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of inclusion and merit are not so much because of individual biases, but because of “organisational biases”. Organisational biases show up in policies, resources, processes and practices to produce uneven opportunities or outcomes. Consider a promotion process requiring a track record on high-visibility projects. On paper, it is entirely neutral. However, if those projects are handed out informally, a bias in an everyday practice quietly determines who becomes eligible for promotion years later. Nobody has been unfair on purpose and nobody lacks merit. A structure is producing an outcome no one intended. The good news is that by using clear and measurable concepts, problems can be pinpointed and structures can be redesigned to ensure that everyone has a chance to contribute. Placing the problem in structures rather than in people takes blame and guilt out of the discussion.
it is about how, given the opportunity, they were able to use their skills to support the success of the organisation. On its own, merit tells you that outcomes differ, but not why. Likewise, inclusion tells you that experiences differ, but not how they impact employee outcomes. Together, they answer precisely the question the debate is stuck on. An organisation that gets both right – where contributions are fairly rewarded and everyone has the opportunity to contribute – is what we call an “inclusive meritocracy”. ENDING THE ARGUMENT What makes this practical is that both levers sit in ordinary, visible places: policies, resources, processes and practices. We call these “structural enablers” because they reflect the way the structure of the organisation enables employees to succeed. A key realisation in our work is that, in most cases, low levels
The debate between DEI and meritocracy has lasted this long because it is conducted almost entirely in the currency of opinion. Nearly every organisation believes it is a meritocracy; very few can demonstrate it, having failed to define merit in a measurable way. That is not an ideological failing; it is a measurement gap and these can be closed. Once everyone can see the whole street lamp, there is not much left to argue about.
Paolo Gaudiano and Cynthia Overton are the authors of Meritocracy: How to Manage Talent for Higher Profits and Happier People published by Practical Inspiration. Gaudiano is the founder of Aleria and the author of Measuring Inclusion . Overton founded the leadership consultancy, Triple Edge Advising
An illustration from Meritocracy: How to Manage Talent for Higher Profits and Happier People . This shows how individuals can have conflicting views affected by their perspective; in this case, seeing part of a street lamp as a circle or a rectangle
Business Impact • ISSUE 5 • 2026
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