Sundar Pichai Wants Googlers To Be Able To Dissent, Despite Not Agreeing With Sexist Memo
The CEO worries that other employees with valid grouses will keep silent for fear of being branded racist or sexist.
Google employee James Damore, the guy responsible for saying in an internal memo that women were ¡°unsuitable¡± for jobs in the tech industry, has since been fired, but the scandal isn¡¯t dying down anytime soon. CEO Sundar Pichai recognizes this, in a note he penned to employees reassuring them the issue is being taken seriously.
Pichai penned the memo sent to Google employees while on vacation with his family, saying he¡¯s cutting it short to return home ¡°as there¡¯s clearly a lot more to discuss as a group¡ªincluding how we create a more inclusive environment for all.¡±
Pichai starts off the letter by stating the company supports each employee¡¯s right to express themselves, and ¡°much of what was in that memo is fair to debate, regardless of whether a vast majority of Googlers disagree with it.¡± However, he also goes on to say that some of Damore¡¯s words and actions also violate the company¡¯s code of conduct and advances harmful gender stereotypes, which is why he was fired.
¡°Our job is to build great products for users that make a difference in their lives,¡± Pichai said in the memo. ¡°To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK. It is contrary to our basic values and our Code of Conduct, which expects each Googler to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination.¡±
What Pichai also stresses on however, is the task before the company to balance a safe working environment with the right of Googlers to express themselves. ¡°At the same time, there are co-workers who are questioning whether they can safely express their views in the workplace (especially those with a minority viewpoint),¡± Pichai added. ¡°They too feel under threat, and that is also not OK."
"People must feel free to express dissent.¡±
As such, Pichai now has quite a task ahead of him. He has to find a way for employees to debate what will certainly be topics, without having it devolve into shouting matches and workplace biases. In addition, he has to do all this under media scrutiny, which will not hesitate to call him sexist if he so much as accidentally sticks a toe out of line.
To be honest, the job probably pays really well, but we do not envy him right now.
