Uber's been the focus of negative media coverage quite a few times over the past several years, mostly as a result of its own missteps.
The shooting spree in Kalamazoo, Michigan by an Uber driver put the company under the microscope once again, and although the blame can't be pinned squarely on the popular taxi alternative, it's yet another in a concerning chain of actual or alleged assaults dating back to at least 2014 that raise serious questions.
Uber does require that drivers pass a background check, but how do they handle the fact that sometimes people with no prior offenses commit serious crimes?
It's not just a question for Uber, really. Many organizations hire contractors, use volunteers, etc., and many of them have little to no vetting process. Yet (and quite understandably so) when something goes awry the court of public opinion holds the organization at fault.
So, what can be done?
One idea being floated specific to Uber that I believe would benefit many types of organizations is to have some sort of app-based rapid report system in place.
So imagine my surprise when I learned that Uber India actually offers this in the form of a panic button" for users that will immediately contact local authorities and allow them to track the offending vehicle's location. Why this hasn't been rolled out globally is a mystery to many, especially knowing that it could have saved lives last week.
Creating a direct way to report issues has been proven many times over to be an effective way to reduce misconduct as a whole, and with everyone carrying a tiny computer in their pockets today there's no reason for reporting to not be as easy as possible.
You can't avoid the fact that people commit crimes and put others in danger. Sometimes with no warning sign an employer could have seen.
But, you can make certain you're facilitating stakeholder's ability to report, as well as your capacity to respond to said reports rapidly enough to prevent tragedies from playing out.
The BCM Blogging Team
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com