Teams work (and play) better when they can be themselves.

Diversity and belonging in the workplace is always something I look for in an employer. I like to know I’m going to feel comfortable to be my true, authentic self when I show up to work every day.

I’m sure we’ve all heard of it before – but the idea of diversity in the workplace has various dimensions, including but not limited to race, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural background. Lots of places talk about diversity but see it as a box-ticking exercise, and that’s why, for me, belonging is equally if not more important.?

To explain belonging better, here’s a quote I once saw referenced by management consultancy BTS:

There is a famous quote by Verna Myers, a leading diversity and inclusion expert that says, “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”

We’d go one step further. If diversity is being invited to the party, and inclusion means being asked to dance, then belonging is being asked for input into the playlist for the dance music and feeling free to ask anyone you want to dance with you.

This encapsulates how I feel perfectly. And I can guarantee that if you have a diverse workforce – one that feels like they truly belong there – you’ll have happier, more motivated and driven employees. People who want the company to succeed, just as much as the leadership does.?

I also know that, for a certain demographic of leaders, the above is not a priority. Their only concern is the bottom line. So to those people, let me point out that according to a McKinsey report , companies in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity on executive teams were 33% more likely to have industry-leading profitability, and gender-diverse companies are 21% more likely to outperform their peers. Taking that a step further, a study by BetterUp found that a high sense of belonging was linked to a 56% increase in job performance, 50% reduction in turnover risk, and 75% decrease in sick days.

At E.ON Next, I’ve never had any doubt about belonging in the company. Even during the interview process I felt comfortable enough to be myself, and to talk about personal aspects of my life I’ve sometimes withheld until I felt more at ease. That was a big green tick for me. So by continuing to champion diversity and belonging, E.ON Next can be sure to remain a vibrant, innovative, and welcoming place to work. And that can benefit, not just our employees, but our customers and the wider community too.

Outside work, I play for the Kings Cross Steelers rugby club. It was the world’s first gay and inclusive rugby team, and it’s given me the opportunity to witness firsthand the transformative power of belonging.?

Growing up as part of the LGBTQ+ community, queer kids often lose any interest in sport because of the bullying and alienation they face in school. But the Steelers has an extremely popular “Pathway to Rugby” programme, which allows complete beginners who’ve never picked up a ball to learn the basics, and find an entire new family of their own. Even joining the club as an experienced player when I moved to London, I went from knowing a handful of people in the city to immediately having 50+ like-minded friends. Many of them remain some of my closest mates to this day, and every year we march in the Pride In London parade which is a highlight of the summer.

So, in case you didn’t get the memo, if you create an environment where people feel they truly belong, unsurprisingly they’ll hang around. They’ll be motivated, loyal and hard-working employees – and proof that a workplace that champions diversity and belonging is one where everyone wins.?

Want to belong? We’re hiring .