University at Buffalo School of Management

12 Buffalo Business Spring 2019 and eBay, Airbnb and Ly, among others, have all fol- lowed suit. As the chief human resources officer of Delaware North, Eileen Morgan, BS '86, says it's her job to pro- tect the global hospitality company and its 56,000 as- sociates against behavior that contradicts its values. When #MeToo gained traction, she was surprised at the egregiousness of many allegations, but com- forted by the inclusive culture of her organization, which promises in its value statement to "always do the right thing, especially when no one is looking." #MeToo prompted the company to take a hard look at its processes and build on its respectful cul- ture, Morgan says. Delaware North has long had an open-door policy allowing employees to confidential- ly report issues to a central hotline, their manager or directly to senior leaders, including Morgan. But now, when complaints are made locally, managers are required to share them centrally as well. "Anywhere we are on the globe, we need to know what's going on," she says. "In companies with big footprints, it's all about having visibility into every location and every issue, so you can be proactive and understand patterns." Robert Dunne, BS '79, MBA '81, chief human re- sources officer for global law firm WilmerHale, says #MeToo illustrates how the lines are shiing—and blurring—over what constitutes respectful and ap- propriate behavior, and underscores the need to reg- ularly conduct training for all staff on where those lines fall. "This movement has heightened our sensitivi- ty that we need to get the message out to everyone," Dunne says. "Whether it's #MeToo, or laws protect- ing LGBTQ individuals or those with disabilities, you have to educate people: What does it mean to dis- criminate against someone? Everyone needs to hear the same message." Of course, there's always the chance the pendu- lum can swing too far, Dunne acknowledges. For ex- ample, a study commissioned by Lean In found the number of male managers who are uncomfortable mentoring women has tripled since October 2017 over fear of inadvertently crossing the line, thus hin- dering junior employees' advancement and an orga- nization overall. Meanwhile, Jim Lemoine, assistant professor of organization and human resources, sees the coun- try's increased polarization threatening to engulf the #MeToo movement, particularly in the wake of Justice Brett Kavanaugh's divisive confirmation hearings. #METOO " Anywhere we are on the globe, we need to know what's going on. In companies with big footprints, it's all about having visibility into every location and every issue, so you can be proactive and understand patterns." Eileen Morgan, BS '86 CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER DELAWARE NORTH

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