At Google, employees track harassment on message board

At most companies, if you think you’ve witnessed sexual harassment, sexism, bigotry or racism, there’s one way to get it addressed: going to human resources.

The list that comes out of those messages, called “Yes, at Google,” is a grassroots effort to collect anonymous submissions at Google and parent Alphabet and communicate them across the Mountain View company, according to five employees who receive the list.

Since starting in October, more than 15,000 employees — 20 percent of the workforce — have subscribed, according to two of those people.

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.

Google, along with other tech companies, is facing growing pressure from diversity advocates and the media to change the gender and racial makeup of its workforce, which is largely white and Asian men.

In February, former Uber engineer Susan Fowler wrote a widely read blog post detailing alleged sexual harassment and other mistreatment at Uber (in response to Fowler’s allegations, Uber is conducting an internal investigation into its workplace culture).

The message was accompanied by a note that urged anyone who knows of the identity of the people involved or the time and place it occurred to share it with the company, “so we can look into this matter and address it appropriately.”

Google is under investigation by the Department of Labor for alleged systemic pay discrimination against its female employees.

Google also faced criticism in February when Uber said it asked for the resignation of Amit Singhal, a senior executive, after learning that he was the subject of a sexual harassment claim when he worked at Google.

Another: Co-worker to me: ‘You know why the schools in Pleasanton are so good, right?

Because of all the Chinese people.’

Cappelli, the management professor, said that despite the risks that such a list poses, a collection of complaints from workers is valuable for management — especially about sensitive topics that employees may be reluctant to talk about.