After Makayla Starks received a call from Kunes Buick GMC requesting a service member come to her home to retrieve a tool he had allegedly left in her vehicle, she was surprised to receive a second call and text message from another employee tipping her off that this wasn’t what it seemed. The employee was actually attempting to retrieve an oil change reminder sticker from her windshield on which he had written a racial slur. While the company quickly parted ways with the employee responsible, the backlash online and elsewhere has been substantial.
Business Takeaway: We are living in strange times with folks acting out in very strange ways. This is causing a tremendous amount of anxiety. Beyond harassment and non-discrimination policies, reinforcing points of workplace culture and implementing targeted training is critically important to maintaining a positive and productive work environment. This case serves as a reminder of the potential reputational, financial, and other damage just one employee may cause to a company, even if entirely unauthorized and contrary to your values. What’s more, in this case, other employees knew about the situation.