A few years ago, PRADCO’s Regional General Manager and Vice President James Lundquist, noted that the focus on employee experience was at an all-time high as organizations worked to gain a competitive advantage. Fast forward only a few years and the focus on employee experience, particularly “belonging,” has grown from competitive advantage to organizational necessity.
Humans are “hardwired” for connection and group belonging. Yet, as our world becomes less communal and simultaneously more volatile, connection and belonging have declined significantly. Indeed, the U.S. surgeon General recently declared loneliness and isolation a national health epidemic, equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day! Also, current research shows that up to 80% of workers feel lonely or isolated at work so it is no surprise that the 2023 Global Human Capital Trends survey identified this as a top issue facing organizations.
Creating a sense of belonging at work is now essential. Organizations that cultivate belonging can mitigate the increase in loneliness and isolation, and significantly improve employee engagement, motivation, job performance, satisfaction, and retention.
Leaders often struggle to understand what “belonging” is and what they can do to foster it. At its core, belonging is the feeling of being a valued member of a community and has four key contributing drivers:
- Culture
- Psychological Safety
- Connection
- Purpose
CULTURE
Belonging starts with culture. Inclusive culture emerges when leaders ensure that diversity is valued, differences are treated equitably, and individuals are respected as human beings and important to the organization. This requires intentional emphasis on understanding and valuing diversity as well as uprooting unconscious biases that impede employees’ sense of belonging. Organizations that demonstrate inclusive and equitable culture are more likely to hire and retain high-performing talent, innovate and be agile, and out-perform their competitors.
PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
Psychological safety (i.e., the belief by employees that they are safe to speak up, take risks, and make mistakes) is also central to fostering a sense of belonging. Indeed, can any individual “belong” somewhere they feel unsafe, fear, and/or anxiety? Building psychological safety is a complex set of consistent behaviors from leaders and requires intentional, on-going focus. Some key steps leaders can take include ensuring employees know they are valued and trusted, being consistent, modeling vulnerability, communicating clear expectations and “the why,” and establishing collective accountability for success. Importantly, leaders must also ensure personal and organizational accountability for addressing biases and prioritizing cultural competency.
