The Corporate Storyteller

Google's search engine analytics are well known and relied upon to track data on website activity, and a new twist on the use of their analytical culture is reported in the October issue of Harvard Business Review. Many companies traditionally have relied on performance reviews, exit interviews, and surveys to learn what motivates employees and Google has taken the process a step further.

Described in the article as a "highly analytical" company, Google has created a "people analytics" function composed of a director and a staff of 30 who study and quantify such information as how many recruiting interviews are optimal and what traits and backgrounds indicate the highest chance of success at Google.

The people analytics group's findings have changed the way the company recruits and manages people; all their work is centered on the three main reasons they have discovered that employees stay: the mission, the quality of co-workers, and the opportunity to develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills.