As the world's most famous computer software company, Microsoft Research Institute has many unique features in human resource management. The following is an excerpt:
1. Guided, but not controlled
The project, details, methods, and success/failure of the Research Institute are determined by the researchers themselves. For details, the leadership can give their own opinions, but the decision is in the hands of researchers. Researchers are fully supported by the leadership in the R & D process, even if the leadership does not agree with their decision.
2. Freedom, sincerity, and equality
The Microsoft Research Institute does not allow the existence of bureaucracy, arrogance, and open war. It encourages employees of different qualifications and levels to trust each other, help each other, and trust each other. Every employee can give his or her thoughts to anyone. Even criticism and debate are made on the premise of mutual trust, mutual assistance, and construction.
3. Employee Satisfaction
Many may think that treatment is the biggest requirement of employees. Of course, good treatment is important, but it is more important for a researcher to have enough resources to specialize in research and be recognized by the academic community, and have the opportunity to turn technology into a successful product. Microsoft does this:
Abundant research resources. With the company's strong capital, every researcher can do research with no worries. Such resources are diverse. Such as computers, software, instruments, and experiments, as well as sufficient funds to go abroad for a meeting, study, or back-to-school study. Microsoft knows that researchers want to concentrate on the research they love, instead of doing the work they are not keen on or specialized in, microsoft Research Institute employs multiple technical support personnel, administrative assistants, librarians, and data searchers to Support researchers.
Research Team: in addition to several researchers, a research team also has multiple associate Studies (similar to postdocs), interns, developers, and access scholars. Such a diverse team can quickly make achievements.
Recognized by academia. In an open environment, employees do not have to worry that the company will turn their major inventions into company secrets, and they will lose the chance to communicate with foreign scholars or be recognized (to win the Paper Award.
4. Talent discovery
The value of talents in the information society is far greater than that in the industrial society. The reason is simple. In an industrial society, the best and most efficient job may produce 20% or 30% more than a common worker. However, in the information society, one of the best software developers can do 500% or even 1000% more work than one average. For example, Bill Gates writes the world's smallest BASIC language. Windows, which brings huge profits to Microsoft, is only made by a research team. Since talent is so important, how does Microsoft Research Institute explore talent?
Find leaders with outstanding results. Some of these leaders are famous experts, but sometimes the most competent people are not necessarily the most famous people. Many outstanding achievements in the computer industry are often created by a group of behind-the-scenes research heroes. Whether it's a former professor or a research hero behind the scenes, as long as they apply for a job, Microsoft will spend a lot of time understanding their work and lobby them to take into account the work of Microsoft Research Institute.
Find the people with the greatest potential. In China, because of the late start of information technology, there are far fewer outstanding achievements and world-class leaders than in the United States. However, based on the talents, foundations, and creativity of young people in China (such as recent masters or doctoral students), Microsoft has set up a Chinese Research Institute to find experts and potential in China.
5. attract and retain talents
Many believe that the key to hiring talent is treatment. More people think that Microsoft can "buy talents with high salaries" when it comes to China ". Microsoft believes that everyone should receive appropriate treatment, but in addition to providing competitive (but reasonable) treatment, Microsoft attaches more importance to the research environment. The environment opened up by Microsoft for R & D personnel is very attractive, including: full resource support, giving everyone no worries; the best research team and an open and equal environment, let everyone have the opportunity to turn and learn from each other; the opportunity to benefit mankind, so that everyone can be proud of the products developed by their own research institutes; long-term vision and attractive research questions, let everyone love their work; have a leader who understands and supports their own research, so that everyone can get support, while following the company's general direction, there is still enough space and freedom to develop your talents and pursue your dreams.
Therefore, Microsoft believes that a high level of treatment may attract some people, but only a very attractive environment can attract and retain all the best talents for a long time. Among all three Microsoft Research Institutes, the turnover rate is less than 3% (about 12% in Silicon Valley ). One of the biggest feelings of Microsoft is that everyone is very happy, especially passionate about and cherishing his work.