Case Analysis Microsoft Corporation Microsoft is the largest and leading software company in the world. Founded by William Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, Microsoft has grown into a multi-billion dollar company in just ten years. It all started with a big vision – “a computer on every desk and in every home” – which seemed almost impossible at the time. Microsoft now has more than 44,000 employees in 60 countries, net income of $3.45 billion, and revenue of $11.36 billion. The company's extraordinary growth and success have been driven by the development and marketing of operating systems and personal productivity application software. At Microsoft, employee training and development are very important aspects of the company's daily operations. At Microsoft all employees are immediately “thrown” into normal business operations. Since 1975, the company has used the “learn as you go” method. It depends heavily on learning by doing rather than learning and then doing it. The company recruits young and talented specialists from colleges and universities. The company is known to look for four important qualities in all new hires: ambition, IQ, technical competence and business judgment. Experienced employees conduct the interviews and it is very important to note that team managers are the people who actually hire, not the recruiters. This gives managers the flexibility to select and hire the best of the best. Interestingly, only 2-3% of all employees who express interest in Microsoft get hired. Once hired, new employees are assigned to teams where they begin implementing projects under close supervision. New employees are expected to know the specifics of their job responsibilities and how to perform different tasks. That's why Microsoft launched the new Microsoft Skills 2000 initiative in May 1997. The purpose of Skills 2000 is to narrow the growing gap between business needs and available skills by reaching employees in the IT workforce and those interested in developing a career in information systems. Microsoft pays relatively low wages and often doesn't pay overtime, but employees are compensated with excellent benefits. The company offers Savings Plus 401(k) plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), paid maternity and paternity leave, tuition reimbursement, annual bonuses, etc. Company culture is also an important human resources factor as it relates to employee motivation and development. and quality of work. Microsoft has an anti-bureaucratic atmosphere that gives employees the freedom to take risks.