Along with all cutting staff from Coinbase, BlockFi, and Crypto.com, Kraken has confirmed its intention to fill 500+ roles before the year ends.
While crypto job seekers may rejoice over the news, not everyone is happy with the announcement. As part of the hiring push, the company also released a company culture document that goes against Silicon Valley’s standards of diversity, equity and inclusion.
The anti-voke manifesto, titled “Kraken Culture Expanded,” suggests that the company has only one mission and that is to “accelerate worldwide adoption of cryptocurrency.”
Everything must support that goal, which means there is no room in the firm for political activism outside of cryptocurrency advocacy.
In coining his own definition of diversity, Kraken explains: “We reject the short-sighted view that ‘diversity’ can be captured by a short checklist of obvious physical characteristics. Silicon Valley’s view of diversity in the world is alarming. limited, a modification of individuals, and a disturbing reflection of profound ignorance. Globally, diversity is infinite. We insist on equality of opportunity regardless of background.”
The company’s CEO, Jesse Powell, explained why he felt the document was necessary.
“We have people in 70+ countries who speak 50+ languages at the company, trying to build products for people in 190+ countries,” Powell said in a Twitter thread. Wednesday, “Different perspectives will be shared. That is diversity. It’s not always easy. You have to be flexible, polite, open and highly tolerant of varying norms.”
According to Powell, approximately 20 members Its current 3,200-strong workforce doesn’t hold to the mission statement, and they are welcome to leave. Powell says that these specific activists are troubled by issues such as pronouns that can be “harmed” by the use of the N-word, differences in human gender, and “violent” words.
These same issues are dealt with directly in the Kraken Culture document which echoes Powell’s personal opinion. It says:
– We give each other the benefit of the doubt
– Everyone is responsible for their feelings
– Being angry doesn’t necessarily mean you’re right
– Being angry doesn’t necessarily “harm” you
– Words nor silence are ever “violence”
– We say why we disagree and calmly challenge ideas with logic, reasoning and better ideas
We don’t call someone’s words toxic, hateful, racist, ex-phobic, unhelpful, etc.
jet ski away
On June 15, The New York Times published a bust on Kraken, interviewing five employees disaffected by the company’s stance.
Prior to publication, Powell branded it as a “hit piece” as the CEO attempted to exit in front of the news. In the article, talks of work were leaked from the company’s internal Slack channels.
In a conversation, Kraken activists discussed a video in which two young women were asked whether they would have $100 or one bitcoin. Both women opted for $100, despite being informed that the price of one bitcoin was far higher.
According to the NYT, the employee who shared the video said, ‘But this is how the woman’s mind works. The report alleged that a heated debate broke out at the company before Powell said that “Most American women have been brainwashed in modern times.”
The CEO’s intervention is said to have failed to pacify the employees.
Powell is said to have been at the center of several other controversies, including rejecting any notion that workers could be allowed to “customize” their pronouns. Ultimately, Powell said that those who disliked his ideas could jump on Kraken’s jet ski program, collect four months’ salary, and opt out.
Powell said, “We want it to look like you’re jumping on a jet ski and happily headed to your next adventure!”