Google Staff's Bonuses Depend on Social Success
Google’s various forays into the social networking market haven’t exactly gone according to plan. Between the only mildly popular Orkut and the privacy fiasco that was Buzz, the folks at Mountain View must be desperate to get it right just once. Now it looks as though they’ll have a little extra incentive to make the social angle a success: Part of their bonuses will depend on it.
Rounding out his first week as CEO of Google, co-founder Larry Page recently made a ballsy decision: A quarter of every employee’s bonus will depend on the success of Google’s efforts in the social arena. In a memo titled “2011 Bonus Multiplier” the new CEO informed staff that based on the company’s social success, they could get anywhere between .75 and 1.25 of their targeted bonus.
“If we’re successful in reaching our goal of integrating relationships, sharing and identity across our products your Q4 bonus could be bigger. If not, your Q4 bonus could be less than target.”
"This is a joint effort so it's important that we all get behind it," Page said in the memo obtained by Business Insider.
However, Googlers with little faith in the search giant’s ability to deliver will be pleased to note that this will only affect bonuses for the fourth quarter.
“Since the multiplier will be measured at the end of the year, it will apply only to the Q4 bonus. Q1, Q2 and Q3 bonuses will be paid out as usual.”
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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xambron I don't think social networking is going to get any stronger than what it has become or what it was.Reply -
fyasko what is social success? google can't possibly be more "socially successful" then now. everyone who correctly uses the internet uses google, android is huge... i don't get it. someone asks me for directions i say to them "google it" and they do using their android phone... maybe he means that everyone at google has to be on facebook/twitter?Reply -
fyasko PS their is to much "networking" and not enough REAL socializing these days. chatting online isn't REAL communication!Reply -
PreferLinux fyaskoPS their is to much "networking" and not enough REAL socializing these days. chatting online isn't REAL communication!Very true! +1Reply -
ubercake They want to end the year by really breaking into a valuable market. What a better way to motivate people than to tell them we'll pay you more if we all meet a company goal.Reply
Must be a great company to work for if you know you'll get some kind of bonus every quarter even if company goals aren't met!? Who does that these days? -
Myself deleted facebook, and will happily sign up for any social web service that allows me perfect backward secrecy, hides the identity on my driver's license for real, and lets me compartmentalize friends/groups and participate as multiple identities with one group of friends not being able to tell I participate/post in other groups/interests/compartments of friends.Reply
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n3ard3ath TA152HGrowth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell. ... and Google.Reply
Well said.
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gruntlord6 TA152HGrowth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell. ... and Google.Or any business....Reply