Instructions
Read “Case 3-1, You Can’t Get There From Here: Uber Slow On Diversity” on page 108 of your
textbook. After you have read the case study, write an analysis of the case study.
Write an introduction to give context to your paper by explaining what the paper will cover.
Then, divide the body of your paper using the seven headers below. Address the points within
that section, as indicated under the header.
Employment Law
Identify what employment law Susan Fowler’s sexual harassment claim would be characterized
as. Be sure to develop your answer to include your rationale.
Type of Harassment
Identify the type(s) of harassment to which Ms. Fowler was exposed. Be sure to develop your
answer to include your rationale.
Uber’s Actions
Identify actions Uber has taken to limit their liability relative to sexual harassment charges. Be
sure to develop your answer to include your rationale.
EEOC and Affirmative Action
After reviewing Uber’s diversity report, does it appear Uber is in violation of any EEOC and
affirmative action laws? Be sure to develop your answer to include your rationale.
Diversity Matters
Explain why diversity matters in general and more specifically to Uber. Be sure to develop your
answer to include your rationale.
Benefits/Challenges of a Diverse Workforce
Identify and explain the benefits and challenges Uber derives from a more diverse workforce. Be
sure to develop your answer to include your rationale.
Legal Provisions of Uber Case
Write a summary that identifies legal provisions or considerations covered within this case study
as it relates to a human resource management (HRM) perspective.
Conclude with an analysis with your thoughts on how ethics and HRM professional standards are
framed by legal provisions within a specific organization or industry (e.g., business, health care).
Your case study must be at least two pages in length, not counting the title or reference pages.
Adhere to APA style when constructing this assignment, including in-text citations and
references for all sources that are used. Please note that no abstract is needed.
CASE 3-1 YOU CAN’T GET THERE FROM HERE: UBER SLOW ON DIVERSITY
Established in 2009, Uber provides an alternative to taxi cab service in 460 cities and nearly 60 countries
worldwide. The trick? Their mobile application for smartphones allows riders to arrange for
transportation with drivers who operate their personal vehicles. A dual rating system (drivers and
customers rate each other) serves as a quality control device keeping Uber standards high.(1)
As an international technology firm, Uber has been challenged, along with other tech giants like Google
and Twitter, to demonstrate that they are attuned to the specific needs of their employees, more
specifically people of color and women. In Uber’s own words:
At Uber, we want to create a workplace that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of the cities we serve:
where everyone can be their authentic self, and where that authenticity is celebrated as a strength. By
creating an environment where people from every background can thrive, we’ll make Uber a better
company—not just for our employees but for our customers, too.(2)
Yet actions speak louder than words. Uber employees describe the firm’s work environment amid some
managers as Machiavellian and merciless. Many blame Travis Kalanick, Uber’s founder and former chief
executive, for establishing such a negative culture. Uber’s fast growth approach to the market has
rewarded employees and managers who have aggressively pushed for greater revenues and fatter
profits at the seeming cost of human dignity.
For example, Uber has had its share of troubles addressing issues of sexual misconduct and workforce
diversity. These issues came to light when a former employee, Susan Fowler, reported in her personal
blog that she was being sexually harassed by her manager and that human resources had been informed
of these infractions.(3) Susan Fowler said in her blog:
On my first official day rotating on the team, my new manager sent me a string of messages over
company chat. He was in an open relationship, he said, and his girlfriend was having an easy time finding
new partners but he wasn’t. He was trying to stay out of trouble at work, he said, but he couldn’t help
getting in trouble, because he was looking for women to have sex with. It was clear that he was trying to
get me to have sex with him, and it was so clearly out of line that I immediately took screenshots of
these chat messages and reported him to HR.(4)
Uber’s first reaction was to call Ms. Fowler’s accusations as “abhorrent and against everything Uber
stands for and believes in.”(5) Ms. Fowler purported that her manager was not punished because he
“was a high performer”; yet other female employees reported similar incidents with the same manager,
leading Ms. Fowler to believe that HR was covering up for her manager.
Uber was in trouble as more and more scandals emerged and they quickly took the following actions: (a)
apologized for some of their managers’ actions, (b) had a board member and several female executives
provide testimonials on the firm’s positive work environment, and (c) began to probe workplace policies
and procedures.
Arianna Huffington, a board member, repeatedly labeled new employees as “brilliant jerks.”(6)
Huffington said that this investigation would be different when Eric H. Holder Jr., the former United
States Attorney General (as well as some others), were hired to conduct their investigation.
Uber released its first diversity report on March 28, 2017, one month after these allegations. This report
indicated that women and nonwhite employees are underrepresented at the firm, not overly dissimilar
from other technology-based firms. Some of the most egregious statistics include: (a) racial
configuration―6% Hispanic, 9% black, 50% white, and (b) 85% of all technology jobs are held by men,
with a mere 36% of the total workforce comprised of women.(7)
Liane Hornsey, Uber’s chief human resource officer, acknowledged, “We need to do better and have
much more work to do.”(8) Here are Uber’s next steps:
We’re dedicating $3 million over the next three years to support organizations working to bring more
women and underrepresented people into tech. This year, our recruiting team is also embarking on a
college tour to recruit talented students at colleges across the country, including a number of
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). Our
employee resource groups play a huge role in all our recruiting events that are focused on hiring women
and people of color at Uber.
In recruiting, we’ve updated our job descriptions to remove potentially exclusionary language, and we
are running interview training to make our hiring processes more inclusive for women in tech. We’re
also rolling out training to educate and empower employees, covering topics like “why diversity and
inclusion matters,” “how to be an ally,” and “building inclusive teams.” Training is not a panacea, but
educating employees on the right behaviors is an important step in the right direction.
This is just the beginning of our efforts. Whether you’re a veteran returning from service or a person
with a disability and regardless of your religious beliefs, your sexual orientation, your gender identity, or
the country you call home, at Uber, we want to create an environment where you can be yourself. By
deepening our commitment to diversity, we will strengthen our business and better serve our customers
in over 450 cities in more than 70 countries.(9)
Only time will tell if this fast growth firm can manage its aggressive culture and diversity as it continues
to expand into new marketplaces and those with differing cultures.
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