The Business Case for DEI: Beyond Statistics

In this episode of The State of Work Today, I sit down with Paolo Gaudiano, chief scientist at Aleria and ARC, adjunct professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business, and author of Measuring Inclusion. With a background in neuroscience, aerospace engineering, and complexity science, Paolo has developed a data-driven approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that goes beyond surface-level fixes.

We discuss why traditional DEI strategies fall short, how inclusion—not just diversity—drives business performance, and why companies are leaving money on the table by failing to optimize their most valuable asset: their people. Paolo also breaks down how organizations can quantify the financial benefits of inclusion, avoid backlash, and create happier, more productive workplaces.

Paolo is, without question, one of the smartest people I’ve ever met—he’s about as close as you can get to both a brain surgeon and a rocket scientist. And yet, he makes the case for measuring inclusion so clearly that even the rest of us can understand why companies need to rethink their approach.

If you’re tired of vague DEI initiatives and want real, measurable results, this is a must-listen.

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