Belonging: Why it Matters at Work
Implementing a diversity, equity, and inclusion policy is important, but creating a culture that fosters a sense of belonging for all workers is an essential practice. With 40 percent of employees feeling isolated at work and just 30 percent believing that their opinions matter, much remains to be done for everyone to feel included.
A sense of belonging is necessary for the well-being of employees, but it also benefits their companies. Disengaged employees are less productive and more likely to seek a better opportunity elsewhere. Citing research conducted by BetterUp, Evan W. Carr et al. write, “High belonging was linked to a whopping 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days.” At the same time, “[F]eeling excluded causes us to give less effort to the team.”
The 2021 AIA/The Center for WorkLife Law investigation into bias in the architecture profession found that “White men were significantly more likely than women of color to report that their workplace culture was a good fit for them personally; white women and men of color fell in between” these two groups. Report authors suggested the comparatively low levels of belonging among underrepresented architectural professionals may be attributed to their experiences of biases.
A workplace that fosters belonging, writes Louis Efron of Gallup Workplace, is one where everyone appreciates what each individual brings to the group; where there is a “genuine desire for meaningful relationships;” and where differences between people are appreciated. This appreciation must be authentic and free from the sense of charity or superiority that some in the “in crowd” harbor.
Firm leaders can lead inclusively by incorporating six behaviors, say Laura Sherbin and Ripa Rashid in the Harvard Business Review: “[E]nsuring that team members speak up and are heard; making it safe to propose novel ideas; empowering team members to make decisions; taking advice and implementing feedback; giving actionable feedback; and sharing credit for team success.”
Prospectors in Chatanika, Alaska posing with a pan of gold, c. 1900 - 1916 (Library of Congress).
Evan W. Carr et al. identified actions that all team members can take to increase a sense of belonging. “For team leaders and colleagues who want to help others feel included, our research suggests that serving as a fair-minded ally — someone who treats everyone equally — can offer protection to buffer the exclusionary behavior of others. They can also share stories about how they have coped with similar challenges and see what suggestions teammates have for improving the situation.”
Increasing diversity in the profession is an important step, but to be effective it must be supported by inclusive actions.
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Sources
Evan W. Carr, Andrew Reece, Gabriella Rosen Kellerman, and Alexi Robichaux, “The Value of Belonging at Work,” Harvard Business Review, December 16, 2019.
Joan C. Williams, JD, Rachel M. Korn, PhD, Rachel Maas, MPH, “The Elephant in the (Well-Designed) Room: An Investigation into Bias in the Architecture Profession,” AIA/The Center for WorkLife Law, 2021.
Louis Efron, “What Drives a Culture of Belonging?” Gallup, July 26, 2022.
Jacqueline Prause, “The Power of Belonging at Work,” Forbes, October 28, 2022.
Laura Sherbin and Ripa Rashid, “Diversity Doesn’t Stick Without Inclusion,” Harvard Business Review, February 1, 2017.