Victoria’s Secret CMO retires after transgender hire, Google employee memo goes viral, and Coke stands firm on same-sex ads

Good morning, PR pros:

A Google employee’s memo is going viral within the company, racking up more than 10,000 views by fellow staffers since it was published last week. The memo alleges she faced discrimination and then retaliation because of her pregnancy and maternity leave.

Meanwhile, a Walmart employee is reporting that the retail behemoth retaliated against him after he urged co-workers to sign a petition asking the chain to stop selling firearms and ammunition following recent mass shootings. The employee’s access to his corporate email account and the company’s Slack channel have been suspended.

Both crises highlight the importance of listening to employees’ concerns and addressing them quickly, instead of ignoring growing criticism. By avoiding responses, organizations risk having their workplace’s dirty laundry put on display for all to see, sending shockwaves through the internal culture and tarnishing its public reputation.

How can you better engage your employees to avoid a PR crisis?

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