Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella slammed for advising women not to ask for pay rises

MICROSOFT’S CEO admits he was “completely wrong” for advising women at a conference not to ask for pay rises — and reveals he will speak at the same event next year.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014 file photo, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella speaks to students in New Delhi. On Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, Nadella spoke at an event for women in computing held in Phoenix, saying women don't need to ask for a raise. They should just trust the system. He was asked to give his advice to women who are uncomfortable requesting a raise. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

MICROSOFT CEO Satya Nadella has triggered widespread anger and condemnation after telling a convention of women in computing that they shouldn’t ask for pay rises.

Responding to a question at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing this week, the 47-year-old CEO said not asking for a raise was “good karma” — suggesting, of course, that asking for a raise was the opposite.

“It’s not really about asking for the raise, but knowing and having faith that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go along,” he said.

Session moderator Maria Klawe disagreed, and suggested to the thousands of women in the audience that they do their homework on salary information and first practice asking with people they trust before asking for a raise.

Her response drew cheers from the audience, while Nadella was condemned on social media.

Later, Microsoft posted a memo from him on its website in which he backtracked, saying he answered the question “completely wrong” and that he thinks “men and women should get equal pay for equal work. And when it comes to career advice on getting a raise when you think it’s deserved, Maria’s advice was the right advice. If you think you deserve a raise, you should just ask.”

Despite the widespread condemnation of his remarks, Nadella confirmed he would return to the event next year, ReadWrite.com reported.

Klawe told the site that Nadella had “learned something” from the furore.

“He’s going to keep on learning. He will be much more knowledgeable about women’s issues by the time he comes back here next year.”

But his comments at the event underscored why many see technology companies as female-unfriendly workplaces.

Twenty-nine per cent of Microsoft’s employees are women, according to figures the company released earlier this month. Its technical and engineering staff and its management are just 17 per cent female.

That’s roughly comparable to diversity data released by other big tech companies this year.

“Without a doubt I wholeheartedly support programs at Microsoft and in the industry that bring more women into technology and close the pay gap,” Nadella wrote in his memo to employees.