A Culture of Belonging

Belonging is a fundamental human need, rooted in feelings. Every individual has a desire to feel valued for who they are and celebrated for what they bring to the table. This core human instinct has resulted in the addition of the letter ‘B’ to the acronym DE&I. Now, organisations create an environment that follows Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, DEIB. An aligned leader recognises team members for their uniqueness and creates safe spaces for them to be seen, heard, and valued. 

Several psychologists believe the need for humans to belong is as critical as the need to feel loved. Belonging is crucial to inspire a productive and engaged workforce. As leaders you need to lay a path for greater empathy and inclusion of groups that are marginalised. Creating a culture of belonging has numerous benefits, but to reap them, leaders need to comprehend what it means to belong in the workplace. Several studies have been undertaken on the subject and some have come up with a quantifiable measure. 

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Employees feel a sense of belonging if:

• Their distinctive contributions are seen
• They feel connected to their colleagues 
• Leaders are actively involved in their career development
• They have a supportive team and managers to help conduct daily operations 
• They feel a sense of pride in the organisation’s core values

An employee is equally responsibly for pushing the culture of belonging in the workplace. But for that to happen one needs to be certain about their unique qualities and bring them to work daily. The responsibility to give the employee the freedom and acknowledgement to express themselves and then celebrate their efforts rests with the manager. This essentially is personal branding, which is crucial to success in today’s work environment. The best leaders are those who comprehend the importance of engaging the team in personal branding and reflect on their traits individually. This helps crafts individuals who are self-aware of their strengths and even creates a cohesive team framework where everyone knows and appreciates the superpowers of their teammates. It also helps leaders identify employees with potential, who can be groomed to take on bigger roles. It creates better functioning teams which clear distinction of strengths and responsibilities. 

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Here are some quick solves to foster the sense of belonging among employees:

• Be Empathetic. It always helps to put yourself in some else’s shoes. Embrace the connection and help others feels accepted and valued. 
• Embrace the Differences. Truly understand and accept the uniqueness surrounding you. Once you appreciate the differences you can craft plans to get the best value out of your team. 
• Invest in Talent Development. A leader’s success is measured by what their team is able to deliver. Invest in training programs on personal branding and emotional intelligence. Having a self-aware team lays the foundation of belonging which ultimately leads to running successful teams. 

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As a leader the more you acknowledge the efforts of your team, the more you foster belonging. Individuals love to contribute when they know they are making a meaningly impact. A collaborative effort between leaders and employees can help organisations create positive spaces where people feel motivated.