HP Discusses Equal Opportunity

In 1974, Hewlett-Packard leaders Bill Hewlett, Linda Standley and Paul Ely answered direct questions from employees about the company’s equal opportunity employment practices. Standley, who worked in corporate personnel development, provided specific insight into the company’s strategy to get more women into managerial positions: “Just as society does not perceive women in [leadership] roles, most women don’t perceive themselves in those roles. And, it has been my experience that it’s more the responsibility of supervisors and managers of women who look like they have potential and talent to at least get them started . . . frequently women get stopped because they never get started.”