Employee Motivation: The Google Way! When it comes to keeping employees happy and productive, companies such as Google lead the way. The brand is as famous for its staff perkspool tables and bowling alleys, free food and gym membershipsas it is for its technology, and even employs a chief happiness officer whose sole job is to keep employees happy and maintain productivity. Needless to say that the bottom line of the idea is to ensure complete employee satisfaction. If employees are satisfied, then productivity will increase, and the company will benefit. Google's model of employee motivation and leadership topples traditional leadership theory which focuses more on results than on the people who deliver those results. The company's work culture is true to its philosophy:- "To create the happiest, most productive workplace in the world." Just like other companies, Google ends up offering the usual perks and extrinsic benefits such as flex spending accounts, no-cost health and dental benefits, insurance, travel allowances, and tuition reimbursements. However, Google is known for its excellent perks that shows the extent the company can go just in order to ensure that its employees are happy and satisfied. However, Google is better known for some r eally distinctive and "more than just attractive" perks and benefits which just serve to show the very extreme lengths the company goes to make its employees consistently happy. Some of the perks are listed below: An onsite hair cutting salon. Free gourmet snacks (spanning a range of cuisines) prepared by well-trained chefs. Exposure to amazing people and great thinkers The company offers laundry and dry cleaning facilities On-site medical staff. If an employee falls sick at work, he or she can make an appointment with the doctor Google offers massage programs to its employees so that they can relive stress to a considerable extent. Massages are provided by licensed therapists. The organization allows its employees to use 20 percent of their workweek to pursue special projects and interests. That means for every standard workweek, employees can spend a full day to work on a project that is not directly related to their normal workload. If an employee dies, his or her family will receive his salary for the next 10 years. Googlers and their families are covered with travel insurance and emergency assistance even on personal vacations. While the above-mentioned perks are just to name a few, there are other things also that makes Google the most wanted place to work for worldwide. The company functions like a proper democracy where every Googler is given a chance to voice their opinions and express their interests. The company hosts employee forums on all Fridays where there is an examination of the 20 most asked questions. (adapted from source:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/employee-motivation-google-way-sampurna-majumder) QUESTION 1 (15 Marks) It is cited in the extract that if employees are satisfied, productivity will increase and the company will benefit. As the HR manager of an accounting firm, draw from the extract and your knowledge of motivation and draft a detailed motivational strategy that will motivate your employees, keep them satisfied and increase their productivity. Ensure that you explain how your identified strategies will motivate the employees, keep them satisfied and increase productivity. QUESTION 2 (15 Marks) Google is using the Herzberg two-factor motivational theory approach to motivate its employees. Drawing from the extract, argue for or against the above statement and adequately substantiate your argument.