Microsoft to employees: “If you are not helping to create an inclusive culture…”
Microsoft is overhauling how it investigates HR disputes
Excellent posting by Dave Gershgorn, at Quartz.
“Microsoft employees have been telling executives in recent weeks how workplace harassment and discrimination has pervaded unchecked throughout the company. In a letter to employees Monday (April 15), CEO Satya Nadella said that the company was making changes to how its human resources department investigates workplace incidents, including creating a new ‘Employee Advocacy Team.’”
In my view, this is critical: to tie advancement and reward to inclusiveness. I’m curious how they build the measure of inclusiveness and bad behavior into their standards and evaluations. Hopefully Microsoft will share their processes as they move forward.
Dave continues:
“The material changes will be new training for managers, focusing on leading diverse teams and how to reward inclusion on teams they lead. The new “Employee Advocacy Team” will “focus exclusively on assisting employees going through a workplace investigation, including helping employees understand the process, guiding them through investigations and following up after investigations are finished to check in on the employees involved,” according to the email. Outcomes of these investigations will also be more visible: Starting in 2020, Microsoft will begin posting statistics on how often specific concerns are raised, and how often a violation is found as a part of the investigation.”
More From Our Blog…
Navigating Thanksgiving – Speak Up or Stay Silent?
Tis the day before Thanksgiving and all through the land, people are anxious. Amidst the joy of the holiday—cherishing togetherness, celebrating with family and friends, and expressing gratitude— there's a potential for discomfort as opinions are shared and points of...
Hidden Hurdles: How Racial Segregation and Discrimination Hinder Black Professional Networks
In the United States, racial segregation and discrimination have cast long and oppressive shadows over the lives of Black individuals. While we often discuss the many consequences of these systemic injustices, one aspect that deserves more attention is their impact on...
Confronting the Backlash: The DEI Imperative
“Three short years after their collective response to massive protests over the police murder of George Floyd, companies are reneging on their diversity pledges." In their recent MIT Sloan Review article titled "Countering the Corporate Diversity Backlash,"...
Announcing the New SunShower App
After months of development, the new SunShower Learning learner app is now ready for prime time. Access a free download here:iTunes App StoreGoogle Play Store When you purchase a license for one or more of our award-winning eLearning courses and opt for delivery...
The Day I Remained Silent: Confronting Discrimination and Stereotypes
By Gina Miller We all have moments in our lives that we look back on with regret, wishing we had acted differently. One such moment for me was the day I didn't speak up in the face of discrimination and stereotypes. It's a story I've carried with me, serving as a...
Brave Marketing Is Good Business When It Comes to DEI
“Kantar’s ‘Brand Inclusion Index’ found that not only is there a financial advantage to a strong DEI strategy, but that there is still plenty of room to stand out.” According to a new report, a lack of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) could be costing businesses...
SunShower Learning: Unconscious Bias Training That Works
"Most [DEI] programs end exactly where they should start." "Only 10% of training programs gave attendees strategies for reducing bias. Imagine a weight-loss program that told participants to step on a scale and left it at that." - Harvard Business Review...
3 Strategies for Responding to Microaggressions
"I’m not biased against gay people. I have a gay friend." "You don't sound Black," or "How long have you lived in this country?” Have you ever overheard or been on the receiving end of a comment like this? If so, did you know how to respond? Being prepared in advance...
Mission Impossible, Jack Reacher and Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts?
Information is the death of emotion What do SunShower Learning courses have in common with Christopher McQuarrie’s famous films, including Mission Impossible and Jack Reacher? Well, when McQuarrie says, “Information is the death of emotion,” we know what he’s talking...
When Barbie Meets AI
What happened when artificial Intelligence (AI) was used to imagine Barbie dolls in cultures around the world? Probably not what you'd expect for a brand that has gained a massive following for breaking down barriers and, more recently, advocating for social and...