Cultivating Belonging and Inclusion: A Roadmap for Leaders

Strolling through our town's annual carnival, witnessing over a thousand children revelling in the spirit of Mardi Gras, brought back memories of my own active participation during my children's school years.

The sense of belonging, of being part of a community united in celebration, sparked a reflection on the importance of cultivating similar dynamics within the workplace. According to Deloitte's Global Human Capital Trends 93% of organisations agree that a sense of belonging drives organisational performance.

Research by BetterUp found that workplace belonging leads to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% reduction in turnover risk, and a 75% decrease in employee sick days.

Belonging and Inclusion - is there a difference?

Striving for inclusivity is crucial, but if your people don't feel connected, valued and able to bring their whole selves to work, something is missing. On the flip side, feeling connected and valued matters, yet without diversity, your company might lack the variety of perspectives needed for real growth.

A strong workplace culture is built on belonging and inclusion. Inclusion opens the door for everyone to participate, while belonging ensures that everyone feels genuinely valued, connected and can be themselves.

????Inspired by the creatvity shown in the carnival, I invite you to join me on a metaphoric ?journey which sees our workplace as a garden. Imagine an enchanting garden - a place where various plants, flowers, and trees coexist. Each plant represents a unique individual, with its own shape, colour, and fragrance.

?

Inclusion:

The garden’s gate swings open wide, inviting all kinds of flora to enter. This gate symbolises inclusion.

Inside, you find a diverse array of plants: tall sunflowers, delicate orchids, sturdy oaks, and vibrant roses. They all have a place in the garden.

Inclusion ensures that every plant receives its share of soil, sunlight, and water, providing equal access and opportunities for growth.

But inclusion alone isn’t enough. Belonging is the magic that happens next.

?

Belonging

As the sun rises, the plants intertwine their roots, sharing stories, nutrients and support.

The sunflower bends towards the orchid, whispering, 'Your gentle presence brings tranquility to our garden.' Meanwhile, the oak stretches its branches, offering shade to the rose and murmuring, 'Your fragrance fills the air with sweetness, making our garden truly special.'

Together, they create a tapestry of harmony and beauty, each plant celebrating the unique contribution of the others.

The Role of Gardeners (Leaders):

The gardeners tend to the soil, ensuring it’s fertile and free from weeds. They represent organisational leaders.

Good gardeners don’t just scatter seeds; they nurture growth. They celebrate the uniqueness of each plant.

They prune, water and protect. They address any pests (like biases) that threaten the garden’s harmony.

When gardeners actively foster belonging, the garden thrives.

?

Weeding out barriers:

Sometimes, weeds creep in (biases, stereotypes, microaggressions). These hinder belonging.

The gardeners must identify these weeds and pull them out. They create pathways for understanding and empathy.

When a weed sprouts, the gardeners say, “No place for you here. We’re cultivating belonging.”

?

Blooming Together:

As seasons change, the garden bursts into bloom. Sunflowers stand tall, orchids unfold, and roses blush.

The fragrance of unity fills the air, as every plant thrives, not despite its differences, but precisely because of them. ?Their unique qualities blend harmoniously, creating a tapestry of beauty.

Belonging is when the sunflower says, “I’m stronger because of the orchid,” and the oak whispers, “Together, we created a wood.”

Just as a garden flourishes when both inclusion and belonging coexist, so too do our organisations. ????

?

Practical Actions for Leaders to foster Inclusion and Belonging:

Fostering Inclusion

1. Set clear standards of behaviour for inclusion. Encourage all colleagues to treat each other ?with dignity and respect. Empower them to challenge exclusionary behaviour.
2. Make inclusion relevant to people at all levels of the business. Help colleagues understand what inclusion means in their job roles and how they can contribute to a more inclusive environment.
3. Work with employee resource groups to highlight colleagues’ roles in inclusion and promote alliance.

?

Develop People Manager Capability:

1. Examine progression and hiring data to ensure a level playing field. Address any bias. Raise awareness of inclusion issues in line manager training.
2. Empower managers to carry out people management practices effectively, emphasising inclusion.
3. Embed inclusion in ongoing manager development, ensuring fair opportunities for all team members.

?

Build senior commitment to inclusion:

1. Work with senior leaders to embed inclusion into the organisation’s way of doing things. Highlight the importance of their advocacy and buy-in.
2. Ensure senior leaders set the tone for inclusive behaviour. Pay attention to boardroom inclusivity.
3. Advocate for diversity on boards and integrate inclusion into organisational values and practices.

?

Fostering Belonging

?Enhance Psychological Safety:

1. Create an environment where colleagues feel safe to bring their whole selves to work, encouraging the open expression of opinions and innovative ideas.
2. Assess the colleague experience to ensure everyone feels seen, valued, and supported.
3. Cultivate a culture of psychological safety that reduces stress, improves job satisfaction, and boosts overall well-being

.

Acknowledge achievements and contributions:

1. Recognise colleagues ’ contributions. Reinforce their sense of involvement within the organisation.
2. Champion diversity, equity and inclusion. Value each colleagues’ uniqueness.
3. Establish shared goals that foster a sense of purpose and connection

?

Facilitate growth opportunities and open communication:

1. Provide growth paths for employees. Encourage open dialogue.
2. Foster trust by delegating tasks and demonstrating confidence in team members.
3. Create intentional spaces for colleagues to share stories and connect.

?

By implementing these practical actions, leaders can cultivate a workplace where belonging and inclusion flourish, enabling every individual to reach their full potential and contribute to the collective success of the organisation.

?

?? Ready to cultivate a workplace where every individual feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive?

?? Get in touch to explore how I can help you create a culture of belonging and inclusion through coaching, team coaching and consulting.

ASCEND: Amplify your impact, leadership effectiveness, career trajectory with a group of likeminded mid-senior level women in this 1 year leadership coaching programme.

?Stat of the week

79% of organisations say that fostering belonging is important for their success but only 13% are ready to address this

May is NationalWalkingMonth. This week's post is on how Leaders and their teams can incorporate walking into their leadership toolkit to enhance health and wellbeing, reduce stress and burnout

Until next week

V

Vera Woodhead

Executive Leadership Coaching