Google Seeks to Increase Workforce Diversity: Partners with 23andMe
Mountain View, California — Google announced today all applicants to the company would be sent ancestry tests as part of the interview process, starting July. The test will be provided at no-cost to applicants who pass a phone screen, according to the company.
The company has long been criticized for its lack of diversity in its workforce. The Silicon Valley giant hopes to remedy that by “finding nuggets of diverse talent other employers overlook,” according to Janice Paumbrook, head of People Operations. “There are a lot of applicants who have something interesting in them and just don’t know it. Our new partnership with 23andMe can remedy that.”
The announcement follows a yearlong private test of the partnership within the company. 78 employees completed ancestry tests, in total, with a few notable successes. “I had always known I was Swedish and French, but I found out last month I am 2.4% Apache,” explained product manager Gene Weller.
The new program enjoys strong support from corporate leadership. “We know the best way to create an inclusive workplace for people of all races is to foster diversity,” said CEO Sundar Pichai. Critics stated the company focussed exclusively on racial diversity. Pichai since responded, “To us, diversity isn’t just about race, it’s also about ethnicity.”