A Guide for Fostering Belonging & Inclusion at Work

Companies continue to struggle to hire or retain talent because leaders don’t understand the real reason people are resigning — and part of it centers on the need to improve belonging in the workplace. Research shows that belonging & inclusion, as well as feeling valued are no longer preferences but rather fundamental employee needs in the workplace.

Jeanine Stewart, senior consultant with the Neuroleadership Institute says, “Being surrounded by other human beings doesn’t guarantee a sense of belonging. Belonging actually has to do with identification as a member of a group and the higher quality interactions which come from that. It’s the interactions over time which are supportive of us as full, authentic human beings.”

When you improve belonging & inclusion in the workplace, you will help your team members feel a sense of community, which is important to their fulfillment and to the success of the organization as a whole. 

Your company’s inclusion & belonging strategy should touch every aspect of the employee experience. It requires thoughtful questions, planning, and action – and the effort has proven to pay off in terms of employee happiness as well as organizational success. Companies that do the hard work of creating a truly inclusive workplace will see improvements in talent acquisition, productivity, engagement, and retention.

So let’s get started. This guide is intended to help business, HR, and people leaders who want to foster a team and company culture of inclusion and belonging. This guide will provide strategies and recommendations for building the kind of culture that improves belonging in the workplace and for helping you identify those team members who value belonging most. The first step is understanding and defining your current team culture.