Image Courtesy of Xbit Labratories

Microsoft and Google. Rivals, right?

Even the greatest rivals have similarities.What is it? Corporate Culture.

My colleague Sammie Chan discussed about Google’s latest motivator, the MetroNap Energy Pod. Google employees can take quick naps in a quiet setting, or with soothing music playing to relieve their stress.. Furthermore, Google employees have flexible shifts and access to free drinks, snacks, and Google-subsidized cafes. 

Similarly, Microsoft have a similar corporate culture for their employees, making them feel at home and work near stress-free. In 2009, I visited Microsoft’s development office in Richmond, BC. At that time, I was working with 4 Microsoft employees on my project in their “BlackComb” meeting room. After our meeting,  Mr. Graham Wardle gave me a tour around their office. Although the office was no where close to their main one in Redmond, they still had subsidized cafes, free drinks and snacks, pool and Table Tennis tables, and flexible shifts. Mr. Wardle told me that Microsoft employees love to work there because of the culture and the flexibility Microsoft provides to each employee.

As we can see, having a good corporate culture is key to a successful company, unless you deny Microsoft and Google’s success.

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