Profit Over Performance: The Illusion of Culture

Google has historically prioritized profitability over fostering a high-performance culture. The company aimed to secure talent through attractive perks and comfortable work environments, ensuring employees remained within the organization rather than seeking opportunities with competitors. This strategy was designed to protect its lucrative search engine business while creating less demanding roles that contributed little to innovation or productivity. As a result, the emphasis on remote work and a relaxed engineering culture can be traced back to this foundational approach.