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the sources of these experiences. In a corporate environment, this typically includes policies, leadership, HR, peers and customers/partners, whereas in an academic environment, it might encompass university leadership, department colleagues, students and external contacts. We then analyse the quantitative data by calculating an “exclusion score” to rank-order categories and sources. This immediately points to an organisation’s most significant problem areas. We can then drill down based on demographic and job-related data, for instance to compare the experiences of women and men, or for employees of different ranks. The qualitative data, in the form of the experience descriptions, helps us to identify clusters of problems. This allows us to pinpoint exactly what is happening and, in most cases, what the organisation can do to alleviate problems. INCLUSION IN ACADEMIA While we have used this approach primarily for corporations, it is also possible to measure inclusion in academic institutions for faculty and staff, for members of the administration and even for students. Here are some examples of inclusion data from a project studying the experiences of women of colour in STEM faculty positions. Our quantitative analysis revealed that Respect was the experience category with the highest exclusion score, followed by Recognition & Appreciation, with several other categories yielding high exclusion scores. In terms of sources, department leadership and department colleagues dominated, producing exclusion scores that were five times higher than the next-highest scoring source of university leadership. A review of the shared experiences then painted a detailed picture of situations commonly faced by women of colour in STEM across a range of categories. [Please note that the
Sources of exclusion experiences reported by women of colour in STEM faculty positions, as part of a project conducted by the author
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Workplace policy
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experiences reproduced below have been only lightly edited for language]: • Respect : “As an assistant professor, the comment was made to me: ‘you will get tenure because you are female’.” • Compensation & Benefits : “My dean was awarding pay rises to faculty who get grants; I got a grant but didn’t get the pay rise.” • Recognition : “Colleagues ‘forget’ to cite my papers that inspired their work.” • Work-life Balance : “I delayed my family planning due to the perceptions/ comments from colleagues that having a family will not lead to me successfully achieving tenure or promotion.” While these comments came from an academic environment, the patterns are similar to those seen in the private and public sectors. The financial implications are also relevant to academic institutions, where personnel costs often exceed 50 per cent of total operating budgets. THE ENGINE OF SUCCESS Whether in the corporate world or academia, inclusion is the engine of success. By quantifying it, we can identify problems that were previously invisible, design targeted interventions and track progress over time. For business school
students, the lesson is that DEI is not just a moral imperative, but also a strategic one and this same principle holds true for academic institutions. By measuring inclusion, faculty wellbeing, retention and performance can all be improved, which ultimately benefits students and strengthens institutions as a whole. At a time when DEI is under scrutiny, focusing on inclusion offers a practical, non-divisive path forwards. By clustering experiences rather than grouping people by identity, we reduce controversy and increase actionability. Inclusion may be invisible, but its impact is not. With the right tools and mindset, measuring inclusion can lead to higher profits and happier people, without guesswork or backlash.
Paolo Gaudiano is founder of the inclusive workplace consultancy, Aleria, an adjunct associate professor at NYU Stern School of Business and the author of Measuring Inclusion: Higher Profits & Happier People, Without Guesswork or Backlash. He holds advanced degrees in aerospace engineering and neuroscience
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Business Impact • ISSUE 6 • 2025
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