Daily Times

LAHORE: Uber has been facing much backlash for its recent inadequate workplace culture, with a report being released that exposed the company for firing at least 20 staff members based on discrimination and harassment. The report called on the company to promote fairness and bring accountability to its culture.

CEO Travis Kalanick bore the brunt of the report as it recommended that the company ‘review and relocate’ Kalanick’s responsibilities within the firm. Kalanick, in an email to his staff wrote on Tuesday: “I need to take some time off of the day-to-day to grieve my mother, whom I buried on Friday, to reflect, to work on myself, and to focus on building out a world-class leadership team.” However, he added that he would be available during his absence for the ‘most strategic decisions.’ He reportedly will be taking a leave of absence, but failed to mention when he’d return.

The report not only called on the $70bn company to better equip HR personnel on the “effective handling of complaints” and training senior management and executives in leadership but also to increase its diversity efforts, which includes a blind resume review procedure and to adopt a strategy which requires at least one female and one underrepresented minority candidate to be considered for top positions.

Fellow board member did not help the company’s image when in an audio release of Tuesday’s meeting, he made a sexist remark when asked to bring in another woman to the board. Bonderman later apologized but according to board member Ariana Huffington the change would be a “seminal moment for Uber.

The company has also been reported to have been caught up in cases of intellectual property theft concerning their self driving car service which has already resulted in the termination of Anthony Levandowski, the head of Uber’s self driving service and faces a federal investigation for using a program called Greyball, which allowed Uber to evade law enforcement in areas where it is illegal.

Whether Kalanick’s leave of absence at this crucial time will cause even more upheaval within the company remains to be seen.