Why belonging matters at work and how to foster it

Looking back at the past four years, the world has become increasingly unstable — from the COVID-19 pandemic and changing work dynamics to global inflation. 

With most employees spending about 40 hours a week at their jobs, it's unsurprising that they'd turn to the workplace to seek solidarity, empathy and purpose. And, although many organizations have begun prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, there's still a long way to go if we're to understand the role belonging plays in these strategies. 

DEI programs often fail to foster a sense of belonging because this concept encompasses much more than merely being part of a team. Belonging, at its core, is intertwined with workplace motivation and satisfaction. Hence, when you feel valued, heard and respected, you become more resilient and willing to take on new challenges.

Read more: Why class bias may be sabotaging your DEI efforts

Aside from this, there are a few other practices organizations should keep in mind to solidify a sense of belonging as one of their fundamental values. 

Now, let's delve into more specifics that will serve as a treasure trove for your employer clients, as well as your own advisory.

A good first step in fostering a sense of belonging in the workplace is data collection. Think of it as a pulse check for gauging employee sentiment. A good way to go about data collection is to implement a company-wide survey measuring employee engagement. By tracking the areas where the business excels and falters, we can see how different demographic groups feel at work. 

Depending on the results, crafting a DEI survey could be necessary to learn what the workforce thinks about the organization's decision-making processes and growth opportunities. Tracking this kind of data also provides a solid foundation for determining the best ways to encourage and strengthen bonding. 

Read more: A people leader explains how to push past the 'anti-DEI' narrative

Historically, workplace interactions occurred in the office. When we share a space with others for extended periods, we're more likely to form favorable opinions of them – even if they didn't leave a stellar first impression. Fortunately, we can achieve a similar effect with remote teams by redesigning a few strategies. 

For some organizations, restructuring teams can help bring co-workers together. With larger businesses, company events sprinkled throughout the year can reinforce a sense of belonging by encouraging people from different departments to get to know one another. 

If that's not an option, virtual team building activities and regular check-ins with remote teams can promote open communication and accountability – both of which are building blocks of belonging. 

Read more: Navigating the diverse seas of a multigenerational workforce: Crafting inclusive benefits for all

Of course, these relationships aren't worth much if they lack an integral pillar of belonging: trust. Trust shouldn't only exist among peers within teams. The importance of trust in management and leadership cannot be overstated. When you trust your manager, you're more open to constructive criticism and willing to incorporate feedback into your workflow. 

One of the ways we strive to develop this kind of trust is through mentorship programs. The team lead is usually the mentor and knowledge-sharing sessions help establish trust between them and new team members. 

In addition to mentorship programs, one-on-one meetings are also a valuable tool for facilitating trusting relationships. Thus, companies that offer annual training for managers on how to maximize meetings with their teams can achieve better results.

However, a sense of belonging cannot exist without conscious inclusion. So, despite someone's good intentions, they may inadvertently engage in exclusion unless prompted to take a step back and reflect on their words and actions. 

Read more: Sage's global head of DEI shares his lifelong quest to understand and implement equality

Besides providing employees with a safe space to think about how their behavior affects their peers, organizations should work on establishing transparent communication and collaboration channels. Conscious inclusion means going several steps further than inviting employees to relevant meetings. It can also mean sharing documents and projects beforehand to keep everyone in the loop and collect timely input. 

Furthermore, when it's time to vote on a decision, it's vital that your clients ensure everyone from the affected teams is present. The worst thing they could do is take the decision-making process offline and send a message to teams that they don't matter. 

Even inviting one representative of a team instead of the entire group can be interpreted negatively. It wouldn't be a stretch for the uninvited members to think, "I guess we don't belong here."

To properly support employees and help them feel connected to their work, it's necessary to accept their uniqueness and individuality. 

When it comes to integrating effective belonging solutions into DEI programs, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. But by allowing people to voice concerns and share their unique stories, we can begin to tailor strategies rooted in solidarity, inclusion and resilience. 

This seminal quote from Maya Angelou, although not directly related to business, succinctly captures why belonging at work matters: "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."