Building a Sense of Belonging

Earlier this year, Wharton Business School published an article called "Beyond Diversity: How Firms Are Cultivating a Sense of Belonging." It's a rich discussion, from the importance of tone emanating from the top, being an ally, and how 'belonging' translates outside of the U.S.

Two points are worth more discussion:

1) “Business outcomes associated with having diverse teams can’t be achieved without a sense of belonging.”

2) Diversity gets mired in numerical details, with the potential to overshadow inclusion.

There’s been a resurgence of research on Belonging, Inclusion, exclusion or ostracism. The basic human need - of belonging - is part of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, that of food and shelter. 

Purdue's Kipling Williams describes the three stages of being excluded as corresponding to a neurological impact. 

The first stage has immediate pain. Neuroscience has long known how the brain reacts during periods of social exclusion, an alarm sounding off in our brains. Similar to our survival mechanism, “fight or flight”, which is key to our survival.

The second stage is learning to cope, or ‘What do I need to do to fit in?’, taking on different personas as a coping mechanism. This negates ‘’a sense of belonging that people can bring their full selves to work...” Feeling excluded negatively impacts emotions as well as decision-making. The need to fit in can result in not challenging the status quo in any way, which tamps down any benefit of true diversity and inclusion.

The third stage is withdrawal, giving up or resigning. If you don’t feel you’re adding value then look for a place where you can.

What does that mean for organisations, to foster a greater sense of belonging and inclusion?  The Wharton article states that belonging starts with the "tone at the top." All voices are heard, and to appreciate (or tolerate) uniqueness.  

Where to start? There are always new ways of belonging, emerging from our tech-centered world. While social networks transcend geographies and physical boundaries, remember that no one experiences 'belongingness' the same way. 

 1: Creating a sense of belonging must understand what that means across the organization. It starts by asking one question to each person on the team: 'what values and beliefs do you believe are important to have "belonging" at work? ' Simple words we take for granted do not easily translate across cultures. By merely asking- at a meeting or in a team- demonstrates inclusion and creates a shared definition.

Step 2: Understanding the employee experience - starting with Day one! Examine your on-boarding process from the employee's perspective. Whom do they need to meet? Create and introduce the employee to a diverse network of advisors - this network helps with the transition and career navigation.

Step 3: Partner with D&I, share information on employee networks and affinity groups - they play a significant role in enhancing inclusion. Create a sense of belonging. If you don’t have one, start it now.

Diversity remains crucial, but do not underestimate the value of belonging and inclusion. To reap the benefits of diversity, recognize unique strengths each member brings to the team. And use these three steps to build a more inclusive environment for sustainable growth.

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Jane Horan, currently researching, What's Next for ERG's? with The Conference Board

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