Google’s employee experiments keep the happiness machine rolling

Would Frank in accounting rather have a $1,000 per-year raise, a $2,000 bonus, some stock, or just some more free time to spend with his family? What makes an employee happy? Google’s People Operations — “POPS” for short — concerns itself with such problems. Slate’s detailed report reveals that the department has even gone so far as to hire scientists to help find the best way to manage a large firms. The scientists work in POPS’ People & Innovation Lab, which apparently runs “dozens of experiments on employees” to determine how to maximize their happiness. It’s this sort of attention to detail that has seen the company top Fortune’s 100 Best Companies To Work For list. Because, as long as you aren’t hung out to dry for hiring competitors’ talent, Google will take good care of you.