By Emegwoako C. Paschal
According to company emails obtained by Reuters, Alphabet’s Google introduced rules for inviting guest speakers to its offices this week, just days after canceling a talk by an Indian historian who disparaged marginalized groups and their concerns.
The policy, announced on Thursday, November 17th, is Google’s latest attempt to maintain an open culture while addressing divisions that have emerged as the company’s workforce has grown.
Workers at Google and other large tech companies have clashed and protested in recent years over politics and racial and gender equity. In addition, Alphabet, Apple, and Amazon are all facing union organizing drives, with demands that the companies adopt progressive policies.
According to the Google speaker rules, which were obtained by Reuters, certain talks pose a risk to the company’s brand and require employees to “consider whether there is a business reason for hosting the speaker and if the event directly supports our company goals.”
It urges speakers to avoid topics that could “disrupt or undermine Google’s culture of belonging,” and it reiterates that speakers are not permitted to advocate for political candidates or ballot measures.
“We’ve always been proud to host external speakers at Google because they provide great opportunities for our employees to learn and connect,” Google spokesman Ryan Lamont told Reuters. The new procedure will “ensure that these events are useful and contribute to a productive work environment.”
The policy, according to an email sent to managers, unifies and clarifies a patchwork of guidelines.
Greater scrutiny jeopardizes Google’s free-flowing, university-like culture, which it has cherished since its inception. A more inviting workplace, on the other hand, may attract a more diverse workforce, which may help Google develop products with broader appeal.
Internal conflicts that spilled into public view in recent years prompted Google to increase content moderation on workplace message boards and reduce the frequency of company-wide meetings.
Competitors such as Meta have policies in place for inviting speakers as well.
Former US presidential candidate Barack Obama, celebrity chef Ayesha Curry, and former basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have all spoken at Google.
