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As more or less everyone in the developed world will know, Microsoft is a US-based software company, which develops and licenses software products for consumers, businesses and public sector organisations. Since 1975, when it was formed by 19-year-old Bill Gates and 21-year-old business partner Paul Allen, it has grown into a global titan with turnover of $62,484m in its 2010 financial year.
Its UK subsidiary, Microsoft Ltd, was established in 1982, and was the company’s top-performing international subsidiary in 2010. It has more than 2,500 staff working at its Reading headquarters and its satellite offices in Manchester, Edinburgh, Guildford and Twycross, Warwickshire. There is also an office in London focused on its web portal business, The Microsoft Network (more commonly known as MSN), and a Microsoft Research facility in Cambridge, which is dedicated to research and development.
The company is divided into five units:
Among the many other products not mentioned above (but included in one or other of these divisions) are:
While the company enjoys the benefits of a strong balance sheet and a world-famous brand, it is at risk from intense competition in the IT market, particularly in the internet search category. To remain competitive, it is focusing on growth areas, such as cloud computing, and is working to expand its already substantial consumer IT businesses.
Partnerships with other global brands such as Yahoo!, Ford Motors and Nokia are also expected to help boost the business, and its 2011 acquisition of internet telephony service Skype (which in turn is working with Facebook) are also expected to provide additional growth opportunities.
Research and development is another key strength and growth area for Microsoft; the company has invested heavily in this area for many years, and spent $8.7b on research in 2010 alone. As a result of this continued focus on innovation, it now holds more than 10,000 patents, and a further 3,000 new patents are filed each year. The employee responsible for each new patent receives a commemorative cube.
The company does not specify an exact figure for graduate salaries, saying only that a ‘competitive’ salary is provided. However, in previous years the figure has reportedly been around £26,000.
Some benefits offered to employees outside the graduate scheme include discounted stock purchase options, performance-based bonuses, a company car and life coaching.
When discussing the company culture, employees frequently cite ‘change’ as a primary feature of life at Microsoft, so don’t expect to settle into a comfortable rut. The company itself constantly highlights the importance of individuality and innovation in its recruitment literature, and says that it has worked to build a working environment that fosters free expression and original thinking.
The general atmosphere at the company’s offices seems to be fairly relaxed; the dress code is usually ‘business casual’ (though many people wear jeans and trainers), and there are plenty of places for informal ad hoc meetings – not least the on-site cafes. ‘Softies’, as employees are commonly known, also have access to Xbox 360 consoles, so they can even play computer games during breaks.
There is some freedom for employees to manage their own time
It is some indication of the overall attitude of the company that Maurice Martin, the UK director of server and cloud platforms, recently accused companies that block social networking sites at work of being ‘prohibitionist’, and said that the best way to attract talent is to allow staff to communicate ‘the way they do at home’. This marriage of work and home life is also evident in the company’s life coaching and mentoring schemes, which help employees develop on a personal as well as professional level (see Training and Salaries).
There is also a famous tradition for celebrating worker anniversaries: apparently, Softies are expected to bring in one pound of M&Ms (yes, the sweets) for every year of service on each anniversary of joining. Whether they actually do is another matter, but the mere idea points to a kind of irreverent humour ingrained in the organisation.
The company touts flexibility as one of its top benefits. Options include remote working, job-sharing, flexi-time, and compressed hours (ie working longer but fewer days). Depending on workload, and whether deadlines are nearing, employees may need to put in longer hours at times. However, they will usually be able to claim back overtime hours at a later date, or come in later the next day if they stay late of an evening, so there is some freedom for employees to manage their own time.
As part of this focus on flexible working, the company also aims to make it easier for employees to manage their work/life balance by providing a range of conveniences on its campuses. For example, the Reading and London offices have on-site cash machines, dry cleaning and car washing services, and shopping facilities, so there are chances to get chores done throughout the day instead of having to save them for weekends.
Further flexibility is given to employees through the ability to move around within the company. Although job roles are clearly defined in terms of the way they contribute to the company’s success, there is scope for expanding beyond the conventional boundaries of a role, and for pursuing new and different paths. Insiders say that this kind of movement is not only permitted but encouraged, and the company itself says it is easy for employees to find out what skills they need in order to effect a career change.
Every year, the company participates in the Intelligent Sport UK Challenger Event, a major team-building event in which representatives from dozens of major companies compete against each other in physical and mental tasks. As many as 60 Microsoft employees vie for a spot on one of its teams, with members being chosen through a tough selection process, which includes raising money for the NSPCC (the event’s beneficiary).
There are also various sports clubs that employees can join, including badminton, football, diving, sailing and tennis. There are also other social clubs for less sporty types, based around themes such as:
The company conducts an annual employee survey as part of its 360-degree review process. According to the findings of the 2010 survey (in which 85 per cent of staff members participated), 89 per cent said they felt proud to work for the company, and 86 per cent would recommend it as a workplace. In terms of relationships with managers, 91 per cent of respondents said they felt that their manager treated them with dignity and respect – good news for managers, who are reportedly rewarded for positive scores on the ‘workplace health index’.
While the company acknowledges the need for diversity and individuality in the workplace, the vast majority of its staff are white males; women currently account for just 24% of employees worldwide, while around 34% of US staff are from minority ethnic groups (no global figure is provided). However, there are a number of resource groups in place to help foster diversity and support greater representation by minorities. These include:
There are also a range of employee networks available to staff members, focused on various characteristics such as ethnicity and lifestyle. These also work to support staff members and promote the company’s diversity strategies.
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