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At Google, an Employee-Run Email List Tracks Harassment and Bias Complaints (bloomberg.com) 90

A group of Google employees have begun a message board for employees to submit worker complaints that's then emailed weekly as a digest, according to a report on Bloomberg. The email list -- called "Yes, at Google" -- has been around since October and allows employees to talk openly about work situations in which they felt uncomfortable; most submissions are anonymized. From the article: Google management is aware of the list. "We work really hard to promote and preserve a culture of respect and inclusion," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. "Our employees have numerous ways to raise issues -- both negative and positive -- with us, including through grassroots transparency efforts like this one. We take concerns seriously and take appropriate measures to address them." The list is run by a group of workers across different product areas, according to a person familiar with the list, though it's not clear who runs the list and how or whether the submissions are vetted before being distributed. Usually, the people in the complaints are not named, though one submission described an instance when, during a large company meeting in late April, Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt allegedly interrupted Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat when she had a question addressed to her, which the post categorized as a "gender-related" complaint. A person who attended the meeting said Schmidt answered the question to make a joke. Messages sometimes include job titles and other details.
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At Google, an Employee-Run Email List Tracks Harassment and Bias Complaints

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  • by Anonymous Coward

    This is a trap, they just want to fire people that try to report rape.

    • by cayenne8 ( 626475 ) on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @02:31PM (#54471761) Homepage Journal
      It seems too many people these days see shaming and the system against them at every corner....

      I would guess that MOST of the complaints are of the "Seriously?" type as listed in the article:

      though one submission described an instance when, during a large company meeting in late April, Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt allegedly interrupted Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat when she had a question addressed to her, which the post categorized as a "gender-related" complaint. A person who attended the meeting said Schmidt answered the question to make a joke.

      I mean really....there *are* real instances of harassment out there, but you have so many people seeing and reporting crap that just isn't worth it and not a real problem and it muddies the water for seeing the few *real* incidents that happen out there, are serious and need to be addressed.

      Is this the snowflakes entering the real world, finding out everyone doesn't get a trophy, doesn't have to give a shit about their 'self esteem', only expecting you to get your job done and do what your told and on time.....and seeing and reporting crap that no one in past generations saw as a problem but just the way life is....?

      • by oakgrove ( 845019 ) on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @02:48PM (#54471893)

        If being interrupted by the opposite sex is a "gender-related" thing by now then I should top the charts of oppression and my wife has a lot of 'splainin to do.

        • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

          by swillden ( 191260 )

          If being interrupted by the opposite sex is a "gender-related" thing by now then I should top the charts of oppression and my wife has a lot of 'splainin to do.

          The problem wasn't the interruption so much as the context. Porat was asked a question that was about a gender-related complaint and Schmidt apparently stopped the complaint from being discussed and turned it into a joke. Depending on the nature of the complaint, that could be really hurtful to the person who'd screwed up their courage enough to ask such a question in front of the whole company (I'm assuming the "large company meeeting" was the weekly whole-company TGIF).

          Note that although I work for Goog

          • by Anonymous Coward

            Porat was asked a question that was about a gender-related complaint and Schmidt apparently stopped the complaint from being discussed

            Yeah, I mean Gods forbid Eric Schmidt the goddamned chairman of the fucking board have the temerity to open his mouth to lead the discussion when an exalted womyn is dropping her pearls of wisdom before the ungrateful swine.

            I mean...the nerve.

            • Porat was asked a question that was about a gender-related complaint and Schmidt apparently stopped the complaint from being discussed

              Yeah, I mean Gods forbid Eric Schmidt the goddamned chairman of the fucking board have the temerity to open his mouth to lead the discussion when an exalted womyn is dropping her pearls of wisdom before the ungrateful swine.

              I mean...the nerve.

              Yeah, how dare she expect that she should feel comfortable at work.

              • by Anonymous Coward

                Yeah, how dare she expect that she should feel comfortable at work.

                Nice strawman. At no point did I comment on whether someone should feel or not feel "comfortable" at work. But have fun arguing with the boogeyman in your head as I'm sure that's a lot more, um, comfortable than any pathetic attempts you could make at refuting what I actually say.

                • Assuming you're the AC above, after your initial response you have zero right to expect any sort of reasoned discussion. And I have fed you far more than I should.
      • by Anonymous Coward

        Of course they know the joke incident was nothing, this is not what it's about. This list is essentially a back channel for the usual grievance mongers to organize themselves and exert pressure on management.

        The "document everything" mentality has the dual purpose of legitimizing the list existing and to provide a shit ton of ammunition when they don't get their way. Most of the accused will be completely unable to defend themselves as they will have no recollection of some offhand comment made in an inform

      • Some folks with H1B visas consider the handling of women to be the women's fault. Sounds gross, but hay; it's their culture and it works for them?
  • by Anonymous Coward

    >gender-related

  • by caferace ( 442 )

    ref: B.A ... R.B.A. (obscure references, it was the mid/late 90's)

  • The existence of a list like this was motivated by unmet needs for company oversight and review of workplace conduct between employees. Google's policy for controlling and eliminating harassment is inadequate because their employees say it is.
    • by jedrek ( 79264 )

      Exactly this. Why does Google spend so much money on hiring and keeping their employees on board, and then completely bone stuff like this?

    • by geek ( 5680 )

      The failure is in letting a bunch of whiny little bitches work for them in the first place.

  • "Allegations" (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Jfetjunky ( 4359471 ) on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @03:05PM (#54472029)
    While I know the list is usually anonymous, this kind of thing seems like it could potentially morph into a trial by mod situations. I'm not sure allegations alone are enough for something so serious. I'm not sure any serious HR org would discipline an employee on a single accusation.
  • > ...the men's restrooms in the San Francisco offices have menstruation products to accommodate men who have periods.

    • I was thinking that co-ed bathrooms would just make this easier. If there are stalls for all sitting/standing positions, there's not really a privacy concern either. The whole discussion of guy, girl, girl turned guy, guy turned girl blah blah blah.... let's make it easy... if you want to support a culture where everyone is equal... they have to be equal, that means equally happy and equally uncomfortable.

      Just build the stalls and make it coed. If the employees don't like it, then quit.

      P.S. - I recommend hi

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