The amount of meaning or purpose you derive from your work might be the only difference between a job and a career. Humans have evolved to live in groups and prosper in society, so having social connections is necessary if you want to feel like you belong at work, at home, and in your community. Furthermore, having a sense of belonging at work contributes to living a meaningful life and gives you the impression that you are a part of something bigger than yourself. Additionally, studies have shown that high belonging lowers turnover risk by 50% and boosts job performance by 60%. Employees who feel like they belong at work are four times more likely to contribute to their full potential.
So how can you build an environment where employees feel like they belong? Keep reading this article to find out 10 tips to create a sense of belonging in the workplace.
Why should you create a sense of belonging at the workplace?
Creating a sense of belonging at the workplace completely enhances employee satisfaction and organizational effectiveness. There have been studies done that show that even one event where a person feels excluded can result in an almost 30% decrease in that person’s performance. This is because when someone feels left out, they withdraw from their work and team. A few of the benefits of giving importance to belonging in the workplace are
1. Belonging in the workplace promotes team collaboration.
Employees lose interest in participating in team activities and perform worse when they feel excluded. However, when staff members feel like they belong, they are more willing to share ideas and work toward a common objective. Being respected within the company can encourage, build trust, and improve communication within teams.
2. Positive impact on the business: Belonging in the workplace can create a huge financial impact on an organization. According to research, employees who feel safe and appreciated at work tend to stay with a company longer and leave the company less frequently. Therefore, an organization’s revenue is significantly impacted by a more productive workplace.
Here are 5 tips to build a sense of belonging in the workplace.
1. Be open to communication
The foundation for creating an environment where employees feel safe, appreciated, and supported is thought to be the ability to freely communicate. Giving staff members the freedom to voice their concerns and point out any issues they have with company culture will help management find solutions that will support business growth. The freedom to speak freely will only help the company to improve its teams and management.
2. Empower the employees.
When a diverse company culture is created, the employees are free to speak up without any fear or hesitation. Empowering the employees is the key to making this possible. Employees shouldn’t be afraid to express their opinions honestly at work. When an organization shows its employees that they matter and that their views and opinions matter despite their differences, including race, age, gender, identity, and personalities, it has achieved peak diversity.
3.Display care through benefits and initiatives
Benefits like flexible working hours, mental wellness programs, unanticipated sick leave, etc. should be provided to employees. This demonstrates to the workers your concern for their needs both inside and outside the company. Such appreciation from the management side helps drive a sense of belonging in the employees. Giving the staff the rewards and incentives they deserve for their distinctive contributions to the company demonstrates how closely the productivity of the workforce is related to the success of the company.
4. Eliminate the concept of “outsiderness.”
Even though many employees dedicate 9 hours of their daily lives to the company, they still feel alienated, which demotivates them and causes them to repress the aspects of themselves that set them apart from the other workers. Feeling like an outsider is a painful, negative experience that completely shatters the concentration and performance of the employees. Work for a workplace culture in which the employees are noticed and valued. Showcase your care for the employees and provide routine opportunities for check-ins. Employees are less likely to feel alienated when there is a sense of belonging in the workplace, as well as understanding and trust.
5. Improve team bonding
Fitting in is being accepted for being like everyone else, whereas belonging is being accepted for you. It is important to allow your team to get to know each other outside of the workplace. Employees can connect outside of work by participating in organized team-building activities like cricket matches or watching a movie. You can build enduring interpersonal bonds by connecting with the team members. When all of the workers perform in unison, a bond is created that enhances team engagement and collaboration.
Key takeaways
- Being included is a crucial component, and all employees want to feel like they belong at work. Employees feel a sense of belonging when they are asked for their opinions and included by the organization.
- Making employees feel like they belong at work encourages them to finish tasks faster, perform better, and stay with the company longer, all of which save money.
- Creating belonging at work requires being open in communication, eliminating the concept of outsiders, improving team bonding, Showing care for the employees through benefits and incentives, and empowering the employees.
- It takes time for people to feel like they belong at work because the company needs to create a safe environment where they can be themselves and feel secure.