Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Would you report racism? Re: Savills employee

213 replies

reducingfootprint · 12/07/2021 14:52

Following on from the Savills tweets where there employee used a racial slur regarding football last night and then made another tweet about domestic violence.
Would you report it if you saw a family member / friend etc posted something racist publicly? I think i would - i believe we should be actively anti racist not just let it slide past. I would feel slightly guilty but not overly to be honest. I also don't agree with the 'cancel culture' that goes on but people need to be held accountable for their actions!

OP posts:
toocold54 · 12/07/2021 16:28

What someone posts is their business, not their employers.

If I was an employer I’d want to know if my employees had these views as I wouldn’t want them working for me.

dreamingbohemian · 12/07/2021 16:28

No I wouldn't, people have the right to freedom of speech, even if we don't like it

Except they don't, not when it's a hate crime

TitsInAbsentia · 12/07/2021 16:29

All unacceptable behaviour needs to be called out, otherwise it just continues, and no-one will ever change their ways.

The fact that someone has a social media profile that can link them back to the job shows just how dense he is. Shit follows you around these days, and it stays on the internet forever...even after you've deleted it. I'm all for employers distancing themselves from that kind of shit too - he'll have read (and ignored) their social media policy.

RickiTarr · 12/07/2021 16:30

I saw a disgusting tweet that 3 N* lost the game for us so we need to get them back - then there was a list of things they could do like spit, punch, rape or lynch a N and how many points each one was worth! Surely this type of post is worth a prison sentence!

Yes it is and hopefully the police are already on the case.

TitsInAbsentia · 12/07/2021 16:31

@3Britnee
What someone posts is their business, not their employers. Their employer is not their parent. And adults don't need to be 'parented'. I don't like all this tittle tattle snitchy cancel culture that we have at the moment.

  • - - - - - - -
It very much is the employers business if they stand to lose clients/suffer reputational damage because of his behaviour.
User5827372728 · 12/07/2021 16:31

Yes, silence is violence.

I would and my biggest regret was resigning from a job when I was 17 when my manager was using racist language rather than reporting it

witheringrowan · 12/07/2021 16:33

@3Britnee

I think it's a really complicated question when it comes to your employer - your employer is not responsible for everything you do, but if you are doing things online with the employers name attached, it doesn't reflect well on the brand, probably contravenes employee conduct requirements, and I think most employers would want to know about this sort of comment so they can take action.

But I'd also hope that those reporting realise that companies have to fully investigate these incidents & follow their HR protocols - they can't just fire at will. I've been working somewhere when a similar issue came up, and people completely unconnected to the situation like receptionists were getting yelled at over the phone because the online mob had decided the company's response within 24 hrs of "we're aware, we're investigating and working with the police" wasn't enough. But the employer has to investigate thoroughly otherwise they risk a wrongful termination lawsuit & no employer is going to publicly tar & feather anyone in the way Twitter wants.

3Britnee · 12/07/2021 16:34

[quote TitsInAbsentia]@3Britnee
What someone posts is their business, not their employers. Their employer is not their parent. And adults don't need to be 'parented'. I don't like all this tittle tattle snitchy cancel culture that we have at the moment.

  • - - - - - - -
It very much is the employers business if they stand to lose clients/suffer reputational damage because of his behaviour.[/quote] Imo that doesnt say very much about a person if they think an entire company is racist because one person posted something 🤷‍♀️

You've got to be a bit thick to think a company is bad because one person is a fucking dick.

FootballisgoingtoRome · 12/07/2021 16:35

Yes I would we need to call out each and every incidence of racism. It can’t be swept under the carpet any longer

ClawedButler · 12/07/2021 16:37

I believe that everyone has the right to express their opinions, no matter how vehemently I disagree with them.

What people do not have the right to do, however, is incite violence or hatred. Then it's a crime.

I would report a crime. If someone I knew said vile things like this on social media, I would just block them, because I don't want to hear horrible shit like that. However, if I put my views on gender ideology on social media, I expect a lot of my friends would be horrified at my bigotry, and block or report me.

3Britnee · 12/07/2021 16:38

[quote witheringrowan]@3Britnee

I think it's a really complicated question when it comes to your employer - your employer is not responsible for everything you do, but if you are doing things online with the employers name attached, it doesn't reflect well on the brand, probably contravenes employee conduct requirements, and I think most employers would want to know about this sort of comment so they can take action.

But I'd also hope that those reporting realise that companies have to fully investigate these incidents & follow their HR protocols - they can't just fire at will. I've been working somewhere when a similar issue came up, and people completely unconnected to the situation like receptionists were getting yelled at over the phone because the online mob had decided the company's response within 24 hrs of "we're aware, we're investigating and working with the police" wasn't enough. But the employer has to investigate thoroughly otherwise they risk a wrongful termination lawsuit & no employer is going to publicly tar & feather anyone in the way Twitter wants.[/quote]
I think being accountable 24/7 to an employer is very 1984.

Look at the woman that had that racist altercation with the bloke in the park. That has nothing to do with her work or employer but people hunted down her company and got her sacked.

That's not right, her employer isnt her keeper. By all means report her to the police for racism, but that's got nothing to do with her job.

foxandbee · 12/07/2021 16:40

What someone posts is their business, not their employers

Yes it is their employer's business in this case. Employers have a legal duty to tackle racism in the workplace. Racists don't tend to leave their abhorrent views at home when they go to work.

ClawedButler · 12/07/2021 16:41

Actually, having read back my last post, I haven't expressed it very well. I can see that it's privilege at work, as I can choose to just block that stuff out and I don't have to live with it.

I apologise to anyone who was hurt by what I've said. I do think I would call out racism in a personal way (and have done) but I wouldn't report a post that wasn't criminal.

toocold54 · 12/07/2021 16:43

Imo that doesnt say very much about a person if they think an entire company is racist because one person posted something

If a company is keeping on staff which they know are racist because they’ve tweeted about it - then I wouldn’t want to use that company. It is the companies choice wether to get rid of that person or keep them on and lose business.

slashlover · 12/07/2021 16:44

@foxandbee

What someone posts is their business, not their employers

Yes it is their employer's business in this case. Employers have a legal duty to tackle racism in the workplace. Racists don't tend to leave their abhorrent views at home when they go to work.

His profile said Commercial Building Manager at Savills. It's not as if people went hunting for information about him. By having his employer clearly listed, he is bringing the company into disrepute by tweeting what he has.
Cookofcastamar · 12/07/2021 16:45

@3Britnee if the police had come in that incident with the woman in the park in the absence of the recording, chances are the man being black would have been killed so his life gone. If shes going to make baseless and racist accusations that endanger someone's life losing her job is a minute repercussion and would hopefully deter other racists like her from following suit. Thank goodness he was able to record the incident!

Blessex · 12/07/2021 16:45

Being taken seriously thankfully

Would you report racism? Re: Savills employee
AlohaMolly · 12/07/2021 16:46

I think there is a very clear difference between someone expressing an opinion and someone posting a racist slur.

If that man from Savill had said something like ‘this is why I believe our immigration laws should be much stricter’ then, while I think it’s a disgusting opinion, it’s an opinion he is allowed to have and I wouldn’t report. What he actually posted was a personal, racist attack using a well documented slur. That deserves reporting.

AlohaMolly · 12/07/2021 16:47

I thought most places have social media policies now as well that state employees can’t post things that will reflect negatively on the company (paraphrasing.) if his account had been anonymous then perhaps his employer couldn’t say anything. As it stands…

LaurieFairyCake · 12/07/2021 16:49

Yes, they should face the consequences of their actions

Anyone posting racist, misogynistic shit on the internet should have their employers informed

Out them all

AlternativePerspective · 12/07/2021 16:50

No I wouldn't, people have the right to freedom of speech, even if we don't like it, that's how women get sacked or arrested for GC views. I would challenge it, but reporting something someone said on social media to their employers is over the top. (Although there's a reason I don't have my social media accounts linked to my job.) no, using racist language is not freedom of speech it is illegal.

I wish people would stop trotting out the “I believe in freedom of speech” crap to justify doing nothing.

And even if you call racist language “freedom of speech,” we also have freedom of action.

If someone ends up losing their job because of having broken the law then that is down to them,not me or whoever reported them. Again there’s far too much of this “What if they can’t feed their family” mentality out there which prevents people doing anything about others, such as reporting them for benefit fraud, or other theft, or racist language, etc etc etc.

Most companies actually have a social media policy now, so your employer as a rule does have the right to look at your social media, in fact access to your social media is often a part of pre employment screening for many companies.

If I was an employer I would dismiss them instantly, and I would have cast iron clauses in my employees handbook which would make it very clear that’s what would happen in the event of them e.g. spreading hate speech etc. And I would make it very clear that I would refuse them a reference.

I also think though that people need to call it, challenge it, but never share it, even to be outraged over it. Because the more people who share the more the message is spread, and not everyone who sees it from your share will be outraged about it, some will share it to their equally racist connections.

Xansaf · 12/07/2021 16:50

@AlohaMolly

I thought most places have social media policies now as well that state employees can’t post things that will reflect negatively on the company (paraphrasing.) if his account had been anonymous then perhaps his employer couldn’t say anything. As it stands…
Which is why it’s very wise not to have your employment on your social media profile. Someone will always find something to be offended by. Probably a mumsnet user by the sounds of this thread.
foxandbee · 12/07/2021 16:52

@LaurieFairyCake

Yes, they should face the consequences of their actions

Anyone posting racist, misogynistic shit on the internet should have their employers informed

Out them all

Yep.
whynotwhatknot · 12/07/2021 16:52

hacked my arse-i mean hes actually reported it to the police how thick does he think everyone is

clearly going doing the vardy route and if she wins this will happen more often

AlohaMolly · 12/07/2021 16:55

@Xansaf I agree. It’s one of the reasons I quit teaching - because our county was penalising teachers for things as simple as sharing political articles on their personal Facebooks.

I agree that people should be allowed to share their opinions. This particular man didn’t share an opinion, he called someone, a young man not even out of his teens, a horrible racist slur, while linked to his employer. Not only is he racist but he’s also seemingly unable to think through the consequences of his actions.

Swipe left for the next trending thread