20% time

Intermediate ๐Ÿ’ผ Corporate / Business

Definition

Allowing employees to spend one day per week on passion projects, a perk famously offered by Google that most companies claim to have but somehow never actually schedule.

Example Usage

We totally have 20% time here, you just need to finish your regular work firstโ€”so, never.

Origin

Popularized by Google in the early 2000s, inspired by 3M's innovation time policy

Fun Fact

Gmail and Google News allegedly emerged from 20% time, though Google has since quietly reduced the program's prominence.

Source: Innovation management and tech industry terminology

Related Terms

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