Not inclusive enough, explains employee.
An IBM employee quit her job after posting an open letter to her CEO Ginni Rometty online in response to an open letter by the latter to President-elect Donald Trump.
Dissatisfied with offering IBM’s support to Trump, Elizabeth Wood, who was a senior content strategist at IBM, resigned her job last week after explaining why she took the decision.
According to a Washington Post report, Wood felt the Nov. 15 letter “offered the backing of IBM’s global workforce in support of his agenda.” Though IBM stands for an inclusive and welcoming culture, Rometty failed to convey the message to Trump.
“The future of the company hinges on realizing an inclusive and welcoming culture, though you do not communicate this vision,” said Wood.
In her letter to Trump, Rometty had expressed the company’s willingness to closely work with the new administration to saying “I know that you are committed to help America’s economy grow in ways that are good for all its people.”
She discussed several topics ranging from tax reforms and healthcare to IT jobs and infrastructural development.
“As you prepare to take office as our new president, I hope the ideas I have offered in this letter represent ways that we can work together to achieve prosperity that is broadly shared in our society,” Rometty wrote.
But, according to Wood, Rometty didn’t try to address the problems that are likely to arise during the tenure of Trump. In contrast to the company’s policy, Trump’s rhetoric include contempt for many communities including immigrants, blacks, LGBTQ and Muslims that constitute a growing portion of IBM’s workforce.
“The president-elect has demonstrated contempt for immigrants, veterans, people with disabilities, Black, Latinx, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ communities. These groups comprise a growing portion of the company you lead,” she explained.
Apart from mentioning the likely policies of the Trump administration that may affect many communities, Rometty wrote that “in the years ahead there will be issues on which we agree, and issues on which we do not.” But, when the letter was shared with employees, she reiterated in accompanying e-mail that IBM supports tolerance and diversity.
Though the company did not comment on the issue as it was a personal matter, IBM spokesman Edward Barbini said: “The great majority of feedback from IBM employees has been very positive.”
Wood told The Washington Post that she was aware of the consequences of her letter before posting it on her Twitter feed and LinkedIn profile. Though she had experienced frustrations associated with her job she hadn’t planned to leave the organization before reading Rometty’s letter. According to reports, a few more employees are also likely to quit their IBM job in coming days in response to Rometty’s letter.