Do you want a work culture that inspires brilliance?
An estimated 40% of people feel isolated at work. For younger generations, that number is even higher. Think about how that impacts productivity, collaboration, and overall performance.
A culture of belonging is more than a trend. It’s one of the most impactful things organizations can invest in.
A true sense of belonging at work empowers people to contribute fully, share ideas, ask for help, and engage in meaningful and productive collaboration.
In fact, workplace belonging is associated with a 56% jump in employee performance.
It’s more than having a social life at work – it’s having the freedom to thrive.
The Difference Between Workplace Belonging and Fitting In
I opened my latest book with a memory of being excluded from school activities because of my family’s religious requirements. Instead of finding to keep me with my classmates, in a way that respected my situation, I was simply removed from the class and left alone in a hallway.
It was an awful feeling that I didn’t fully understand as a first grader. Ultimately, it set me on a painful, and decades-long path of trying to fit in, instead of seeking out places, careers, and relationships where I felt I belonged, exactly as I was, with my own dreams and perspectives.
When I finally learned to drop my masks, and bring my whole self forward, the shift was huge. It reached all corners of my life. My relationships improved, my self-acceptance skyrocketed, I took my career in directions that energized me, and I began to experience what it means to truly thrive. That shift not only impacted me, but also the people around me – from my son, to my partner, to my clients and colleagues.
When talking about workplace cultures, it’s so important to distinguish belonging from “fitting in.”
- Fitting in: Changing who you are to align with external norms or expectations, often at the experience of your core values and authenticity.
- Belonging: Feeling valued and accepted as you are, with your ideas, perspectives and ways of doing things embraced openly.
Making this distinction matters because we know that employees do better when they can align their work with their values. And, when the culture actively fosters belonging, that drives happiness, engagement, and productivity.
On the other hand, a culture that demands fitting sacrifices psychological safety and trust.
How Does Belonging Impact Company Performance?
A big question we often get is how can organizations measure workplace belonging. Measuring the effectiveness of workplace belonging strategies (or where you’re at today) comes down to the core benefits of belonging.
Those core benefits include:
Greater Engagement
- Motivation: People who feel valued and accepted are naturally more enthusiastic and engaged with their work.
- Drive: Belonging inspires employees to go above and beyond, and prevents quiet quitting.
Increased Productivity
- Focus: Employees can stop exhausting energy on fitting in, and instead channel it into their work.
- Collaboration: Teams that foster belonging create better outcomes through trust and openness.
Higher Retention
- Loyalty: Belonging naturally reduces turnover and inspires loyalty.
- Talent attraction: Employees who feel they belong are more likely to recommend the company to others.
Creativity & Innovation
- Diverse perspectives: Belonging empowers people to speak openly and share ideas, which fosters innovation.
- Psychological safety: Employees feel secure enough to take risks, think outside the box, and say the hard things that need to be said.
Greater Well-Being
- Stress reduction: Belonging lowers stress, which can prevent burnout, and even illness.
- Healthier teams: Belonging improves physical and mental health, resulting in more resilient teams.
7 Strategies for Fostering Workplace Belonging and Inclusion
How do you create a culture of belonging in the workplace? As a leader, it starts with establishing strategies for yourself that positively influence the people you lead, and ripple out through the organization.
What are the key elements of a culture of belonging at work? It comes down to a culture of openness, trust and respect, where everyone feels accepted, valued, supported, included and welcome.
Here are 7 actionable strategies you can undertake to create that:
Challenge Outdated Systems
Many systemic challenges in organizations stem from unwritten social norms and unconscious biases woven into daily interactions.
- Conduct a self-assessment: Who gets recognition? Whose voices are heard? Who is included or excluded from conversations, meetings or decisions?
- Break patterns with intention: Seek input broadly, get to know your team as people, and recognize contributions widely.
- Embrace feedback: Invite your team to share ways you can improve as a leader.
Avoid Playing Favorites
It’s natural to connect more easily with certain people. That’s just human. Favoritism, however, can undermine team belonging, morale, cohesiveness and performance.
- Adopt an equitable approach by allocating recognition, opportunities, and responsibilities fairly.
- Develop a decision-making process that minimizes bias in assignments and promotions.
- Cultivate a support network for yourself to avoid over-relying on team members for connection.
Create an Inclusive Onboarding Experience
Onboarding is more than just getting ramped up for a role. It’s an opportunity to create a sense of belonging from day one.
- Assign new hires a buddy or mentor to help them navigate the culture and feel grounded within the new environment.
- Introduce new employees with warm, personalized welcome announcements.
- Create cross-team shadowing opportunities to foster early relationships, jumpstart collaboration, and develop cross-team understanding.
- Regularly check in with new hires to ensure they’re feeling supported.
Open Up Cliques
Diversity and belonging go hand-in-hand. Cliques, though a normal occurrence, create exclusion, stifle creativity and are roadblocks to collaboration.
- Pair people up strategically for projects to get a mix of perspectives.
- Rotate seating arrangements and/or group dynamics to foster new relationships.
- Organize team-building activities that encourage inclusivity.
Recognize, Recognize, Recognize
Recognition is more powerful than we tend to realize. People notice it on conscious and unconscious levels, and it sets the tone for how to be.
- Celebrate (often) contributions, accomplishments and efforts.
- Frame mistakes as learning opportunities and signs of innovation.
- Personalize recognition by highlighting unique strengths (“You have such great energy today!” “The way you stay calm sets such a great example.” “Thank you for bringing that up, we need that openness.”)
Approach Leadership as Mentorship
To belong means to be accepted as we are, and able to grow as individuals, on our own paths. Great leaders foster that through mentorship, guiding people to build confidence and step into their full power.
- Offer mentorship (even casual mentorship) to those who may feel excluded or under-valued.
- Listen actively, mirror back what you hear, notice what’s unsaid, and provide feedback with compassion.
- Strive to create an environment of trust where questions and ideas are always welcome.
Identify and Address Non-Belonging
Non-belonging can show up as lack of engagement, hesitancy to contribute, lack of social connections, and also overly defensive behaviors or even arrogance.
- Observe team dynamics closely to identify signs of disengagement or disconnection.
- Approach people with curiosity and compassion to understand their experience.
- Provide targeted support to help them create connections and thrive.
Your Opportunity to Shape the Future of Work
Belonging isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s a competitive advantage that drives engagement, innovation and performance.
As an executive or high-level leader, your influence shapes your organization’s culture. By fostering belonging, you build a legacy of inclusion, equity, and trust.
It’s not about sweeping gestures, but about the intentional choices you make every day – inviting others into conversations, recognizing all contributions, challenging outdated systems, and striving to lift everyone up.
Reflect on the strategies outlined here. Pick one to implement today. Notice what shifts. Build on that momentum. With consistent effort and inclusive leadership, belonging becomes the cornerstone of a thriving workplace.
People want to work for great companies, and they want to feel that they truly belong, as they are. That’s your opportunity. So, what step will you take next?
Sources:
https://hbr.org/2019/12/the-value-of-belonging-at-work
https://inclusiveleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/The-Importance-of-Belonging-in-the-Workplace.pdf
