The study said workers fretted that a "cut-throat and extremely political" culture at AOL is undermining morale and blurring the line between work and private life.
(Robert A. Reeder -- The Washington Post)
One African American employee referred to Dulles-based AOL as "a plantation, a digital plantation," and another worker said she and other women have been relegated to support roles, "like baby sitters."
The report also cites concerns from employees who said they are uncomfortable with Friday afternoon beer bashes at the company.
"It's a lot of standing around, guys talking about where they used to go out 10 years ago. It's like being in the bar," one woman told the consultants. "If I wanted to do that, I would leave the office. But it's truly a boy's club. I don't know if it was like that before, but recently I find it even more."
Minorities expressed concern about the company's record of hiring and promotions, though the report notes that AOL hired a slightly higher percentage of women and minorities in 2002 than had been represented previously in the workforce. Some minorities said they get called into external meetings with diverse business partners, but left out of internal meetings where business decisions get made by white males. One employee suggested that the overall work environment has gotten worse since chief executive Jonathan F. Miller took the helm one year ago.
"Today, everything at our company is a sports metaphor," one woman said. "Miller's main agenda is 'Win every week. Play your position.' There were a series of classes -- coaching for success, and they were based on books written by former football coaches. This may disenfranchise women."
Some white men told the consultant they tended to be more comfortable in making decisions involving other whites: "Most of my friends are white. I am white. And it is kind of who you know when you are hiring somebody. And it is hard to break that circle of friends. It is a leap. It is the reality."
Employees of all demographic groups complained that senior management overlooks internal candidates for jobs in favor of outsiders and places little value on institutional knowledge. And many complained about how work often intrudes on home life. Some said when they are home sick, they are still expected by supervisors to check their e-mail and respond to work requests via the Internet.
Several employees said AOL's subscriber base is more diverse than the company's workforce. As America Online introduces "AOL for Latinos" and other targeted new services, the firm needs more minority employees to be effective, the report said.
The report recommend the company strengthen its career development systems, expand sensitivity training, and adopt a zero tolerance for "bad behavior."
"Creating a culture that values diversity at AOL will require strong senior leadership commitment," the report said.
Several employees told the consultant that the company must change if it is to be successful.
"We are going to die if we are not diverse," one senior executive told the consultant. "You can't run a business, a global business with a roomful of white men. Particularly our type of business which operates in the mass consumer market."
