Uber CEO To Take Leave, Diminished Role After Workplace Scandals (bloomberg.com)

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick will take a leave of absence from the world's most valuable privately held company, he announced in an email to employees Tuesday. From a report: Uber Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick told staff he plans to take a leave of absence, without disclosing a return date. The company will strip him of some duties and appoint an independent chair to limit his influence after a slew of scandals, according to an advance copy of a report prepared for the board. At a staff meeting Tuesday, the company will convey the results of a probe conducted by Eric Holder, the former U.S. attorney general who Uber hired to look into allegations of harassment, discrimination and an aggressive culture. The 47 recommendations include creating a board oversight committee, rewriting Uber's cultural values, reducing alcohol use at work events, and prohibiting intimate relationships between employees and their bosses. Uber's board met Sunday to review a detailed version of the report and voted unanimously to approve the recommendations. Afterward, the San Francisco-based company ousted Emil Michael, Uber's head of business.

Comments

Can absolution ever be achieved

[SuperKendall]

I've seen a lot of liberal friends who were throwing a lot of shade Ubers way after the recent news stories about them and harassment. Many of them said they have switched to Left and will never look back.

It made me wonder - what can a company even do for absolution once the mob has decided they are to be punished? I wonder if this latest move will make the slightest dent in support of people who were so angry with Uber before. If it's not possible to repair that relationship then, why even bother to do something like have the CEO step back for damage control? It seems like where we are at a company should just ignore the problem and move on accepting some customer losses and minimizing press from their side with any response.

Myself, I'll continue to use Uber primarily because I have it set up, and I feel like I am helping the drivers more than the company (I always tip Uber drivers now, did not at first).

Also mustaches on cars creep me out. It's not the color, or I wouldn't be a strong T-Mobile supporter...

It's not going to help

[HangingChad]

Uber's brand has been irreparably damaged. It's actually kind of nice to see one of those alt-right Libertarian douchebags crash and burn. Not that he'll assume any fault for Uber's eventual crash. Now that he's out he'll engage in the other alt-right habit of blaming everyone else.