THE BEGINNING

I think it is PARAMOUNT for us to first define what does "Belonging" mean in the workplace?

What words are synonymous to "Belonging" - member of, included, allied, associated, connected or linked

An employee may have a sense of "belonging" with their colleagues within their field of expertise/department but still feel disconnected within their department and the organization as a whole. Commonalities amongst like minds are easy waters to navigate but how do we promote and affirm "inclusive relationships" for employees?

I submit that the first step is a temperature check of the culture within the company to gain a creditable measurement of what "BELONGING" means to EVERYONE. Only then, can you confidently make strides to put in place actions for change.

Responses:
Based on your experience within your organization, what methods have you successfully used to increase a sense of belonging in your workplace?

Intentional use of words/phrases that support and promote inclusion like, "I am interested to hear your thoughts on that or I am intrigued by your perspective". Words and phrases that are focused on the employee's contribution rather than the manager's direct orders can be very beneficial. Through positive reinforcements, you can foster a relaxed environment to motivate employees to share and participate more.

What new ideas do you have for enhancing belonging and building trust in your workplace?

AESTHETICS should be considered ALWAYS and often times are not. For example, if a company has a larger male population employed, how would a female employee feel "included" if there are too few female employees and none in leadership roles? What do we think that does for her sense of belonging? What we see often times is what we feel is aligned with the company's goals. No diversity or disproportion at any level is very uncomfortable for the minority group/s(gender, ethnicity, income level, education, etc.,)

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
A simple but effective meeting of the minds. Each month through random "lottery" draw 10 employees are selected to meet and discuss the culture of the Company. All levels of employees should be included in the "lottery". The meeting should be lead by a senior member of the HR staff. The idea being that the CEO may be sitting next to the administrative assistant who is next to the Vice President of Sales to discuss the present state of the company's culture and diversity. Minutes should be taken at the meetings and shared within the Company in hopes to facilitate further discussions amongst the employees.

Could these ideas be adapted for use in other businesses or your local community? Absolutely

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