Belonging is a primal human need that extends beyond simple fitting in or assimilation. Authentic connections grounded in the reality of one’s truth at home, school, and work define true belonging, giving people the ability to feel seen and celebrated for their unique contributions to the team and organization. Unfortunately, many people are forced to deny aspects of themselves or conceal core identities to satisfy the expectations of others. For them, the return on investment for fitting in can be psychologically harmful.
In the workplace, a sense of belonging is defined as the emotional connection employees feel to a company. It reflects how appreciated, included, respected, and supported an individual feels in the work environment. A sense of belonging is strongly correlated with equitable pay, meaningful work, and diverse suppliers. It promotes loyalty, trust, and a shared sense of purpose among workers who operate as a cohesive team. Cohesive teams get more done with greater efficiency, higher quality, and fewer defects, making belonging a core dimension of successful businesses.
Belonging is essential for both psychological well-being and overall organizational health. Business leaders agree that fostering a sense of belonging in the workplace starts with focusing on the people. When employees feel supported, included, and respected, they are more emotionally invested in their work and willing to go above and beyond. They experience unparalleled flow, perform optimally, and thrive.
Creating the conditions for workplace belonging involves making it a top priority, encouraging collaboration, involving everyone, and celebrating accomplishments. Creating an inviting, equitable, and favorable work culture for everyone should be a goal for all organizations. Workplace belonging is an essential KPI that should be measured, tracked, and reported alongside other KPIs, such as conversions, wait time, revenue, and profits.
By fostering an environment that promotes teamwork and collaboration among all members of the team, creating opportunities for team members to interact and leveraging the diverse perspectives of the group, and acknowledging the accomplishments of different members of the team, organizations can create the conditions necessary for everyone to feel valued, connected, respected, safe/secure, and included. The result is a workforce that is engaged, productive, happy, and creative, leading to higher levels of job satisfaction, less burnout, and better performance metrics.
