Addressing the "B" in EDIAB

Having coffee with a friend this morning on her outdoor veranda, we discussed the struggles she is facing concerning EDIAB in her company. By now, most of us should know the meaning of most of these letters. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are the first three, with Accessibility and Belonging finishing the acronym.

Merriam-Webster offers two definitions of belonging: a) possession, and b) close or intimate relationship. Belonging in the workplace is just slightly different, meaning that someone is valued in the workplace (so, not just a number). Further, and perhaps more importantly, employees may think of themselves as belonging to the organization, working with everyone else, en masse, towards the organization’s mission or goal. The feeling is like being a part of the family.

Belonging is part of the EDIAB acronym rather than elsewhere because history has shown that those who are part of a minority group struggle the most as to whether they feel they belong somewhere or not. Those who are members of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other communities often feel separated due to their differences from the majority. Thus, adding belonging to the acronym provides an additional level of support.

Raza et al. (2020) stressed that “workplace belongingness is a significant factor that brings the psychological well-being of employees in any organization such as satisfaction and engagement.” When employees feel a sense of belonging, production rises and employee turnover declines, saving the company money. Thus, belonging, as a cultural norm, helps a company’s financial bottom line.

One way that leaders can add to the sense of belonging for employees is to practice appreciation, according to Raza et al. (2020). Four aspects should be acknowledged:

• Feeling appreciated
• Having mutual respect
• Gratitude
• Interpersonal communication with colleagues

The larger organizations get, the more their employees feel “like a number” rather than a person. Instilling a sense of belonging in employees may be more difficult in large institutions. However, regardless of the company size, each person – every single employee – deserves to feel as though they belong.

Leaders: How do you practice belonging in your organization?

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Dr. David Langemo

[email protected]

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Raza, M., Wisetsri, W., Chansongpol, T., Somtawinpongsai, C., Ramirez-Asis, E. H. (2020). Fostering workplace belongingness among employees. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 22(2). https://doi.org/10.17512/pjms.2020.22.2.28

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