What the SpaceX launch was missing

If Elon Musk can put a Tesla in space, it begs the question: Why on Earth can he not hire more women and minorities?

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch was stunning. Watching the twin boosters land side by side with reverse thrusters precisely guiding them to the ground was awe-inspiring. It was unexpectedly moving to hear “Starman” while watching a mannequin chill in a Tesla Roadster far above the planet.

However, watching the video of the launch, there was one glaring problem: The shot of the SpaceX employees cheering revealed a sea of almost entirely white men.

The lack of diversity in tech is not a new or unnoticed issue. Studies abound on how diversity leads to stronger companies, higher revenues and more effective teams (http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/is-there-a-payoff-from-top-team-diversity; http://hbr.org/2016/11/why-diverse-teams-are-smarter). Somehow Musk is either unaware of these studies or just doesn’t care (http://www.wired.com/story/why-men-dont-believe-the-data-on-gender-bias-in-science). The former is unimaginable, as any CEO should know about this data. It’s easier to imagine that he doesn’t believe that these studies apply to his companies. Either way, he’s made a critical mistake.

What SpaceX did was incredible, and it was clear watching the footage of the launch that few women and minorities were able to participate in making that happen. Whether the issue is hiring, promotion, retention, and/or the general climate and culture — and it is very likely all of these things, as they are interrelated — they are barely present at SpaceX.

Source :- sandiegouniontribune