Should PwC have done more to protect employees in Oscars fiasco?

This year’s annual Academy Awards (The Oscars) were always going to make the headlines. The story was either going to be based on politics, with Hollywood’s elite putting Donald Trump in his place, or the ongoing debate about whether the Academy had pulled itself into the 21^st century and was recognising talent regardless of race or gender.

So, when the Oscars hit the headlines thanks to an accountant dropping the ball and handing out the wrong envelope as the ceremony closed, everyone was surprised.

The finger of blame was promptly pointed at the accountancy firm PwC who manage the votes and make sure the event runs smoothly. PwC’s reaction was priceless. They quickly threw two of their employees under the bus by publicly naming and shaming them.

The Academy has since further put the boot in by saying something along the lines of “You’ll never work in this town again” to the two, as the media lovingly calls them, “bean counters”.

So let’s put this into prospective. No crime was committed, nobody got hurt and everyone arrived home safely after the event. Yes, PwC did need to explain what happened and yes, they did need to issue an apology but surely they could be more supportive of their employees who are now being torn apart via social media.

Whatever the outcome and how this incident impacts on the professional and personal lives of those involved, it’s ultimately PwC’s reputation that is damaged. They are the company that screwed up at the Oscars and they are also the company that didn’t shield their employees from public derision when something went wrong.

Essentially, someone made a mistake at a trade show (albeit a very glitzy one) designed to sell movies. Ironically, this mistake probably got both movies even more media coverage than a win or near miss would ever generate. People will be talking about La La Land and Moonlight for years to come.