Google, in a bid to stem defections to rival technology companies such as Facebook, has given all of its 23,000 employees a pay hike, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The newspaper, citing "people familiar with the matter," said the raise, first reported by the Silicon Alley Insider blog, is effective in January.

Chief Executive Eric Schmidt informed employees of the Mountain View, California-based company of the pay raise in an email, the Journal said.

"We want to make sure that you feel rewarded for your hard work," Schmidt was quoted as saying. "We want to continue to attract the best people to Google."

Asked about the Journal report by AFP, a Google spokesman said in an email: "While we don't typically comment on internal matters, we do believe that competitive compensation plans are important to the future of the company."

According to the Journal, roughly 10 percent of Facebook's employees are Google veterans.

Facebook and Google have also been sparring in recent days over data sharing with Google blocking Facebook from importing Gmail contact information over the social network's refusal to share data about its users.

In September, Google, Apple, Intel and three other US technology giants agreed to settle charges they had illegally entered into agreements not to poach each other's employees.

The Justice Department said the settlement would prevent Adobe, Apple, Google, Intel, Intuit and Pixar from forging so-called "no solicitation" agreements for employees.