Former Salesforce Manager Details Negative Experiences

Cynthia Perry, previously a senior design research manager at Salesforce, publicly shared her resignation letter on LinkedIn following her departure earlier this month. The initial report was published by Protocol.

In her letter, Perry, who is Black, detailed experiencing “countless microaggressions and inequity” throughout her employment with the company.

Reasons for Leaving

Perry stated that her decision to leave stemmed from feeling “Gaslit, manipulated, bullied, neglected, and mostly unsupported” by colleagues she declined to identify.

She explicitly expressed that Salesforce did not provide a secure or inclusive work environment, stating, “It’s not a safe place to come to work. It’s not a place where I can be my full self.”

Perry further asserted that the company lacked investment in her growth, genuine opportunity, and a commitment to equality and employee well-being.

Salesforce's Public Stance on Equality

Salesforce has consistently emphasized the significance of equality as a core value.

In 2016, Tony Prophet was appointed as the company’s first chief equality officer.

This appointment followed a statement from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who identified “the women’s issue” as a primary focus for diversity initiatives.

Support for Social Justice

Following the death of George Floyd, Salesforce publicly expressed its support for the Black community.

The company communicated via Twitter, stating the need to “support one another as allies and speak up for justice and equality.”

Diversity Statistics

Despite public statements, Salesforce’s internal diversity data reveals a limited representation of Black employees.

According to a November 2020 diversity report, Black employees comprise only 3.4% of the U.S. workforce, and Black individuals hold just 2.3% of leadership positions.

Salesforce's Response

A Salesforce spokesperson provided a statement to TechCrunch, indicating they cannot discuss individual employee matters due to privacy concerns.

The statement affirmed that equality remains a paramount value and that the company has been dedicated to its advancement since its founding nearly 22 years ago.

Broader Trend in Tech

Perry’s experience is part of a growing pattern of Black female tech professionals voicing concerns about negative workplace environments.

Last year, Ifeoma Ozoma and Aerica Shimizu Banks shared allegations of racial and gender discrimination at Pinterest.

Similarly, Dr. Timnit Gebru reported being terminated from Google after raising concerns about diversity within artificial intelligence, while April Curley, a former Google recruiter, alleged she was fired for criticizing the company’s racist practices.