Do Gender Targets Really Threaten Meritocracy? Rethinking Fairness in the Workplace

Do gender targets mean an end to meritocracy?

As we wrap up a busy Inclusion Week, it’s worth reflecting on how some people—often those in the majority—still feel isolated or even under attack from DEI initiatives.

We might not agree with these feelings, but as Inclusion’ists, we have a responsibility to understand, listen, and respond to them.

Earlier this week, I was running a workshop for a leadership team when the subject of gender targets came up. One objector asked:

“Will gender targets mean an end to meritocracy? I’ve worked really hard to get where I am today. I don’t want my career held back—or to have to step aside for a woman—just so the company can meet some arbitrary target.”

Here’s the reality from my own career: I’ve benefited from—and fully utilised—a whole range of relative advantages that had little to do with my capability to do the job:

* Being male in a male majority
* Being (or being able to pretend to be) a football fan
* Being 6ft 2
* Turning grey at the “right” time
* Socialising with decision makers
* The ease of building rapport with senior people who looked, thought, and acted like me

These are all examples of my personal arsenal, helping me open doors and secure opportunities. In a lot of situations, my armoury was bigger and stronger than others.

That’s not meritocracy.
That’s relative advantage.