When I look back on my time at PepsiCo, I’m filled with some happy memories, but tons of regrets. In particular, I regret that I wasn’t more forward with the way leadership was treating female employees, both in front of and behind their backs. Frankly, I wasn’t well prepared, and I can say that I definitely didn’t feel comfortable going to HR to mention these things, largely because many stories were reported and most seemed to go unnoticed by HR.
I’m speaking from male perspective. I was an entry level employee, just 2 years out of college, and was so excited to work at PepsiCo. It didn’t take long before various comments were being made about female co-workers. Let me be clear, sexual harassment training was well understood, but I didn’t have the wherewithal or HR support to deal with these very uncomfortable situations. I felt that I was personally judged by my direct leadership for not being the type to treat women as conquests, that I didn’t have a story from the weekend full of raunchy stories so that these married men could “live vicariously” through me. I know was I judged for this, it was confirmed to me by another manager at my manager’s level. To be clear, I’m making it 100% clear that I felt that my personal life, and in particular, my relationship with women outside of work, was being used to judge my work ability, promotions, and raises, and I would testify to that.
My manager would frequently make inappropriate comments about my female co-workers and again, I was very uncomfortable with this situation, but had no idea how to deal with this. Who could I tell? Would who believe me? One co-worker in particular was a highly accomplished women who was a PhD from an Ivy league college, who had actually taught courses there, and was now an entry level employee. I remember being so impressed with her credentials that I mentioned this to my manager and his response was to essentially wonder what she was like in the bedroom (and that’s a nice way of putting it).
I know several women who have since left who have complained about inappropriate sexual advances. I know of one instance in particular where an employee is still there, working full-time, despite the plethora of HR reports made against him. I know of at least two instances where a manager was engaged in inappropriate sexual relationships with women.
I think that one day, a scandal will break throughout PepsiCo and a flood of information will pour out. I’m sure of it in fact. And I recommend to anyone looking to work there to take note that many of the people that I’ve mentioned are not only working there at PepsiCo, but have advanced in their careers. I really do hope that one day someone says something and the culture is truly changed.
I can only speak for the department I was in, to be clear.
