Alphabet

RANK8

Google parent Alphabet had a banner year, surpassing $200 billion in revenue for the first time. Alphabet boasted the top-performing Big Tech stock of 2021 as its shares soared by more than 65%, nearly three times the Nasdaq’s 22% gain. It also set aside a whopping $50 billion to buy back shares and announced a 20-for-1 stock split to encourage more investment. Alphabet’s stellar performance was boosted in part by its Google Cloud services, which registered a revenue increase of almost 50%. But while financials were booming, Alphabet faced many challenges on the HR front. Hundreds of workers opted to unionize, after which the company offered enhanced employee benefits including extended parental leave and vacation time; the company’s hybrid work plans also irked employees who had grown accustomed to working remotely. On the geopolitical front, Alphabet barred Russian media outlets from receiving ad revenue via its online platforms after Russia invaded Ukraine, and it transformed its Google offices in Poland into a safe haven for Ukrainian refugees.