Ethically questionable behavior at Google

Google Company has had sexual misconduct allegations which have been proved to be true. However, the management seems not to be serious about addressing the issue and ensure a friendly environment for all employees. It is ethically questionable on how the administration has chosen to resolve employees’ complaints. The investigation and disciplinary actions of the alleged employees are not, yet the company should protect its employees against any form of abuse. The workers demanded that the company should have a transparent and uniform process of reporting the issues affecting the employees.

The company was not much concerned about the sexual misconduct allegations as it is evident that they choose to respond to the accusations after global protests (Levin, 2018). If it were that concerned for the welfare of the employees, the management should have implemented an active communication channel that is transparent and allow employees to share their experiences and report complaints (Levin, 2018). The administration should have, therefore taken time to investigate the issue within the shortest time possible and enhance the rights of all employees regardless of whether they are temporary or contract employees.

There were issues of deception since the management did not openly address the complaints of the employees. It, therefore, contributed to the delay of action to solve the problem since not many employees could have possibly known the kind of problem that each of them wanted the management to address (Levin, 2018). The fact that the Human Resource Department has a system of forced arbitration that intended to have secretive hearings about the complaints of the employee makes the investigation process questionable. If an employee is a victim of abuse at the company, it is better if they report the issue; the management discusses the matter openly with other employees as well as other top managers and head of departments and instills strict policies on employees’ behavior and conduct.  However, it is possible that the victims of abuse remain affected if the management does not address the issue. It is of concern because their performances will deteriorate with time as a result of emotional and physical trauma; hence they might even lose their job yet they could have undergone counseling and healed and remain productive.

There were issues of manipulation in the way the management chose to handle the complaints. Private arbitration could not have solved the problem for female employees as long as the administration did not choose to hold a meeting with all the employees and to address their complaints hence could go through sexual harassment daily (Levin, 2018). The management at Google should not have waited for the global protests to scrap off the private arbitration policies. Perhaps the company admitted to the public that it will now be more transparent in investigating issues affecting employees, but there was no written agreement. It is, therefore, possible to manipulate the employees into accepting any agreement yet the main problem will not have been solved.

The action by Google management not being able to respond to complaints of the employees was illegal. Employees deserve to be working in a friendly environment that does not present any form of discrimination (Levin, 2018).  It is expected of the management to develop strict rules and regulations that govern employee behavior and actions in an organization. In case an employee makes complain, the management is expected to investigate the causes of the problem and provide solutions as soon as possible without causing damage to the employee since those issues affect their performance levels. It is as if the management is not concerned with the welfare of its employees because if they were, they could have understood that the employees are the most valued resource in an organization hence their welfare matters.

There should have been a proper complaint process that allows the employees to document their complaints and will enable HR management to take severe actions against the offender.  The regulation standards would want to believe that all companies have written policies in the employer’s handbook that allow the employers to communicate the strict rules and regulations that govern them. It is expected of the company to have defined the policies to the employees and provide a statement of the accepted and unaccepted behavior within the organization without assuming that the employees are aware of everything. It is possible that the management did not provide adequate disciplinary measures to the offenders since they choose to address complaints in private. Furthermore, if a victim decides to file a lawsuit against the company, then Google risk losing its reputation as well as incurring extra costs to settle the issue in legal offices

Reference

Levin S. (2018). Google pledges to overhaul its sexual harassment policy after global protests. Retrieved on February 21, 2019, from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/nov/08/google-sexual-harassment-policy-overhaul-walkout-protest

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