest relative receives half their salary for a period of 10 years.
In addition to the perks, what really seals the deal for Google is its perceived ability to make an impact on the world. “Students are seeking platforms for their own performance and growth,” says Petter Nylander, chief executive officer of Universum. “If you want to attract the largest generation in history to work at your company, you’re going to have to give them two things: a sense of purpose and the ability to innovate.”