Navigating Issues At Work, From Relationships To Harassment
It seems that each week, a new accusation of inappropriate-- and sometimes criminal--workplace behavior comes to light. This year, it started with Susan Fowler's post about her time at Uber. Then, accusations were made in the media industry against Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K., and more. Our round table weighs in on the issue.
It seems no industry is free of these workplace issues. So how can companies prepare for, and handle, these scenarios? Liz Bentley, President of business consulting firm Liz Bentley Associates, and Emily Anne Epstein, Executive News Editor at Bustle, weigh in on how business owners can deal with workplace issues.
Bentley shares some of the advice she gives clients when they come to her with issues of harassment and workplace behavior. She says transparency is the key.
Epstein hones in on a key issue she has found through her reporting, which is the fact that many employees don't know their company's policies when it comes to workplace behavior. She says many business leaders are finding issues at the core of their company's culture.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
