Article by AI based on youtube video transcript: What DEI Gets Wrong — and How to Do It Right | Paolo Gaudiano | TED

The Elephant in the Room: Addressing Diversity and Inclusion

I'm Paolo Gaudiano, and I'd like to address a couple of elephants in the room. The first one is me: a white, cisgender, heterosexual, fully privileged guy talking about diversity and inclusion. I've been interested in this topic for a long time, and eight years ago, I found a way to connect my research work to make a real impact.

The second elephant is the significant backlash against DEI. I believe this backlash stems from a misunderstanding of DEI, particularly the overemphasis on diversity (D) at the expense of equity (E) and inclusion (I).

The Diversity Disconnect: Focusing on Representation Without Inclusion

For decades, the conversation around DEI has primarily revolved around diversity, specifically representation. While representation is important, this singular focus creates a disconnect and leads to problems, including the backlash.

Firstly, we lack tools to quantify the impact of diversity on an organization's performance. Unlike diversifying financial or marketing assets, we can't predict the outcome of diversifying a company's workforce.

Secondly, the emphasis on diversity often sparks accusations of reverse discrimination. When companies set targets to increase representation without addressing underlying inclusion issues, it can create a sense of unfairness and resentment.

The Flawed Foundation: Why Diversity Without Inclusion Fails

The push for diversity often focuses on increasing representation at entry levels without addressing the systemic issues that hinder the progression of underrepresented groups. Companies bring in diverse talent but fail to create an inclusive environment where they can thrive, leading to high turnover.

McKinsey's research shows a significant decline in the representation of women and people of color at higher levels, indicating that simply increasing diversity at lower levels is insufficient.

Inclusion: The Key to Unlocking Diversity's Potential

Instead of focusing solely on representation, we need to prioritize inclusion. Inclusion is about creating a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best.

When individuals feel excluded, their performance suffers, leading to decreased team productivity and morale. This ultimately impacts the organization's bottom line.

Equity: The Desired Outcome of Inclusive Practices

Equity refers to the fair treatment and equal opportunities experienced by everyone in an organization. When we see disparities in retention, performance, or other outcomes based on personal characteristics, it indicates a lack of equity.

These disparities highlight the presence of exclusionary practices that prevent individuals from reaching their full potential, costing companies valuable talent and resources.

The Invisibility of Inclusion and the Need for Measurement

While diversity is easily quantifiable, inclusion is often invisible, much like health. We tend to notice exclusion only when we experience it ourselves.

This poses a challenge because those in leadership positions, often the most included, are ill-equipped to recognize and address exclusionary behaviors.

To address this, we need to measure inclusion effectively. By understanding the experiences of those who feel excluded, we can identify areas for improvement and create a more inclusive workplace.

Measuring Exclusion to Understand Inclusion

My organization helps companies measure inclusion by focusing on exclusion. We conduct workshops and use confidential online platforms to gather qualitative and quantitative data on employees' experiences of exclusion.

This data helps us pinpoint specific areas where exclusion occurs, identify the groups most affected, and provide actionable insights for improvement.

Real-Life Examples of Exclusion's Impact

Here are a few examples of exclusionary experiences shared by individuals in our workshops:

1. A senior female engineer being asked to speak to "a guy who works in IT" instead of her.
2. A woman being passed over for travel opportunities because of assumptions about her childcare responsibilities.
3. A vice president dismissing Martin Luther King Day as a "real holiday."

These experiences demonstrate how subtle yet pervasive forms of exclusion can create a hostile work environment, leading to talent loss and financial implications for companies.

The Business Case for Investing in Inclusion

Companies invest significantly more in advertising than in their workforce, despite the latter being a far more valuable asset. This disparity highlights the need for increased investment in DEI, particularly in fostering inclusive workplaces.

Creating an inclusive organization is not just the right thing to do; it's a smart business decision. By prioritizing inclusion, companies can attract and retain top talent, improve productivity, and ultimately, enhance their bottom line.

Conclusion: Inclusion as a Strategic Imperative

When we talk about DEI, we need to shift our focus from diversity as an end goal to inclusion as the driving force. By creating inclusive workplaces, we can achieve true diversity, equity, and ultimately, greater organizational success.

I urge all leaders to recognize the importance of inclusion and invest in creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. This is not just a moral obligation but a strategic imperative for any organization that wants to succeed in today's world.