Google plans to make its workforce more diverse

May 7, 2015 08:19 GMT  ·  By

Google has dealt with some serious backlash after it revealed its workforce diversity report which showed just how undiversified the company is, not necessarily regarding race, but also gender.

The shocking results showed that less than 2 percent of the people working for the tech giant are of African American descent, while 63 percent of the positions within the company are occupied by white employees.

Google also revealed that it might have an issue regarding the gender balance for employees working in the tech domain, with women making up for only 30 percent of the total workforce.

Google is keen on diversifying its tech environment

However, the company seems intent to fix things and is ready to throw in some cash to achieve more counterbalanced results. And to stop being accused of racism and sexism, of course.

In order to change the alarming figures, Google is willing to invest more than $150 million (€132 million) in its new diversity plan which targets women and minorities, Nancy Lee, vice president for People Operations revealed for USA Today.

"Our strategy is extremely long term. Sure, we are doing things that can show an impact maybe this year, maybe next year. But we recognize that there is not enough talent entering into our industry and that we have a lot of work to do," Lee says.

The first step that the company has taken to adjust the matter is sending its engineers to Historically Black Colleges and Universities to teach students there and encourage them to apply for a job at the tech company.

The company also wants young girls to show more interest in computer science, and this is why they have taken to Hollywood to help them out with this initiative. They hope that Loretta and Mariana, the two Disney characters from Miles from Tomorrowland and The Fosters who are passionate about the subject, will encourage more little girls to pursue a career in the tech industry.

Now it remains to be seen if the money that Google has thrown in will manage to turn the company into a fairer working environment and achieve their ideal of creating a web that includes everyone, irrespective of ethnicities and gender.