谷歌前高级工程师发表的争议言论使得谷歌深陷舆论的旋涡之中,谷歌 CEO 桑达尔·皮查伊(Sundar Pichai)也不得不早早地结束休假回到公司处理遗留问题。在一份致全体员工的备忘中,皮查伊表示:“过去几个星期,我一直在非洲和欧洲工作,并在本周刚刚开始我的假期,但是我决定提前结束休假并返回公司。作为一个群体我们需要讨论的还有很多,包括我们如何为所有人创造一个更具包容性的环境。”
皮查伊指出,尽管谷歌支持每一位员工自由地发表他们的言论和观点,但这位高级工程师所发布的备忘中的部分内容违背了谷歌的行为准则。这位工程师因为涉及在职场中宣扬有害的性别成见而越过了底线。谷歌希望每位员工尽其所能创造一个没有骚扰,恐吓,偏见和歧视的工作环境,而这位工程师的做法显然违背了谷歌的这一基本价值观。
皮查伊同时表示,谷歌对这件事的后续处理并不意味着谷歌的员工们无法自由的表达他们的意见。这位前工程师备忘中提到的一些其他议题,例如批评 Google 的培训,质疑意识形态对工作场所的影响,以及讨论对女性雇员的服务方案是否足够开放等等,这些都对谷歌的公司发展来说都是十分重要的议题,其他员工尽可自由地在这些问题上抒发观点。
据 8 月 8 日上午美国媒体报道,谷歌已经正式炒掉了这名引发争议的员工。这位名叫詹姆斯·达莫尔(James Damore)的谷歌工程师此前发表了一份长达 10 页的备忘录,指控谷歌抑制保守的政治观点,并认为是生理上的差异决定了女性无法像技术行业的其他男性一样获得成功。这封备忘录在谷歌内部广为流传,并在上周末公之于众。外界因此对谷歌高管施压,要求其采取更加强硬的立场。
下面是他的公开信全文:
这是一个非常艰难的时刻。我希望对大家在过去一周中传阅的备忘录进行一点补充。
首先,我要说,我们坚决捍卫谷歌员工表达自己观点的权利。这份备忘录中提到的很多问题值得我们进行讨论,尽管大多数谷歌员工并不认同它的观点。但是,这份备忘录有些地方违反了我们的行为规范,在我们的工作场合散布了有害无益的性别主义成见,这样做有点过分。我们的工作就是打造伟大的产品,帮助用户在他们的生活中发挥积极的作用。说我们的某些同事身上有一些生理特点使得他们不太适合于他们所从事的工作,这样说是非常无礼的,是不允许的。这违背了我们的基本价值观和行为规范。我们希望“每个谷歌员工竭尽所能地创造一个没有骚扰、恐吓、偏见和歧视的企业文化”。
这份备忘录显然影响到了我们的同事,其中一些同事感到很受伤,感到遭遇了性别歧视。我们的同事不该在每次开会发言的时候都感到忧心忡忡,不得不证明自己并不像这份备忘录中所描述的那样“武断”、“承受压力的能力较差”以及“神经兮兮”。
与此同时,有些同事也开始质疑他们是否能够在工作场合畅所欲言(尤其是那些持有小众观点的人)。他们感觉受到了威胁,这也是不允许的。人们必须能够自由地表达自己的不同意见。因此,我再次澄清一下,这份备忘录中提到的很多内容,例如批评谷歌的培训方式、质疑意识形态在工作场合中的作用以及讨论针对女性和少数族裔人群的项目是否应对所有开放等等,都是很重要的话题。作者有权利表达自己的观点。我们也鼓励形成这样的氛围,让任何人都可以畅所欲言,而且我们不会反对任何人组织这样的讨论活动。
过去几天对于我们公司的很多人来说非常难熬。我们需要找到一种合适的途径来谈论我们可能持有不同观点的问题。但是,这样做必须遵守我们的行为规范。我鼓励你们每个人在未来几天都努力去接触那些可能与你们持有不同观点的人。我自己也会这样做。
在过去几周,我一直在非洲和欧洲出差。本周,我刚刚和家人开始度假。但是,我已决定停止休假,明天就返回公司,因为我们公司显然有很多话题需要大家在一起讨论,包括我们如何为所有人创造一个更加包容的环境。
This has been a very difficult time. I wanted to provide an update on the memo that was circulated over this past week.
First, let me say that we strongly support the right of Googlers to express themselves, and much of what was in that memo is fair to debate, regardless of whether a vast majority of Googlers disagree with it. However, portions of the memo violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace. Our job is to build great products for users that make a difference in their lives. To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK. It is contrary to our basic values and our Code of Conduct, which expects “each Googler to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination.”
The memo has clearly impacted our co-workers, some of whom are hurting and feel judged based on their gender. Our co-workers shouldn’t have to worry that each time they open their mouths to speak in a meeting, they have to prove that they are not like the memo states, being “agreeable” rather than “assertive,” showing a “lower stress tolerance,” or being “neurotic.”
At the same time, there are co-workers who are questioning whether they can safely express their views in the workplace (especially those with a minority viewpoint). They too feel under threat, and that is also not OK. People must feel free to express dissent. So to be clear again, many points raised in the memo—such as the portions criticizing Google’s trainings, questioning the role of ideology in the workplace, and debating whether programs for women and underserved groups are sufficiently open to all—are important topics. The author had a right to express their views on those topics—we encourage an environment in which people can do this and it remains our policy to not take action against anyone for prompting these discussions.
The past few days have been very difficult for many at the company, and we need to find a way to debate issues on which we might disagree—while doing so in line with our Code of Conduct. I’d encourage each of you to make an effort over the coming days to reach out to those who might have different perspectives from your own. I will be doing the same.
I have been on work related travel in Africa and Europe the past couple of weeks and had just started my family vacation here this week. I have decided to return tomorrow as clearly there’s a lot more to discuss as a group—including how we create a more inclusive environment for all.