Grapevine

Change is coming... you heard it on the Grapevine. 🍇 For the past 5 weeks, a collective of women, each bringing different life experiences and theories of change, has come together, united by a few common beliefs. We believe that all people are capable of change. We believe in the power of the collective and the power of stories, and, more than anything, we believe that practical and actionable steps can lead to tangible change. The Grapevine will share anonymized stories that illustrate incidents of harassment and bullying within startups. Each story serves as a case study, offering support and advice into how companies, leaders, bystanders, and those directly affected can collaboratively work towards transforming our ecosystem for the better. As the great RBG said, "Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time." Keep reading these stories and engage in dialogue with your teams, friends, and yourself. What is your role in this ecosystem? Connect with the Grapevine below 👇 👩💻 Submit your story to the Grapevine at www.askthegrapevine.com 📷 Follow us on Instagram @askthegrapevine 💼 Follow our LinkedIn page here 📩 Support Grapevine here: https://shorturl.at/HI468 #WomenInTech #Technology #Startups #AskTheGrapevine

The workplace isn't just where we clock in and out – it's where meaningful connections bloom and professional relationships transform into genuine friendships. As you plan your holiday gatherings, we want to help you craft an environment where everyone can truly celebrate and feel welcome. We've compiled some tips for organizations and individuals looking to navigate the festive season thoughtfully. Because the best celebrations are the ones where everyone feels they can authentically participate and enjoy themselves 🥂 Here is our holiday party guide to help navigate the silly season for good vibes only 🥂🧀💃

In our ecosystem, where diversity should be celebrated, it's infuriating to uncover stories that reveal a starkly different reality. Educate yourselves and your teams about the impact of racism and how to combat it. Understand your biases, recognise the signs of discrimination, and take definitive action to create a safe workplace for everyone. *The stories published modify names and identifying details to maintain anonymity 👩💻Submit your story to the Grapevine at www.askthegrapevine.com 📷 Follow on Instagram @askthegrapevine 💼 Follow our LinkedIn page here 📩 Support Grapevine here: https://shorturl.at/HI468

We have launched our first report, The Harvest, which explores the impacts of bullying and harassment on women who work in Australia's startup sector. The figures are alarming. The Grapevine report found that 72% of women who experience harassment or bullying at Australian tech startups leave the industry. It also found only 23% formally reported incidents, and 96% of those who did had negative experiences with company leaders, managers or HR. This is a huge problem and we need to talk about it. We're stoked to see it featured in today's print The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)'s Business segment last night. The data—drawn from Grapevine's shared stories—spotlights the financial and human costs of inequality in Australia's startup ecosystem. Big thanks to those who work hard on this report and these publications for driving this crucial conversation forward. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/g-f7HGWS Share your own story: www.askthegrapevine.com Watch the segment here: https://lnkd.in/gScZgDsA

📢 We’re excited to announce the release of Grapevine’s Harvest Report! 🍇 This month marks one year since we came together as a collective, so we’re unveiling a report that dives deep into the financial and human costs of inequality in Australian startups. Over the past year, Grapevine has become a vital platform, collecting hundreds of stories that highlight both the progress and struggles in the tech scene. This report isn’t just data—it’s a call to action. 🚨 From the staggering costs of turnover to the mental toll of poor workplace culture, our findings show that discrimination, harassment, and bullying aren't just harmful—they’re expensive. But here's the thing: we know our data is skewed. Most stories we’ve received have focused on what’s gone wrong, and we want to change that. 💬 What’s next? We want to hear from you. Share your experiences—whether they’ve been positive or negative—so we can keep building a more balanced, representative picture of what’s happening in the Australian startup ecosystem. Systemic change cannot rely on individual acts of courage; it requires the collective to create a safe, inclusive working environment for all. 🚀 As we launch this report, keep an eye out in The Sydney Morning Herald in print today or read here: https://lnkd.in/gHA_k4-e 📖 Read the full report here 👉 https://bit.ly/4hgRqbU 📥 Share your story at askthegrapevine.com Let’s keep driving progress—together. 💪

Last week, Sydney was buzzing with a buffet of industry events, and this week Melbourne is following suit. Events like these are great for connection, networking, and a bit of fun after hours. But they’re never an excuse for inappropriate behaviour. After-parties are meant for celebrating, not crossing boundaries. This week’s story reminds us that while spontaneity and good vibes are part of the experience, respect for others should always come first. Have you ever encountered something like this at an industry event? Share your story with us below so we can highlight more examples of unacceptable behaviour—and, more importantly, how to avoid it and step in as a bystander when needed. Let’s build an environment where people can let their hair down without feeling like they’re in danger. 👩💻 Share your story with us at www.askthegrapevine.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram @askthegrapevine 💼 Connect with our LinkedIn page for more insights 📩 Support our mission at https://shorturl.at/HI468

We’re approaching Grapevine’s one-year anniversary (born out of post-2023 SXSW), and while the stories we hear never get easier to read, they remain as important as ever to tell. A year in, we know the problems we first sought to fight are still present. That’s why we want to keep hearing them. Are we collectively getting better? We like to think so. We believe that what we set out to do is working. We still trust that sunlight is the best disinfectant, and by bringing language, advice, and attention to these issues, we’re playing our part in addressing them. But we’re also realists. We know there’s still a long road ahead before we see systemic change. So, we’re calling on you—our community—to share your stories. The ones you meant to but never got around to, the ones you think might be too small to matter, the ones that make your blood boil, the ones that made you feel bad, and the ones that made you feel good. Whether it’s an example of someone doing the right thing or the wrong thing, we want to hear it all. Because we’re not stopping. We’re here for you as your support system. Have a story to share? Visit askthegrapevine(dot)com to submit it for advice. Together, we’ll create a safe, inclusive working environment for all of us. Together, we'll drive change. *The stories published modify names and identifying details to maintain anonymity.

A significant change in Australian legislation has just made it easier for employees to take legal action against workplace discrimination and harassment. This new law addresses a major barrier that previously deterred many from seeking justice: the risk of paying their employer's legal fees if they lost their case. Curious about how this could affect you or your colleagues? Swipe through to learn more about this important development. Read some of the conversations that prior to the law passing bill in the comments below 👇 👩💻 Share your story with us at www.askthegrapevine.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram @askthegrapevine 💼 Connect with our LinkedIn page for more insights 📩 Support our mission at https://shorturl.at/HI468

Tokenism has no place in creating real diversity, equity, and inclusion. It's not just bad for workplace culture—it’s bad for business. When employees are hired or showcased solely to tick a “diversity” box, it’s a hollow gesture that undermines trust and engagement across the organisation. Tokenism doesn’t just affect those who feel tokenised; it can chip away at team morale, retention, and ultimately, your company’s success. (Not to mention, it’s a real dick move.) Diversity without inclusion and equity isn’t diversity at all. This week, we share a story of how tokenism manifests in subtle yet damaging ways—a reminder that real change starts with acknowledging and correcting harmful practices. How is your organisation approaching inclusion? Is it real, or is it just for show? #DEI #WorkplaceCulture *The stories published modify names and identifying details to maintain anonymity. 👩💻 Share your story with us at www.askthegrapevine.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram @askthegrapevine 💼 Connect with our LinkedIn page for more insights 📩 Support our mission at https://shorturl.at/HI468

Since Grapevine began, we’ve had plenty of internal discussions around trigger warnings—helpful or harmful? For a long time, we decided to include them, just in case, rather than overlook how people might experience our digital spaces given their unique backgrounds. We’ve always aimed to create safe environments while acknowledging that we deal mostly in pretty heavy topics. Our goal is to shed light on difficult issues and offer opportunities for change, not to surface someone’s own experiences without warning. However, since we started, more evidence suggests that trigger warnings might be doing more harm than good. This isn’t the first time we’ve explored the topic—we recently shared an episode of the Search Engine podcast titled “What Do Trigger Warnings Actually Do?” in a Growthvine post. Today, we’re sharing another perspective from Dr Kristy Goodwin on why she no longer uses trigger warnings (link in the comments). A snippet from her post explains, “Researchers discovered that trigger warnings often lead to increased “anticipatory” anxiety without alleviating the distress associated with sensitive content.” In going back and forth on this, we’ve come to a unanimous conclusion: your opinion matters most.