This Episode: Measuring Inclusion with Paolo Gaudiano
Lucinda talks to Paolo Gaudiano, a scientist and entrepreneur who applies computer simulations and analytics to the field of DEI.
Paolo challenges traditional diversity initiatives that focus solely on demographic quotas, arguing instead for a data-driven focus on inclusion. By linking specific workplace problems, such as exclusion from meetings or career development disparities, to tangible financial losses like decreased productivity and increased attrition, he provides HR leaders with a powerful framework to align people strategies with the organisation’s bottom line.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Focusing on inclusion is more effective than focusing on diversity because it addresses the root causes of attrition rather than just chasing demographic quotas.
- HR leaders can build a stronger business case for DEI by quantifying how poor employee experiences lead to visible losses in productivity and increased turnover costs.
- True meritocracy is achieved only when an organisation ensures that career outcomes like promotions and bonuses are decoupled from an employee’s identity.
- Instead of starting with identity groups, organisations should identify their biggest operational problems and fix them, which naturally benefits underrepresented groups the most.
BEST MOMENTS
“The problem is not so much that we’re not hiring enough people… it’s a problem that these people are more likely to leave because we’re not treating them the same way as other employees.”
“I want to get to the point where the HR leaders are able to use these simple concepts… to measure the right metrics and to be able to link them to the financial KPIs.”
“It’s easy to have a complicated idea, but it’s very, very hard to have a simple idea.”
Valuable Resources
The HR Uprising Podcast | Apple | Spotify | YouTube
The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group
Mastering Motivation with Rob Lion (The HR Uprising)
How To Be A Change Superhero – by Lucinda Carney
HR Uprising Mastermind – https://hruprising.com/mastermind/
If you liked this episode, try these
- Podcast Episode 270: Tap into Your Allyship Power with Julie Kratz
- Podcast Episode 240: Managing ‘Politics’ in the Workplace with Sara Taylor
Find out more about Actus solutions:
Appraisal Info-book: Rethinking Performance Appraisals
Performance Management Software
About The Guest, Paolo Gaudiano
With advanced degrees in aerospace engineering and neuroscience, Paolo Gaudiano likes to joke that he had already done rocket science and brain surgery before turning to a really complex problem: how to convince business leaders that they can make more money by creating more inclusive organisations with happier and more diverse employees.
Paolo is founder and Chief Scientist of Aleria, helping organisations become more successful by measuring inclusion, and ARC, a non profit focused on DEI research. A former tenured professor at Boston University, Paolo is currently an Adjunct as NYU Stern School of Business, and chair of the annual D&I Research Conference.
A sought-after public speaker who has given hundreds of presentations, including two TEDx talks, Paolo is the author of the 2024 award-winning book ‘Measuring Inclusion’, and a frequent contributor on DEI. He is the recipient of numerous awards including a Moonshot House Fellowship from the Kravis Centre for Social Impact (2019), a Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research (1996), and a Neuroscience Fellowship from the Sloan Foundation (1992).
Connect with Paolo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgaudiano/
Read Paolo’s Book: https://measuringinclusion.com/book
Aleria Website: http://www.aleria.tech/paolo-gaudiano
About The Host
Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles. Lucinda, for over 10 years as CEO of Actus Software has worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. Certainly, it was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community. In order to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together.
“If you look up, you rise up”
How To Be A Change Superhero – by Lucinda Carney
Contact Method
- Join the HR Uprising LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/
- Email: Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/
- X / Twitter: @lucindacarney
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