Who we are shapes the work we do.
Google VetNet Career Week is a virtual three-day event offering Veterans, service members, and military spouses and partners the tools, support, and advice needed to establish and advance their careers.
Here’s how we’re making sure every Googler feels seen, connected, supported, and empowered to participate fully:
How we’re making progress on our representation goals
As of 2021, we've reached our goal of improving leadership representation of Black+, Latino+, and Native American+ Googlers by 30%, and we're on track to double Black+ representation throughout our U.S. offices by 2025.
As we work towards our representation goals, we're focusing on more than just hiring. Our recruiting leads are working closely with internal groups like the Black Googler Network to improve hiring, progression, and retention for underrepresented groups at Google. We're launching new onboarding programs for all Black Googlers, and doubling down on our commitment to support Googlers of color through expanded mental health resources, and through internal mentorship programs like Stay and Thrive. We're driving allyship and holding leaders accountable by incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into performance reviews for all vice president+ levels. We're also focusing on hiring more employees of color in key growth sites, and we're working with external partner organizations and Minority Serving Institutions in order to strengthen pathways to careers in tech for those historically excluded from the industry.
How we’re working to better recruit, hire, and co-create with Googlers with disabilities
Googlers with disabilities make critical contributions across the company. We’re actively working to make Google a place where everyone can learn, grow, and have an impact. Here are a few ways we’re doing it:
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Launched a new careers site to better recruit people with disabilities, including information about workplace accommodations
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Created a training on Disability Fundamentals for managers at Google, then partnered with Disability:In to make the course available to their partner companies.
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Cultivating community through Disability Alliance, our internal employee resource group (ERG), which was named ERG of the Year 2020 by Disability:IN
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Joined the Valuable 500 as one of 14 iconic companies, working to “co-create solutions which will transform the business system to be more inclusive of people with disabilities.”
Supporting the intersectional communities at Google with Self-ID
To build a workforce that’s representative of our users, we need to have a thorough picture of our employee demographics. Self-ID is an initiative providing intersectional data of our workforce communities and informing impactful diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming and resources to help our diverse Googlers thrive at work.
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When Google began collecting DEI data in 2014, we gathered only the information we were obligated to report to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, including race, ethnicity, and binary gender. Although this gave us a preliminary glimpse into the employee demographics, it had its limitations.
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In January 2019, we launched Self-ID, a voluntary self-identification survey that collects data on many aspects of identity. Now Googlers can quickly and easily choose to disclose if they have a disability, have served in the military, or if they’re nonbinary, LGBQ+, and/or Trans+. We’ve been able to expand our data sets in the U.S. and globally – in countries where legally permissible.
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Self-ID is already creating impact, both internally and for the industry. For example, within Google we’ve used the data of those who self-identified as having a disability to set company-wide goals focused on improving product accessibility and disability inclusion. For the industry at large, Self-ID creates a new metric of data that allows us to inspire other companies and organizations to ramp up their DEI efforts and foster a sense of belonging in culture.
Who we are shapes the work we do.
Marnie Florin (they/them, ze/hir, ze/zir, ey,em) Retention & Progression Consultant, Google
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“I’m Marnie Florin. I’m a parent. I’m trans. I’m nonbinary. I’m currently pregnant. I’m Jewish. I identify as neurodiverse with ADHD. Being able to bring my authentic self to work is so important because it means that I’m not expending additional energy thinking about what are other people thinking of me, versus being able to put that energy toward just doing a good job in my role.”
“I don’t want to be at a place that shows me empathy because I’m Black. I want to be in a place where people are comfortable to have radical candor with me.”
Mzamo Masito (he/him) Director, Marketing Sub-Saharan Africa, Google
When we’re together we thrive.
Meet the community-driven groups providing support and making an impact:
Supporting Africans at Google
As part of the Black Googler Network, Africans@Google is focused on building and maintaining a community that feels like home for Africans at Google while providing a platform to bring awareness to Google and the tech community about Africa-focused initiatives.
Supporting the diverse and multicultural Asian community at Google
The Asian Google Network (AGN) aims to engage and support the Asian community at Google. AGN focuses on programs around career development, racial awareness, health and wellness, product inclusion, and culture. Each year, thousands of Googlers participate in efforts from the annual mentorship program to Asian Pacific American Heritage Month activities.
Supporting the Black community at Google
The Black Googler Network (BGN) is an employee resource group of Googlers with a mission to cultivate Black leaders at Google and beyond, empower the communities where we operate, and transform the tech industry to reflect the diversity of its users. Members of BGN create community for one another through participation in events, discussions, and celebrations (i.e., Black History Month and Juneteenth) centered around the diverse topics that most impact the Black+ community. BGN members take pride in sharing their time and talent with one another as well as the greater community outside Google.
Nothing About Us Without Us
The Disability Alliance (DA) is an employee resource group for disabled people and their allies. We share advice, build awareness, and advocate for Disability inclusion in Google and Alphabet products, programs, and practices.
Celebrating the Filipino community at Google
The Filipino Googler Network (FGN) focuses on organizing internal events that help build a stronger sense of belonging, creating programs that encourage professional development, and finding opportunities to connect with the wider global Filipino community.
Supporting Indigenous and Aboriginal communities
The Google Aboriginal & Indigenous Network (GAIN) is dedicated to bringing the influence of Aboriginal and Indigenous Peoples to Google employees and Google users through product inclusion, social responsibility initiatives, and internal efforts related to hiring and retention. GAIN also builds relationships between Google teams and external Aboriginal & Indigenous-led nonprofits and organizations.
Supporting veterans and military families
The Google Veterans Network (VetNet) is an internal community of military veterans, service members, civilian allies, and families dedicated to unifying, connecting, and serving the military community.
Creating community for Googlers “of a certain age”
The Greyglers help Google succeed by sharing their experience and by advocating for the needs of Googlers and users as they age. Greyglers advocate for age positive policy change within Google, promote awareness of age diversity and issues related to age, and support transitions throughout Googler careers, so that Google remains a workplace that works for everyone.
Supporting the Latinx community at Google
HOLA’s members are committed to the inclusion, advancement, and representation of Hispanic/Latinx Googlers worldwide. HOLA strives to build community through education and celebration of Hispanic/Latinx culture. With the intention of making both an internal and external impact, HOLA provides mentorship opportunities and empowers volunteer opportunities in the Hispanic/Latinx community. HOLA stands in support of racial equity and intersectional justice, and all those who seek it.
Connecting with the South Asian community at Google
The Indus Googler Network (IGN) aims to build a platform for professional and social activities for those with an affinity for South Asian culture. IGN activities include community service, outreach programs, and cultural celebrations such as Diwali and Holi.
Promoting inclusion at work and in Google’s products for a diversity of belief-based or belief-related communities
The Inter Belief Network (IBN) aims to create a culture of inclusion, tolerance, and mutual understanding at Google for a diversity of beliefs, where Googlers of all beliefs feel welcome, included, and supported. IBN also aims to ensure that the voices of belief-based communities are represented in Google’s products. IBN consists of multiple member chapters representing specific communities of interest, including but not limited to: Buddhists, Christians, Jews and Muslims.
Supporting Googlers of nationalities or ethnicities in the CAMENA geographical region
CAMENA aims to provide a platform for empowerment, mentorship, and networking of the diverse and multicultural Caucasian, Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African communities and to strengthen communication and collaboration with other Googlers, culturally and professionally.
Supporting the mixed race and mixed ethnicity community at Google
The Mixed Googlers employee resource group is a dedicated community for mixed race and mixed ethnicity Googlers and allies. Mixed Googlers hold fun socials, interesting talks on important topics, and share helpful resources.
Creating a supportive, inclusive Google for LGBTQ+ employees
PRIDE at Google is comprised of LGBTQ+ Googlers and their allies. The group not only leads the way in celebrating LGBTQ+ people year round, but also informs product inclusion, programs and policies, so that Google and its products work for everyone.
Advocating for transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, gender variant, intersex, nonbinary and questioning employees
Trans at Google seeks to ensure that the company’s products and policy stances are inclusive of all gender identities and expressions. Trans at Google also highlights the needs and concerns of our users from trans and gender-nonconforming communities globally.
Advocating for gender equity
Women@Google is our largest global employee network and is committed to empowering all women at Google by connecting, developing, and retaining female talent; creating a culture of inclusion; and making social impact in local communities. Women@ provides networking and mentoring opportunities, professional development, and community to Googler women across 52 countries.
Xuan Yang (she/her) Senior Software Engineer, Google
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“As a woman in an engineering field, there are a lot of challenges. But inside Google, there are all kinds of mentorship programs to help people meet each other and build career connections. I actually have mentored several interns, and also I have been mentored. And through all those activities, I have the feeling that I'm making contributions and helping others in this community.”
“I think what's been really exciting for me is the ability to take something small, like kicking off a ML fairness project, and then being able to build that into a much bigger experience for the organization into eventually culture change, into something that's ingrained in our goals and our best practices.”
Tulsee Doshi (she/her) Head of Product - Responsible AI, Google
More ways we’re building belonging in our workplace:
Explore more of our belonging work
We expanded how we help Googlers thrive at work, reaching hiring and retention milestones.