One of the quirks that took me by surprise when I first joined Google was the concept of:
Learning on the Loo!
Every two weeks, in every Google restroom across the globe, two short articles are published to share productivity hacks.
These hacks range from tips on holding effective meetings to employee discounts available to Googlers.
It is completely run by a team of volunteers.
The official mission of the team is:
“Learning on the Loo aims to expose and develop shortcuts to streamline and reduce work, resulting in increased efficiency, reduced stress, and improved work satisfaction for all Googlers around the world, regardless of role, office, or location.”
As an optimizer myself, I love them!
Not only it ceases my urge to “quickly” check social media handles.
But also help me learn something meaningful in the time that I otherwise would have spent anyways.
New hires benefit tremendously by absorbing this “tribal knowledge” passed down by experienced Googlers.
I believe every big company (10,000+ employees) can benefit from something like this where resources are plentiful yet hard to find.
This actually aligns remarkably well with Google’s mission of organizing world’s information and make it accessible and useful.
Learning on the Loo proves that even the most unexpected places can become springboards for growth.
Who says charity can’t start…well, at home..
Share a quirk that took you by surprise when you first joined a new company in the comments!
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