Google CEO Sundar Pichai has apologized to all employees of Google for tackling intimidation within the company. “We acknowledge that we have not always dealt with it properly and we sincerely regret that it is clear that we need to make changes”, Pichai wrote in an e-mail to staff on Thursday.
He responded to a protest in Google last week. Tens of thousands of employees around the world gathered collectively from their desks and walked out. Such so-called ‘walkouts’ took place in places such as Berlin, London, Chicago, New York and Singapore and at the head office in Mountain View.
The employees were angry because of rumors that Android creator Andy Rubin was sent away with a departure premium of reportedly $ 90 million (about 79 million euros) while accused of rape. Google has fired about fifty people in recent years because of sexual misconduct.
Pichai announces measures to improve Google’s working method. This should make it easier to report intimidation. And in dealing with such reports, employees need more help.