Insight #2 — Retention
Tailoring our retention efforts is necessary to address the root causes of higher attrition among Black+, Native American+, and Latinx+ Googlers.
Spotlight
Hear our Head of the Retention & Progression Consultant Team, Rachel Spivey, and Head of Inclusion, April Alvarez, discuss the tailored retention and inclusion efforts we’re investing in to help underrepresented Googlers stay and thrive.
2021 Diversity Annual Report
A Conversation on Retention and Inclusion
Rachel Spivey (Head of Retention and Progression Consultant Team) and April Alvarez (Head of Inclusion) lead Google’s retention and inclusion efforts.
How does Google approach retention and inclusion?
April: We get to do really exciting work. Part of our work is continuing to support women of color across the company, working with our employee resource groups, folks who are underrepresented at the company and come together around a shared sense of identity. There is definitely a need and an aspect of the work that is centered around celebrations and joy. But there’s also a big part of the work that is centered on leadership development and, you know, I think that goes hand in hand with your work. That retains people, that keeps them here.
Rachel: In the short term, we’re working to stabilize attrition and progression and make sure that there are no gaps and that we’re at parity across race and gender lines. And to do that, we make sure that we have one-to-one support from some of the Googlers where we see the largest statistical differences in our attrition rates, to help support them through coaching, advocacy, and anything that they need to help them achieve their desired outcome at Google so that they can stay and thrive. And in the long term we want to make sure that we just improve this system, and so those long-term improvements – like reorgs, how we look at compensation, how we look at benefits – those larger processes we’re trying to improve to make sure that everyone is having a better experience.
What has Google learned?
April: We really, I think, learned over the last couple of years we need to create spaces for intersectional communities, for taking an intersectional approach. It’s been great to see those moments of intersection and connection across our employee resource groups and so they can, you know, work together to advocate for their collective needs. I think we’re at a space now where we’re at the table. We’re talking with leadership. We have leaders who are bought in, and now we’re moving them from making them aware of kind of what’s happening across the org to action.
Rachel: The business craves our insights, and then when we provide them a lot of times they’re willing to make change, eager to understand what can we do better. And we do it incrementally with one Googler, two Googler, three Googler, four. But we also do it magnified in the way that we are able to make policy change. We’re able to make organizational changes. We’re able to make process changes.
April: One thing I’m really proud of was Transcend. It was our first virtual gathering for women of color, and we had 20,000 attendees across the company. Women of color Googlers highlighted onstage from our very junior, early-in-their-career Googlers to the most senior women – they’re celebrating each other. And I know that meant a lot. It was kind of a magic moment across the company for a lot of women, right? So introducing something like Transcend, I wanted to make sure that we acknowledge that Google has its wounds, right? Any company, any place, like, has wounds, but Transcend, your team, the work that you all do to keep underrepresented Googlers here, it is an acknowledgment and it is an attempt to address those wounds.
How do you feel about the future of this work?
April: It is a long road, this work. We’re trying to solve problems that, you know, we haven’t solved outside the four walls of Google.
Rachel: I remember when we started this team we didn’t know what success looked like because we hadn’t really seen a similar model. And to look at the numbers of where we are now – again, we work with over 800 Googlers – I would have never thought we would have gotten to this amount. There’s so many places where we need to grow and get better, but I am encouraged that you and I are here in these seats. And the more and more I look up and I see additional people of color in leadership, it just really encourages me about where this company is going, where this company is heading, and making sure that we are a place where every Googler can stay and thrive, and more importantly that we represent our users.
April: I remember us sitting in Mountain View together when I first started, and I remember you giving me like little tips and tricks. And you’re right. To see us now, kind of leading this work, is really encouraging. It’s a tough industry, but I’m hopeful. I think we’re on the right path and thank you for everything you’re doing for Googlers.
Rachel: Same and thank you for creating places where everyone can feel included, including me, on a day-to-day basis, and I can feel seen and heard.
Our attrition index
Attrition by race / ethnicity
Attrition by gender
Intersectional attrition
What's working
When it comes to our efforts to retain underrepresented talent, we have room for improvement. However, a few of the programs and practices we’ve implemented have shown promising results.
Doubled our Retention and Progression team so that every organization has someone dedicated to supporting underrepresented Googlers. We will triple this investment by 2022.
Engaging over 40,000 Googlers in our employee resource groups with programming aimed at mentorship, leadership development, and community building.
Participated in the #AmplifyMelanatedVoices movement by hosting a speaker series with academics and policymakers exploring topics such as colorism in Latin America and Afro-Latinx identity through HOLA, an employee resource group for Latinx Googlers.
Providing mentorship through our employee resource groups like Pathways to Sponsorship, a program to accelerate the career progression of women in technical leadership roles as well as leveraging the Latinx Leadership Council to play an active role in mentoring junior Latinx Googlers.
In the workplace
We’re holding ourselves accountable for anti-racism at every level of the company, from leadership to all Googlers.
Incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion evaluation considerations in all performance reviews at the VP level and above to drive leadership accountability.
Developing a range of global racial equity education programs for all Googlers and integrating DEI into our flagship training programs. For example, with over 23,000 new hires, or “Nooglers,” joining Google in the last year, we embedded DEI content into our Noogler orientation program, so that everyone understands that they have a role to play in building a culture of respect and belonging from their first day at Google. As a result of the redesigned program, 97% of participants reported feeling more confident in describing how diversity contributes to success at Google.
Building relevant content for our offices all over the world. Across EMEA, we launched a speaker series, RE:EMEA, which hosted industry leaders and experts like Professor David Olusoga, Emma Dabiri, Professor Philomena Essed, Professor Dina Porat, Mohsin Zaidi, and more to share their perspectives and experiences with racial injustice in conversation with our leadership.
In the workplace
We’re listening to what our underrepresented Googlers need and creating new initiatives to directly support them.
Further reading
Learn more about how we partner with organizations to create a deeper sense of belonging in our workplace.
Hosted the first Standing in Solidarity: Black Community Support Session, in partnership with The Ladipo Group and Lyra Health, to create a safe space for Black Googlers to have conversations around mental health. These virtual sessions have become an ongoing series through 2021. As our Asian American and Pacific Islander (API) community grappled with increased violence and racism, we expanded these sessions to the API community as well.
Diversifying our network of mental health counselors all over the world. In the U.S., we are increasing representation of Black and Asian counselors by 2022.
Created Allyship Learning and Deep Dive Sessions reaching over 4,300 Googlers, with 84% reporting an increased understanding of racial bias, privilege, and empathy, as well as increased confidence in practicing allyship.
Sponsored a well-being program called “Be Well Bro” in partnership with our Black Googlers Network and external leaders to create a safe space for Black men to discuss mental health.
Customized financial planning and retirement planning sessions in partnership with the Greyglers, an employee resource group advocating for the needs of Googlers and users as they age.
In the workplace
We’re working to build a stronger sense of community and belonging.
Created new connections and a stronger sense of community among women of color across the company, by hosting our first Women of Color summit for over 20,000 Googlers across 100+ cities. The conference centered on transcending global boundaries, celebrating each other, empathizing with shared challenges, and giving space to stories of triumph and perseverance.
Fostered positivity and building community through the launch of “Hey Sis,” an outcome from the State of Black Women summit, which told the stories of 100 Black women at Google, and celebrated their work and leadership company-wide.
Expanded #ItsUpToMe in EMEA to engage over 3,700 leaders and managers across over 30 countries to drive progress on Google’s DEI goals in the workplace. The revised program includes more measures of accountability and allyship resources to drive systemic, behavioral change. Dedicated coaches help managers craft meaningful goals for their teams and hold leadership accountable for reaching them.
Leveraged the work of the Inter Belief Network employee resource group to create a corporate holiday calendar that is inclusive of multiple global religious communities.
Providing resources for cultural celebrations and opportunities for communities to come together. In partnership with the Iranian Googlers employee resource group, we hosted virtual cooking demonstrations, community meals, musical performances, and comedy nights to celebrate moments like Nowruz, the Iranian New Year.
In the world
We’re investing in the success of underrepresented communities beyond our walls.
Spotlight
“I knew I was standing among a fortress of women.”
— Tia McLaurin, Community Engagement Manager, Grow with Google
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., one of six partner organizations of the Black Women Lead program, a Grow with Google initiative led by Tia McLaurin.
Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, women have accounted for the majority of all lost jobs, and Black women have been particularly impacted, losing 154,000 jobs in December 2020 alone in the U.S. In response, nine female Googlers, led by Tia McLaurin, launched Black Women Lead, a Grow with Google initiative to train 100,000 Black women in digital skills by 2022. In partnership with Dress for Success, The Links Incorporated, and National Pan-Hellenic Council sororities, this program is part of Google’s $15 million commitment to Black job seekers.
Spotlight
“Digital skills are a critical component of business survival during this time.”
— Penny Gage, NCAI Indian Country Digital Trainer
Closures of small businesses related to COVID-19 lead to serious economic challenges for business owners and the communities they serve, and disproportionately impact small businesses in communities of color— including in Indian Country. We supported the National Congress of American Indians to help sustain and create economic opportunities in tribal communities, providing $1.25 million in Google.org grants for immediate relief for hundreds of Indigenous-owned businesses and free Grow with Google training and support to more than 11,000 Indigenous business owners in the U.S. to access digital tools and skills needed to grow.
“The business craves our insights ... they’re eager to make change, eager to understand what can we do better.”
Rachel Spivey is the Head of the Retention & Progression Consultant Team at Google.