'You can't stand the truth': Microsoft employees accuse tech giant of hiding pay grievances under rug
Microsoft's latest internal surveys have generated controversy among staff. Employees blame the removal of key questions about pay and leadership from the main questionnaire, according to Business Insider.
After Microsoft published the results of the latest surveys, several employees took to an internal forum, consulted by Business Insider, where they questioned the official results. They suspect that the data has been altered, especially regarding remuneration.
In previous years, a certain question served as a barometer for the mood of the staff. The questionnaire checks whether employees believe they have advantageous conditions at Microsoft, that is, whether there is a reasonable balance between the work performed and the benefits received in return.
After weak and declining responses to this question, Microsoft has in previous years announced significant pay increases to prevent employees from leaving for competitors, including Amazon. Later, amid massive layoffs in the tech industry, the company changed tack and froze wages in the year following the raises.
When Microsoft recently released the results of its most recent surveys, the question about favorable conditions at the company was left out, according to documents seen by Business Insider.
Allegations of poll tampering
Some employees turned to the internal forum to ask for clarification.
“Could you please let us know if the question has been removed or not and why?” one employee wrote in a comment that has garnered more than 200 reactions.
“I don't think they care to get an answer to a question they already know the answer to,” commented another, alongside a meme with the famous line: “You can't handle the truth!”.
Other employees also indicated the lack of a question regarding trust in the company's management.
Also on the internal forum, a person with the position of “responsible for listening to employees” explained that these questions are currently found in different surveys, depending on the structure of internal programs.
The benefits questionnaire was only sent to a subset of employees in order to cover more topics without increasing the length of the overall survey. Microsoft confirmed this response and had no further comment.
The debate over Microsoft's survey results reflects broader tensions within the company. Under Satya Nadella, the tech giant is investing heavily in artificial intelligence and data centers while cutting costs and tightening performance reviews. In parallel, the company made massive layoffs to cut costs and increase pressure on performance.
Another employee called the results “really confusing,” pointing out that thousands of colleagues consistently voice concerns in public forums about Microsoft's contracts with the US military, ICE and the Israeli army, with these ethical topics being the most-voted topics of discussion.
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
