Belonging: The Foundation of Workplace Culture

Belonging: The Foundation of Workplace Culture

Workplaces across the country devote countless funds and hours to diversity and inclusion initiatives for their employees, attempting to develop cohesive cultures while positioning themselves as advocates for equal opportunity. Yet despite these efforts, rates of employee turnover continue to rise, while only 33% of workers report feeling engaged at the workplace.

Besides resulting in decreased productivity, a lack of employee engagement reveals the a shortcoming of diversity and inclusion trainings: they acknowledge the importance of differences in the workplace, but they fail to ensure that all employees feel valued and empowered by their employers regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, or other markers of identity.

To bolster engagement and commitment from their teams, employers must look beyond diversity and inclusion to belonging. Unlike diversity, which points to tangible differences, and inclusion, which demonstrates specific measures to invite various people and their perspectives into a common space, belonging develops from employees’ sense of recognition, value, and social and emotional attachment. Workers who feel belonging know they matter to their organizations not because of their salaries but because they are provided ample opportunities to express their authentic selves without fear of exclusion, retribution, or demotion. They also know that, while they may be “minorities” in their offices, they will never be ostracized for their differences or, even worse, stereotyped for their choices and behaviors.

 Exclusion and discrimination—including omission from important communications or social events, inappropriate jokes, sexual harassment, and policies condemning hairstyles that don’t conform to mainstream ideals of beauty and grooming—negatively impact workers and workplaces alike, as employees who lack a sense of belonging fail to work up to their full potential and ultimately leave for positions with other companies. Often, exiting employees cite workplace culture as their reason for leaving despite other incentives such as competitive salaries and medical benefits. Conversely, employees who feel belonging become assets and advocates for their employers. According to the Harvard Business Review, belonging results in a 50% decrease in employee turnover, a 75% decrease in sick days, and a 167% increase in employees’ willingness to recommend their company to others in their field. Clearly, belonging is inextricably linked to workplace satisfaction, productivity, and retention—so why aren’t companies shifting their focus to fostering belonging? More importantly, what steps can corporations big and small take to create a true sense of belonging among their employees?

 Over the next month, the Eastledge Group blog will discuss belonging and how employers can integrate this essential component into building healthy workplace cultures. Our topics will include:

·       Developing belonging and cultural intelligence in the workplace.

·       Positively impacting retention and growth through belonging.

·       Creating belonging in both traditional and remote offices.

·       Navigating a lack of belonging as an employee or manager.

 We look forward to engaging in these important discussions with you and welcome your questions and feedback!