Debriefing- Uber #Whatdoyoudo Org culture and control

Susan Fowler

Uber engineer. published article

Her first day with her new engineering team

managers states that he's in an open relationship where his girlfriend is getting laid all the time but he can't because he's at work all the time

he also said

he's trying not to get in trouble at work but looking for a women to have sex with; he's been getting away for so long that he doesn't care; men believe that women come to the company looking for a guy

What would you do?

report it to HR, her manager was a high performer and its his first offense, HR suggested she find another team. nothing happened. option to find another team or stay and receive a poor performance review

Fowler was "given an option"

continue to report, he would fire her, branded a whistleblower

Arianna Huffington- only women on board of directors

culture of brilliant jerks must end, advised kalanick (CEO) to chill, four women went to huffington, claimed no systematic harassment

Postlude

amount of women engineers left, senior employees terminated, cEO resigned, 215 claims of sexual harassment, executive harassment

Why didn't the victims or witnesses speak up earlier? Why does it appear that those in positions of power, with knowledge of these acts, failed to intervene?

a culture of silence, biased view of leadership (leaders do whatever they want), victims position of power vs perpetrator

Two moments when organization at greatest risk

prevention-preventing these actions
reaction- what do you do

How companies can protect the workplace and their employees

- proactive and companies need to create a culture that treats employees with respect (words and actions)
- see something, say something culture
- communicate and don't tolerate it

Report It!

If you see something, report it

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

sexual harassment violate this act