Google's Diversity Efforts Show Scant Progress

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If you see white vans pulling up to people on the street and violently dragging them inside, don't worry, it's not a kidnapping...it's Google trying to meet its diversity quota. Apparently great pay, amazing bonuses and a work environment that is mimicked in Hollywood movies isn't enough to entice people to come work for them.

Google's overall percentage of non-white, non-Asian employees in the United States did not move at all in 2015 from the year before, remaining at 2 percent for African Americans, 3 percent for Hispanics, 3 percent for multiracial individuals and less than 1 percent for Native American and Pacific Islanders, according to the company. Women made up 31 percent of Google's overall workforce in 2015, up 1 percent from 2014, and 21 percent of technical hires for the year, up from 19 percent in 2014.
 
The place I work out is all about this. We are "encouraged" to hire diverse people. I'm not sure we have an official quota, but there is definite pressure. Our HR hiring forms has a section where we have to specify how many people we interviewed that were considered diverse.
We have a big push right now to hire gay and transgender people. I have no problem hiring or working with people regardless of their orientation, religion, race, etc. What I do have a problem with is going out of our way to hire someone so we can get a "check mark" on a form. We recently had a posting in which we interviewed 6 candidates. One was a white guy that was perfect for the job. Did we hire him? Nope. The hiring committee (of which I was a part) hired a transgender person (or at least I assume - I didn't ask their pronoun, but that was a huge Adams apple - pl,us their hands dwarfed mine!). It was a 2-1 vote. The person we hired is doing ok at the position, but had a lot more catching up than the poor white boy we didn't hire.
This will sound racist, but really I'm not trying to - it's meant to be snarky. We are looking for a candidate that is female (check), part African American (check), part latino (check), gay (half check, sorry gay people don't get as big as a check box anymore - far too common anymore), and transgender (big check).
Seriously, in the IT field, let's be real. In American, most applicants are going to be white males. It's a fucking fact. Go to colleges - see who is taking the classes. Mostly white males. Fucking fact. Some of the people are gay. Every once in a while, a female is in the class - it's like finding a unicorn in the woods rare. I have very little experience with transgenders.
Sorry for the vent. As a white male, I get pissed how employers are going out of their way. Sure, we need to try to get females and diverse candidates in the field. Agree 100%. But, we need qualified candidates. Ever work with someone that was a fucking idiot? Have you worked extra hours to fix their mistakes? I have. It's bullshit.
 
In order for google to achieve "true diversity" they could not hire a white male for a decade or more. Couple that with the pool left at the talent level they require does not exist. That is the reality of it. Google is investing MASSIVELY into getting a more diversified next generation of programs but that will again take decades. But...I guess that doesn't work in today's world where we must rectify all wrongs within 30 seconds or less or I'll go to the twitter sphere and cry about it.
 
We really need to start a long, long time before HR if we want to see more diverse human assets in the tech industry.
 
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When can we, as a country, move past our obsession with race? I understand wanting to right the wrongs of the past but it seems we have gone way past the point of reason.
 
Twisted Kidney said:
We really need to start a long, long time before HR if we want to see more diverse human assets in the tech industry.
Click to expand...

What's interesting is that during the whole Emmy Awards boycott several people came out and stated exactly this. Boycotting the Emmy's was pointless because they can't nominate something that doesn't exist.

The situation in tech is the same, they're trying to create diversity at the wrong end (you can't hire a more diverse workforce if the workers aren't there in the numbers you need). If you want a more diverse tech industry you need to push more diverse people INTO the tech industry.
 
steakman1971 said:
The place I work out is all about this. We are "encouraged" to hire diverse people. I'm not sure we have an official quota, but there is definite pressure. Our HR hiring forms has a section where we have to specify how many people we interviewed that were considered diverse.
We have a big push right now to hire gay and transgender people. I have no problem hiring or working with people regardless of their orientation, religion, race, etc. What I do have a problem with is going out of our way to hire someone so we can get a "check mark" on a form. We recently had a posting in which we interviewed 6 candidates. One was a white guy that was perfect for the job. Did we hire him? Nope. The hiring committee (of which I was a part) hired a transgender person (or at least I assume - I didn't ask their pronoun, but that was a huge Adams apple - pl,us their hands dwarfed mine!). It was a 2-1 vote. The person we hired is doing ok at the position, but had a lot more catching up than the poor white boy we didn't hire.
This will sound racist, but really I'm not trying to - it's meant to be snarky. We are looking for a candidate that is female (check), part African American (check), part latino (check), gay (half check, sorry gay people don't get as big as a check box anymore - far too common anymore), and transgender (big check).
Seriously, in the IT field, let's be real. In American, most applicants are going to be white males. It's a fucking fact. Go to colleges - see who is taking the classes. Mostly white males. Fucking fact. Some of the people are gay. Every once in a while, a female is in the class - it's like finding a unicorn in the woods rare. I have very little experience with transgenders.
Sorry for the vent. As a white male, I get pissed how employers are going out of their way. Sure, we need to try to get females and diverse candidates in the field. Agree 100%. But, we need qualified candidates. Ever work with someone that was a fucking idiot? Have you worked extra hours to fix their mistakes? I have. It's bullshit.
Click to expand...

A voice of reason, it can't be! I 100% agree with you man. I cannot believe people are hired based on their sexual preferences or skin colour rather than plain competency! This is the very antithesis of tolerance and acceptance and is the result of the destructive notion of forced diversity. It saddens me that there are so many blind people that it actually became a lawful practice.

Tell one thing please - how do u guys know someone is gay during interviews? Is it not illegal in the US to ask questions pertaining to sexual preference, religion etc.?
 
King of Heroes said:
What's interesting is that during the whole Emmy Awards boycott several people came out and stated exactly this. Boycotting the Emmy's was pointless because they can't nominate something that doesn't exist.

The situation in tech is the same, they're trying to create diversity at the wrong end (you can't hire a more diverse workforce if the workers aren't there in the numbers you need). If you want a more diverse tech industry you need to push more diverse people INTO the tech industry.
Click to expand...

But why PUSH anybody to anything? I believe in the natural flow of things and freedom of choice. Present opportunities and let people choose what they want to do. I find the notion of presenting flyers in girls' schools saying "Join the tech industry!" senseless. Why not, then, drop flyers into boys' schools saying "Join the ranks of nurses!"
It's an artificial construct that just doesn't feel right.
 
Malcador said:
A voice of reason, it can't be! I 100% agree with you man. I cannot believe people are hired based on their sexual preferences or skin colour rather than plain competency! This is the very antithesis of tolerance and acceptance and is the result of the destructive notion of forced diversity. It saddens me that there are so many blind people that it actually became a lawful practice.

Tell one thing please - how do u guys know someone is gay during interviews? Is it not illegal in the US to ask questions pertaining to sexual preference, religion etc.?
Click to expand...

I don't know about *legality* but I have been told by my companies HR not to ask about politics, sexual preferences, age, religion, etc. Is the candidate qualified for the job, yes or no?

Truth is most managers aren't interested in "oppressing" anyone - we just want good team members that will do the job with the minimum drama. If the best candidates were non-white transgender muslims I would hire them - I don't care, I have a job to do and I need good people to get it done.
 
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steakman1971 said:
The place I work out is all about this. We are "encouraged" to hire diverse people. I'm not sure we have an official quota, but there is definite pressure. Our HR hiring forms has a section where we have to specify how many people we interviewed that were considered diverse.
We have a big push right now to hire gay and transgender people. I have no problem hiring or working with people regardless of their orientation, religion, race, etc. What I do have a problem with is going out of our way to hire someone so we can get a "check mark" on a form. We recently had a posting in which we interviewed 6 candidates. One was a white guy that was perfect for the job. Did we hire him? Nope. The hiring committee (of which I was a part) hired a transgender person (or at least I assume - I didn't ask their pronoun, but that was a huge Adams apple - pl,us their hands dwarfed mine!). It was a 2-1 vote. The person we hired is doing ok at the position, but had a lot more catching up than the poor white boy we didn't hire.
This will sound racist, but really I'm not trying to - it's meant to be snarky. We are looking for a candidate that is female (check), part African American (check), part latino (check), gay (half check, sorry gay people don't get as big as a check box anymore - far too common anymore), and transgender (big check).
Seriously, in the IT field, let's be real. In American, most applicants are going to be white males. It's a fucking fact. Go to colleges - see who is taking the classes. Mostly white males. Fucking fact. Some of the people are gay. Every once in a while, a female is in the class - it's like finding a unicorn in the woods rare. I have very little experience with transgenders.
Sorry for the vent. As a white male, I get pissed how employers are going out of their way. Sure, we need to try to get females and diverse candidates in the field. Agree 100%. But, we need qualified candidates. Ever work with someone that was a fucking idiot? Have you worked extra hours to fix their mistakes? I have. It's bullshit.
Click to expand...

I wanted to leave a quote about how as a white guy this feeling like discrimination against me. And you summed it up perfectly. Here's my 2 cents.
I went for an interview about 8 years ago that would be a promotion for me in a field I majored in college. Computer Science/Programming with web design. The department hiring is very small only two people looking to add a third. As soon as I entered the interview I knew I was fucked, why? Because the two people in the department were white males. I knew what was going to happen. After the interview the secretary said I was the most qualified/ professional person they had come in. What happened? I wasn't hired. No one was. They didn't pick a candidate. A few weeks later the job was posted again and again I applied. This time I wasn't even given an interview. Eventually, the job went to a Female Asian. I am NOT saying she wasn't qualified. I am only saying I was a victim of this new trend of diversity. I work in a department where everyone knows who was hired to meet this unspoken quota and sadly they are the least qualified in the dept. I'm not saying they are unqualified because of their race. It just turned out that way.

I guess this is the world we now live in. Companies want to be able to shout 'Hey look at us! We're diverse! Aren't we great?!' regardless of how effective, efficient, and competent their workforce is.
 
Armenius said:
I wouldn't want to work for Google, either, if I had no bargaining position. That open office floor plan would also keep me away.
Click to expand...

God I hate open floor plans. No privacy and also those who suck at work, tend to bother you for help on the shit they're doing. Sticking on headphones partially helps. Other things I wouldn't like is working in an office that looks like a playground or some kind of hipster airport.
 
if companies want to achieve diversity then invest in inner city education reform and dispersed communities such as native american reservations that are underfunded and under educated. If 10 companies are hiring 10 diverse people, there are only 10 people to choose from. If urban schools continue to be a shit mess, there will be less educated folks in those sectors. Its also culturally what people may be interested in. Hire the best requires training / opportunities to people to become the best.
 
haha.jpg
 
steakman1971 said:
The place I work out is all about this. We are "encouraged" to hire diverse people. I'm not sure we have an official quota, but there is definite pressure. Our HR hiring forms has a section where we have to specify how many people we interviewed that were considered diverse.
We have a big push right now to hire gay and transgender people. I have no problem hiring or working with people regardless of their orientation, religion, race, etc. What I do have a problem with is going out of our way to hire someone so we can get a "check mark" on a form. We recently had a posting in which we interviewed 6 candidates. One was a white guy that was perfect for the job. Did we hire him? Nope. The hiring committee (of which I was a part) hired a transgender person (or at least I assume - I didn't ask their pronoun, but that was a huge Adams apple - pl,us their hands dwarfed mine!). It was a 2-1 vote. The person we hired is doing ok at the position, but had a lot more catching up than the poor white boy we didn't hire.
This will sound racist, but really I'm not trying to - it's meant to be snarky. We are looking for a candidate that is female (check), part African American (check), part latino (check), gay (half check, sorry gay people don't get as big as a check box anymore - far too common anymore), and transgender (big check).
Seriously, in the IT field, let's be real. In American, most applicants are going to be white males. It's a fucking fact. Go to colleges - see who is taking the classes. Mostly white males. Fucking fact. Some of the people are gay. Every once in a while, a female is in the class - it's like finding a unicorn in the woods rare. I have very little experience with transgenders.
Sorry for the vent. As a white male, I get pissed how employers are going out of their way. Sure, we need to try to get females and diverse candidates in the field. Agree 100%. But, we need qualified candidates. Ever work with someone that was a fucking idiot? Have you worked extra hours to fix their mistakes? I have. It's bullshit.
Click to expand...

My wife is dealing with something similar. All the managers where she works were told they have to submit a report on how much money their department is spending at gay/transgender friendly businesses. Seriously?
 
krotch said:
God I hate open floor plans. No privacy and also those who suck at work, tend to bother you for help on the shit they're doing. Sticking on headphones partially helps. Other things I wouldn't like is working in an office that looks like a playground or some kind of hipster airport.
Click to expand...

Table-town FTW!
 
Because simply hiring the best person for the job is so hard?

Nice to know if you are the worlds best coder you will get passed over because you don't have a set of tits or are the wrong color.
 
collegeboy69us said:
Because simply hiring the best person for the job is so hard?

Nice to know if you are the worlds best coder you will get passed over because you don't have a set of tits or are the wrong color.
Click to expand...

But you could get hired if you don't have a set of tits, are the wrong color, but like to smoke pole.
 
lol, I guess that's one way, proclaim a different sexual orientation!

Can't hurt to say you're bisexual.
 
This just in, 50% of the US are now bisexual and company diversity rates have increased drastically in the past year.
 
I promise you. The next time I go for an interview I am going to GAY it up hard. If that's the game the system plays then let's do it. So I waggle my behind a bit and act a bit more fabulous. If I am still qualified enough and this gets me the job than so be it. If they aren't allowed to ask my sexual orientation and are hiring me because they THINK I'm gay then who is really being disingenuous here?
 
Malcador said:
But why PUSH anybody to anything? I believe in the natural flow of things and freedom of choice. Present opportunities and let people choose what they want to do. I find the notion of presenting flyers in girls' schools saying "Join the tech industry!" senseless. Why not, then, drop flyers into boys' schools saying "Join the ranks of nurses!"
It's an artificial construct that just doesn't feel right.
Click to expand...


Malcador said:
A voice of reason, it can't be! I 100% agree with you man. I cannot believe people are hired based on their sexual preferences or skin colour rather than plain competency! This is the very antithesis of tolerance and acceptance and is the result of the destructive notion of forced diversity. It saddens me that there are so many blind people that it actually became a lawful practice.

Tell one thing please - how do u guys know someone is gay during interviews? Is it not illegal in the US to ask questions pertaining to sexual preference, religion etc.?
Click to expand...

That is a very perfect attitude to have but sorta lame if said groups have been "pushed" away for years.

Encouraging female sto try traditional male jobs isn't bad, again society is changing and un-natural nudges get things moving faster. You have a great point males should be encouraged as well, though male tends to be discouraged from far less jobs than woman thus the reason for the discrepency.

There certainly is going to far and also something I DON'T see is any sort of goal or metric when said policies are considered success and can go to plain ol' hiring.

These aren't bad policies in my opinion though I do think people are irrational about it going overboard, the goal should be equal %s but we should also realize races, sexes, personalities all come in different % and jobs will reflect that. We just have to come up with a way to rationally discern the difference.
 
The Gonz said:
I promise you. The next time I go for an interview I am going to GAY it up hard. If that's the game the system plays then let's do it. So I waggle my behind a bit and act a bit more fabulous. If I am still qualified enough and this gets me the job than so be it. If they aren't allowed to ask my sexual orientation and are hiring me because they THINK I'm gay then who is really being disingenuous here?
Click to expand...

Who's dick do I have to suck to get this job?
Stevens.
Why does your dick taste like shit?
Michael wanted a raise.

Like many have said - hiring for the sake of diversity is detrimental to the efficiency and productivity of the company. You want to hire based on diversity, fine. But, they are going at the wrong side. You want to get more diverse options - push for more diversity at schools (invest in inner city or minority schools, etc.). Put some money into the computer science programs at schools with high minority numbers. When they are capable candidates, you won't have to worry about your efficiency or your diversity stats. You'll be hiring the best option and they will happen to be a minority. Win/win. Rather than hiring a minority that just isn't as good.
 
And this is why Hillary Clinton is pushing for diversity and education, which will allow companies to hire more foreign citizens at cheaper prices than natural citizens. It's great for American jobs she says, but of course those American jobs won't be going to Americans.
 
Ultima99 said:
Wall Street should punish companies that hire second rate employees just to say they are diverse.
Click to expand...

They do. Every single day they do. A companies stock price will take a hit with any negative publicity, whether its a sexual harrasement suit, anti gay, anti black asian etc. etc.. But within 2 weeks, no one cares, the company is continuing to be profitable, and the stock fixes itself.

Diversity, or lack there of, has NEVER caused a stock price to stay high or low for any serious amount of time. Its all about how well the business performs, and continues to perform. If anything, Diversity is nothing more than the ever revolving door of hit pieces directed at companies who are profitable to cause a drop in their stock prices for a short while, and someone actually profits from that in the end. Buying stocks for low, selling 3 weeks later when its back above what it was prior to the hit piece. Think of it like insider trading using the stupid multitude.
 
krotch said:
God I hate open floor plans. No privacy and also those who suck at work, tend to bother you for help on the shit they're doing. Sticking on headphones partially helps. Other things I wouldn't like is working in an office that looks like a playground or some kind of hipster airport.
Click to expand...
I've lost my private office too, for an open space. I believe the open floor only affects productivity negatively. employees often start conversing about something, getting distracted from the actual work. Headphones only work if I'm doing monotonous work that needs no creativity. But I also hate the fact that each time I put on earphones, someone will have something to say to me. Or someone will start talking over my desk to the guy at the next table, and I always fear they're talking about me so I have to take them off to listen in to the conversation. I had days when I couldn't get trough a single music track in the entire 8 hours of work without an interruption.
 
I'm sure there are a lot of people like me who were assigned "white male" at birth. But I knew from a young age that I was something else, possibly something that doesn't even have a name yet. I just don't want to go my whole life being written off as a white male just because of the color of my skin or the genetalia between my legs. That's not what makes me a white male.

 
collegeboy69us said:
Because simply hiring the best person for the job is so hard?

Nice to know if you are the worlds best coder you will get passed over because you don't have a set of tits or are the wrong color.
Click to expand...

Cheer up, this article is about how that is not happening! Rejoice, coders, your ivory tower continues to be safe from all those weirdos that make you feel uncomfortable!
 
evilsofa said:
Cheer up, this article is about how that is not happening! Rejoice, coders, your ivory tower continues to be safe from all those weirdos that make you feel uncomfortable!
Click to expand...

I like having more women brought in to the workplace. My ivory tower is getting a little weathered, if you know what I mean.....and I think you do.
 
Twisted Kidney said:
We really need to start a long, long time before HR if we want to see more diverse human assets in the tech industry.
Click to expand...

No, we need to encourage people to go into fields they like. We need to shiatcan HR. We need to stop pretending so many jobs (at the entry level) "need" 4 year degrees. We can give a collective "fark you" to HR for that ridiculous bull puckey requirement that limits talent. We need to give people useful tracks to get a functional education, start work, gain experience, and continue education as required for advancement.

There is no reason a person fixing PC's, doing basic programming, implementing the end devices in network designs, et al., should need anything more than a 2 year AAS at most. HR created a huge artificial barrier with their degree horse crap.

Once someone gets the basics about a job, experience is far more useful. Many tech jobs aren't rocket science. They require problem solving skills, a focus, a desire to learn, and the ability to research the problem.
 
westrock2000 said:
I'm sure there are a lot of people like me who were assigned "white male" at birth. But I knew from a young age that I was something else, possibly something that doesn't even have a name yet. I just don't want to go my whole life being written off as a white male just because of the color of my skin or the genetalia between my legs. That's not what makes me a white male.

Click to expand...

Fucking idiotic kids.
 
westrock2000 said:
I'm sure there are a lot of people like me who were assigned "white male" at birth. But I knew from a young age that I was something else, possibly something that doesn't even have a name yet. I just don't want to go my whole life being written off as a white male just because of the color of my skin or the genetalia between my legs. That's not what makes me a white male.

Click to expand...

This! I put up with this shit all the time where I work. We have gender neutral bathrooms. We have had to go through "training" to ask how you "identify", and never ever judge. I'm supposed to think its totally normal for a 6'2, broad shouldered dude trying to talk like a woman is not indeed a man. In fact, I should ask how they identify. Really? This is NOT normal conversation. Or, a freak (yes, I said it) with a beard and lipstick is normal. Fuck, its not normal! I don't care if you want to do it on your own time, but at work you are here to work - not pee in the wrong bathroom. I'm straying off topic, but someone needs to tell me WHY hiring these people will make the place I work better? We are at work to WORK. Someone lost the point. I want the best person. Indeed, I do not believe in discrimination - if you want to cut your dick off, wear god awful lipstick - do it. But you get the job for an IT administrator, programmer, whatever - you better be fucking good at it no matter who you are. The hiring managers should be given the balls (or tits) to make an informed decision.

The kids in the videos are sadly very common. It started off being politically correct. If I see a man go into the woman's bathroom my daughters or wife are using, I'm supposed to be cool with this? I'm not!
 
I'm gonna try a bit of racial identity this weekend. I think I am black, so therefore I am. lol Maybe I'll be a rabbit instead. We'll see. ;)
 
steakman1971 said:
This! I put up with this shit all the time where I work. We have gender neutral bathrooms. We have had to go through "training" to ask how you "identify", and never ever judge. I'm supposed to think its totally normal for a 6'2, broad shouldered dude trying to talk like a woman is not indeed a man. In fact, I should ask how they identify. Really? This is NOT normal conversation. Or, a freak (yes, I said it) with a beard and lipstick is normal. Fuck, its not normal! I don't care if you want to do it on your own time, but at work you are here to work - not pee in the wrong bathroom. I'm straying off topic, but someone needs to tell me WHY hiring these people will make the place I work better? We are at work to WORK. Someone lost the point. I want the best person. Indeed, I do not believe in discrimination - if you want to cut your dick off, wear god awful lipstick - do it. But you get the job for an IT administrator, programmer, whatever - you better be fucking good at it no matter who you are. The hiring managers should be given the balls (or tits) to make an informed decision.

The kids in the videos are sadly very common. It started off being politically correct. If I see a man go into the woman's bathroom my daughters or wife are using, I'm supposed to be cool with this? I'm not!
Click to expand...
Man, you job place seem to suck ass.

I don't mind neutral bathrooms though. Just have all the stalls completely closed off. Problem solved.
 
What if im transracial? as in a white boy that wants to really be, and identifies as a black dude

Will i get a job then? Or is that crossing the line and is racist?

I have 1 semester left and im getting my CE degree, I hope I don't get passed over just because people want to fill a quota.
 
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