08/10/2024
https://gamechangersworld.com/our-blog-1/f/my-reply-to-merit-equity-intelligence-mei
Diversity efforts are not adverse to merit: DEI actually scales merit and ensures equal access to recognition and rewards for all people.
Interestingly enough, meritocracy does *not yet exist in Silicon Valley. Why? Because primarily, companies pay based on cost of labor- not impact or achievement.
e.g.,
Hank is in the Bay Area; last year he did a so-so job, and therefore he receives a 0% raise; whereas Sam in North Dakota solved the ad platform issue and it raised $400M for the company, but Sam is at the top of their band, and so their raise is capped at 9%.
Sounds like merit, right?
Nope, every employee in the Bay Area has also received a(nother) one-time market adjustment in pay: Hank's 0% raise goes up to 15%- simply because he lives in the Bay.
oh, did I mention: when Sam relocated from the Bay to Nebraska they were told their salary would be dropped by 15% due to lower cost of labor.
That's not a meritocracy. This happens every day at every tech company.
There are solutions.
The MEI moves may be well intentioned with the hope of designing fairness throughout the hiring practices; however, it's mired in "dog whistle political phrases" like "not lowering the bar," "what diversity misses is..."...
