The Stepford Wives of Microsoft

Too Long; Didn't Read

When asked for advice to women about asking for a raise, Satya Nadella had a famous foot-in-mouth moment when he <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2787452/Microsoft-CEO-sparks-outrage-telling-women-not-ask-raises-instead-trust-good-KARMA.html" target="_blank">told women</a> at a Grace Hopper convention to “<em>have faith that the system will give you the right raise</em>”. Although he was rightfully pulverized for these statements and apologized profusely for them as if it were just a flub, it was reported recently by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-microsoft-women/microsoft-women-filed-238-discrimination-and-harassment-complaints-idUSKCN1GP077" target="_blank">Reuters</a> and <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/13/17113868/microsoft-gender-discrimination-lawsuit-pay-gap" target="_blank">various</a> other outlets that Microsoft is being <a href="https://microsoftgendercase.com" target="_blank">sued</a> because their HR and their Employee Relations Investigations Team (ERIT) have a habit of erring on behalf of sexism more than 99% of the time, especially when a member of management or leadership is the instigator. When making data-driven career decisions though, it seems as if he was accurate as far as his company was concerned as falling in line, trusting karma, and not rocking the boat appears to be great career advice for women and most likely anyone else seeking to maintain a career at Microsoft.