Oodles of Googles…
CNN Money has a good article about the exodus of many of Google’s prized engineers. From what I can tell, part of the problem lies in Google’s famous “20% time”. This “rule” states that Google employees can spend 20% of their work time to work on whatever project they want. This is meant to stimulate creativity amongst employees and also serve as a pool of potential future business ideas.
However, the creative spirit encouraged by Google also stimulated the entrepreneurial one. Many of the cool ideas developed through the “20% time” left many of Google’s engineers wanting to be successful on their own. Sean Knapp was one of these engineers and explains how Google attempted to keep his idea of a new way of handling Web video “in house”:
“Without even knowing what their idea was, Google wanted them – and their project – to stay. “They told us, ‘Here’s a blank check,’” recalls Knapp, a baby-faced former track star at Stanford. “I said, ‘You’re asking me to be a surrogate parent.’” Knapp and his pals would do the hard work, in other words, but Google would own the product.”
Many ex-Google engineers have left the company and successfully founded their own startups. Anyways, the article is a good read for those interested…
that’s the cost of having a great work environment, i guess. either way, i think they’re doing a great job, and that type of agreement… everybody signs one like that. for example, i’m sure that wordpress’ terms of agreement certify ownership over SOMETHING on your page, lol.