Massage Santa Barbara

HR managers are getting smarter these days. If you do a quick Google search, you'll find that the big companies are all giving perks like massage to the staff. In fact, Google is one of these very companies. Why? Massage has been proven to boost productivity and decrease workman's comp and other expenses.

In a recent article by Margarita Bauza, takes a look at new trends in work cultures. She investigates the cultures of Google, Taubman, Jefferson Wells, DFCU Financial Federal Credit Union, and Atlas Oil. What Bauza found is that Google was ranked as the top workplace in Michigan in its size category.

It's no surprise that employees at the Internet search giant Google -- whose wacky cubicles are known for their Mr. Potato Head, superhero and Elmo doll adornments -- was ranked as southeast Michigan's top workplace in the medium-sized company category (151-500 workers).

How did Google manage to snag this position? Well, they work hard at making a great work environment. Staff members can bring their dogs to work, use the gym, there are free gourmet lunches, and they can get massages! The article also references Google's encouragement to its employees to take time off, volunteer in the community, and share ideas. Idea sharing and problem solving are group efforts with not much hierarchy.

Grady Burnett, director of online sales and operations, says Google's success lies in that collaborative environment. "Everyone is empowered to solve big problems, we encourage them to take on challenges, that it's something they should own." Community involvement seems to make a big difference in employees' lives, he added. "We've seen a lot of great success and commitment in this area," he said. "The majority of people I work with are very civic-minded people. I think it gives a feeling of purpose and belonging to the broader community and it's fun to do these projects."

The rest of the article gives just a little information on the other companies. If we judge from the article, it seems that the other companies mentioned in the article pale in comparison to Google as far as revolutionizing the workplace traditions.

Read the original article here.