LinkedIn

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LinkedIn is an American business and employment-oriented online service that operates via websites and mobile apps. Launched on May 5, 2003,[1] the platform is mainly used for professional networking, and allows job seekers to post their CVs and employers to post jobs. As of 2015, most of the company's revenue came from selling access to information about its members to recruiters and sales professionals. Since December 2016, it has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft. As of December 2020, LinkedIn had 760 million registered members from 150 countries.[2]

LinkedIn allows members (both workers and employers) to create profiles and "connect" to each other in an online social network which may represent real-world professional relationships. Members can invite anyone (whether an existing member or not) to become a "connection".

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LinkedIn employee racist comment during racial justice internal meeting. June 2020

Racial Justice Town Hall Turns Into Fire

LinkedIn prides itself on being the highly professional, troll-free antithesis to all other social-media platforms. But on June 2020, the company’s own internal meetings looked more like a “dumpster fire”. The forum was supposed to be an opportunity for employees to come together and discuss racial inequality by “reflecting on our own biases, practicing allyship, and intentionally driving equitable actions”. Instead, the conversation turned suddenly hostile, as people used the video chat’s anonymous commenting feature to defend racist sentiments and question the efficacy of the protests. The meeting has opened discussion then the attending employee started to gave their thoughts and the results were a disaster. “I believe giving any racial group privilege over others in a zero sum game would not get any support by others. Any thoughts on hurting others while giving privileges with the rosy name called diversity?” wrote in the comment.

“Blacks kill blacks at 50 times the rate that whites kill blacks. Usually it is the result of gang violence in the inner city. Where is the outcry?” one commenter said, echoing a common anti-BLM talking point deflecting from concerns about state violence against the black community. “This tragic incident that happened to George Floyd happened exactly the same to Tony Timpa (white man) by Dallas cops in 2016, and no one seemed to care then,” another employee wrote. “Do we all understand that racial prejudice is about EVERYONE and can go any direction?” wrote another. “Racial prejudice is rampant in tech companies. As a white person, I’ve experienced it from people of other races too.”. The comments were immediately met with outrage from numerous other LinkedIn staffers, who called the comments disturbing and racist.

This epic fail comments caused backlashes from other employees. “I do not feel safe working at this company in a place where I was already uncomfortable with the treatment I’ve received on my OWN team since I started,” wrote one employee. “There are some extremely offensive comments here that go completely against the spirit of what this is intended for,” another added. “I am COMPLETELY shocked by some of these racist comments from my fellow employees. I am thoroughly disgusted!”. “The racism at LinkedIn really came out in the Q&A section!” a third staffer quipped.[3]

Later in the same week when the disaster happened, CEO Ryan Roslansky sent out a note to staff addressing the “pain and frustration they felt at appalling comments shared in the Q&A.” He then shared the note publicly on LinkedIn. Roslansky acknowledged that allowing employees to share comments anonymously had been a mistake, and said the company would not allow this to happen again. He added, “we are not and will not be a company or platform where racism or hateful speech is allowed.”[4]

Diversity Issue

LinkedIn Corp. faces many of the same diversity challenges as other large tech firms. The Sunnyvale social networking company said Wednesday that it plans to boost its representation by doubling the number of Black and Latinx leaders, managers and senior individual contributors by 2025. By 2020 only 5.8% of LinkedIn's leaders are Black or Latinx according to it's 2020 Workforce Diversity Report.[5]

According to LinkedIn's 2019 Workforce Diversity Report, about 48% of the company's workforce is made up of white people, while only 4% are black. Exactly 1% of the company's leaders are black.[6] But in 2020 Workforce Diversity Report number of black employee still around 4% while Black Leader increased to 2.2%, doubled from last year yet the company still committed to double the number of Black and Latinx leaders by 2025.[7]

Unfortunately this diversity issue is not new in LinkedIn, the report showed only a small improvement in their number of black and Latinx workers. In 2016 they occupy 3% and 5% of the roles at LinkedIn in the U.S., respectively, up from 2% and 4% in 2015.[8] By this report we understand that in 5 years from 2015 to 2020 LinkedIn doubled the number of black employees from 2% to 4% but can they double their number too in the next 5 years?

The Commitment

Linked in introduced a new commitment back in 2020 to double the number of Black and Latino leaders, managers, and senior individual contributors on U.S. team over the next five years. By focusing on increasing and maintaining diversity in senior positions and the leadership pipeline, which centering attention on roles with the most responsibility and decision-making authority, while also enhancing development pathways for underrepresented talent at all levels.[7]

"We are expanding our Leadership, Engagement, and Development (LEAD) program, which is focused on engaging and developing Black and Latino talent in the U.S., to help accelerate career growth and build our leadership pipeline. This year, we are adding additional programs focused on Black and Latino people managers and senior leaders", mentioned in LinkedIn 2020 workforce diversity report.

External Link

Read full LinkedIn 2020 Workforce Diversity Report

References

  1. About LinkedIn. LinkedIn Corporation. 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  2. LinkedIn. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  3. Tani, Maxwell. LinkedIn Staffers Go All-Lives-Matter During ‘Dumpster Fire’ Meeting on Racism. The Daily Beast. 5 June 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  4. Schiffer, Zoe. LINKEDIN EMPLOYEES USE FORUM ABOUT DIVERSITY TO DEFEND RACISM. The Verge. 4 June 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  5. Levitsky, Allison. Only 5.8% of LinkedIn's leaders are Black or Latinx. The company just pledged to change that.. The Business Journals. 23 October 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  6. Cheong, Weng. Employees at LinkedIn share 'appalling comments' during LinkedIn Meeting. Business Insider. 9 June 2020. Retrieved January 19. 2021.
  7. 7.0 7.1 LinkedIn News. Our 2020 Workforce Diversity Report. 21 October 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  8. Mc Girt, Ellen. LinkedIn’s Diversity Struggles Don’t Come From a Lack of Talent. Fortune. 20 October 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2021.