
Steps tech companies can take to protect women and minority employees - astdb
https://www.susanjfowler.com/blog/2017/5/20/five-things-tech-companies-can-do-better
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falcolas
> institute a zero-tolerance policy to protect both the company and its
> employees from [...] inappropriate behavior

No, no no no. White males are not the only aggressors in our society (or even
our industry), and zero-tolerance policies for "inappropriate behavior" swing
the balance too far in the opposite direction.

More specifically, it eliminates the chance for redemption - for recovering
from honest mistakes - and puts the jobs of every single person in the hands
of people who haven't earned that power.

I'll agree with not tolerating illegal behavior (and harassment is already
well defined enough to incorporate "inappropriate" behavior), within the
bounds of the law. Anything beyond that, especially zero tolerance policies,
makes it too easy for bad actors to exploit. Once you create that fear of
reprisal from your colleagues for a single misspoken word or ambiguously
interpreted action, you've lost any chance at having a productive environment.

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mc32
This.

What needs to happen is a kind of re-education of people to learn how to act
appropriately in the company of others or when they choose to associate with
others (within a company). And it needs to happen from elementary school. But
it needs to avoid the us-vs-them of political correctness. It has to be simple
and apply to everyone. The implicit message also has to be the same as the
explicit message, in this regard.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions is the first thing that comes
to mind --or the cobra effect as well, or production quotas in Marxist
systems. In trying to treat one issue, you create another just as problematic
issue.

Interestingly, one can see high participation of women in discriminatory
cultures like those in India, China, Russia, etc. There professional jobs are
an avenue of escape from social domination --and I'm sure we don't want to
achieve balance in employment via those means.

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renegadesensei
I am a black engineer and I have experienced unfair treatment at a startup. I
think most of these suggestions are good. I'm wary of zero tolerance policies
though. Also I think this stuff applies to everyone and not just women and
minorities. (Or is this one of those "All Lives Matter" things where that
would offend people??)

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ianai
Bullying is bullying. It's all awful.

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andreareina
Zero-tolerance policies have not served U.S. schools well, and I don't think
they'll serve companies any better (c.f. Donglegate).

The rest are seriously worth getting behind and pushing.

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DamonHD
I have to say that I don't agree with all the detail, and a small number of
wrong-headed disgruntled employees need to be restrained for the benefit of
themselves and everyone else around them, but I do agree that actually dealing
with unnecessary and nasty behaviour rather than hiding or even encouraging it
is the way to go.

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pottersbasilisk
Do not do any of these without speaking to your lawyer first especially any
small business owners.

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dsr12
This post was dead due to flagging. Is there a way to know why a post was
flagged and by how many people?

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sctb
We don't know exactly why users flagged this story, but it was eventually
vouched for and we've now turned off the flags.

