Are Microsoft Being Racist Here?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54449164
historically Microsoft, like most tech companies have based their hiring choices on skills, why are they proposing to use a different demographic?

[naomi24]

If the company has declared its intention to double the number of black employees, how does it intend to do that without selecting people based on their ethnicity?

[ToraToraTora]

it should select them on ability and aptitude, what has ethnicity got to do with anything?

[Sunk]

Microsofts executive team is predominantly male and white. CEO Satya Nadella is Indian.

https://news.microsoft.com/leadership/

Not many African Americans to be found though.

[dannyk13]

The days of selecting employees for their expertise and qualifications are long gone.

[archibaldy]

//The days of selecting employees for their expertise and qualifications are long gone.//

Those days never existed. Generally for each position in a skilled or management role there will be a final shortlist of 2-5 candidates that all meet the expertise and have the qualifications, so that's that box ticked.

Then, other more subjective and human factors come into play such as personality, life situation, and simply how 'comfortable' the selectors feel about with that candidate and race differences can affect this in some cases. Objectively, those things should not come into play, but they do, this as I see it is an attempt to minimise it.

Wil be interesting to see how this plays out.

[pixie374]

Danny, that never happened anyway. Being white and male was always the preference.

[youngmafbog]

"Then, other more subjective and human factors come into play "

More like length of skirt and size of mammaries.

I really dont know why they have to do this to my mind it demeans all the Black people that have got there on their merit. I have employed a fair few Black people into very well paid jobs because they were damned good. There are plenty out there so why the need to make thse sort of statements, instead look at your hiring staff to find these prejudices (and not just race prejudices).

[youngmafbog]

"Being white and male was always the preference."

40 years ago maybe, it's been changing for some time no the white middle aged man is the most prejudiced against.

[pixie374]

The stats don't agree, ymb. They are still the mostly likely to be in the position to make the decisions... and it hasn't evened out yet. How do you suggest it will be?

[youngmafbog]

Stats lie - just look at Witless to see that proof.

It will depend on your industry I suspect. Of course there will be more white people than Black, Black people only represent circa 3% of the population.

[pixie374]

I know, ymb.... but white males are and always have been, a minority of the population (in the UK at least) but still hold the majority of positions of authority, power, hiring choices etc.
I asked this to aog, who declined to answer, but I'll try you.... either white middle aged males are the most talented at pretty much everything, or they are getting more opportunities. Which is it?
And how do we balance things, as it obviously hasn't happened naturally, even after centuries?

[pixie374]

Or anyone..... ??

[dannyk13]

Pixie, in the 40's and early 50's there were not many coloured persons in the UK.

[dannyk13]

Pixie // but white males are and always have been, a minority//
That is simply untrue.I can remember when the sight of a black person was a rare thing indeed.

[pixie374]

No.... although most were women.... any answer to my question, though? It gets a bit boring with white male posters telling us constantly that everything is fair... when it clearly isn't.

[pixie374]

Again, danny, males have always been a minority. Any extra categories, even more so. Maybe we need to get out of this way of thinking for a start, as it just isn't even true.

[ToraToraTora]

pixie: "either white middle aged males are the most talented at pretty much everything, or they are getting more opportunities. Which is it? " - neither, there are more white middle aged males, therefore it follows that more of them will be the right person for the job. This sort of discrimination simply demeans any non white getting the jobs as filling a quota rather than on merit. Does them no favours.

[pixie374]

Ttt //there are more white middle aged males//
No, there aren't. Most of the population are female. Not middle-aged, and some are not white.
They are a minority, but still have the most authority. Are you able to answer my questions about why this is still the situation and what should be done? As nobody else seems to be able to....

[pixie374]

Also... it doesn't demean any non-white. People who believe someone gets a job only because of their colour or sex... demeans themselves, only.