Google issued new community guidelines to employees earlier this week, having delivered them in the form of a short list meant to remind its workforce about correctness and reiterate that its internal forums aren’t a place for provoking their colleagues in regards to any kind of workplace issues or other topics, though they still encourage civilized debates. The guidelines specifically reference “Google Values,” urging employees to respect one other, the company’s customers, and the very opportunity to debate some subjects they feel strongly about in a reasonable manner. The move comes about a year after engineer James Damore was fired from the Alphabet-owned company over a controversial manifesto arguing women are less biologically suitable for programming roles than men.
The new guidelines urge workers to do their part in maintaining a toxic-free working environment for themselves and their colleagues, in accordance with the firm’s existing policies which prioritize inclusiveness. Google’s Code of Conduct and other official regulations hence don’t allow for unrestricted free speech, nor is any individual company required to enable employees to indulge such activities given how the First Amendment only applies to the government. Due to that state of affairs, Google explicitly stated that no discussion which alienates any employees has a place on the company’s internal boards or at any physical workplace. “Ad hominem attacks will not be tolerated,” the guidelines read, adding that the same applies to generalized statements about particular groups and “trolling.”
Finally, Google is now asking all of its employees to carefully pick their words and be aware that any workplace communication could be shared externally and have a long-lasting impact on their lives, whether by leaking or ending up being used as evidence in the court of law. The Internet search juggernaut is still striving to champion inclusivity, both internally and externally, having extended that approach to its products and services as well, most recently through the addition of LGBTQ-friendly business labels to the Google My Business platform.