What does it mean to belong? Put simply, it is an individual’s sense that they are embraced and valued for their unique qualities as a person.
You may think that the simple act of showing appreciation for an employee’s contributions would be enough to foster a sense of belonging. But in fact, there’s much more to it than that.
Employees crave the feeling of being an “insider” in their organization. For this to happen, they must be encouraged to retain their unique qualities within their group of coworkers.
These unique qualities can take a variety of forms. They could relate to an employee’s race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. They could also relate to an individual’s lifestyle; for example, if they are a parent or caregiver.
The idea of belonging is closely related to ideals of diversity and inclusion, but it takes them one step further. Diversity means inviting everyone to the table irrespective of their differences. Inclusion is serving foods that appeal to each person’s unique tastes and needs. However, belonging includes them in the conversation and conveys that what they say matters.
It helps to think of belonging as aligned to Abraham Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs. Assuming that everyone’s physical and safety needs for water, sleep, security etc. have been met, we then need to address issues of emotion and esteem, which lie in the middle of the pyramid. These needs include intimacy, respect, and recognition. Once this level of the pyramid has been attained, the individual is free to move to the top self-actualization level, where meaningful work can take place.
According to a study from the Deloitte Insights, the three components of belonging are:
- Comfort, which allows employees to have confidence that they will be treated fairly,
- Connection, a sense of meaningful relationships with others and alignment with company goals, and
- Contribution, the sense that they are contributing meaningfully to the wider goals of the company.
Why is belonging in the workplace important?
You might think that belonging is one of those soft “nice-to-have” qualities in a workplace. But in fact, a sense of belonging brings real and concrete benefits to a company.
A study published by the Harvard Business Review found that a high sense of belonging resulted in a 56% improvement in job performance. It also reduced the rate of employee turnover by 50% and employee sick days by 75%. If you do the math based on the value of your company, you’ll quickly see that these numbers represent significant financial gains.
In addition, employees with a high sense of belonging were 167% more likely to recommend their company to other prospective employees. Belonging is a huge asset when it comes to recruiting new talent in the future.
Counter to belonging, feelings of exclusion can result in many disadvantages and losses for your company. The above-mentioned study showed that employees who felt included were more likely to work hard towards a common goal in which profits would be shared among all team members. Conversely, those who did not feel included were only willing to work harder if the result would benefit them as an individual rather than their team. Four different studies were conducted, and the results were similareach time.
Belonging in the workplace is an essential component for each employee to put forth their best effort and to contribute to the overarching goals of the company.
The importance of relationships
This all sounds great, but how do you make it happen? What can your company do to help capture that elusive feeling of belonging for your employees?
While every company is different, an essential piece of that sense of belonging lies in relationships.
In short, employees are more willing to contribute to the goals of the business if they feel personally invested in that business.
To facilitate positive relationships, you need an environment in which everyone feels safe voicing their concerns and expressing different viewpoints. This kind of open and healthy discussion is what allows your team members to feel more connected with one another.
As a leader, you can set an example of honesty and openness. Show your vulnerabilities, and don’t hesitate to acknowledge your mistakes. This fosters a sense of trust where employees feel more comfortable sharing concerns. Demonstrate an interest in the well-being of your employees. Insist on opening doors at the office and turning on webcams during video meetings. Most of all, acknowledge and honor differences.
Celebrate and recognize success whenever the opportunity presents itself, and of course, be there to offer support during challenging times.
Everyone wants to belong, and when it comes to business, everyone needs to belong. Going beyond diversity and inclusion to build a true sense of belonging on your team can yield both financial and emotional rewards.