National Geographic fellow and Blue Zones author, Dan Buettner, observed that the longest living people in the world share a sense of belonging – a sense of community – that contributes to both a longer and higher quality of life. The same benefits hold true for worksites – inclusive workplaces foster a sense of belonging and contribute to stronger retention, talent acquisition, purposeful attendance, and improved well-being.
BENEFITS OF BUILDING BELONGING AT WORK
A workplace is a team, an ‘ohana, where people come together to support a common mission. So, it is important that everyone feels a sense of belonging and can contribute collectively to a positive work environment that fosters a culture of camaraderie, inclusivity, and productivity.
Dr. Waller (2020) suggests that organizations are responsible for employees’ sense of belonging and not belonging, and that the latter is clearly undesirable because that team member – and by extension, the team – will not perform as well as they could if they were more inclusive.
People leaders can only do so much to ensure their team members work well together, as a genuine sense of belonging is impacted by many factors: other team members (and their personalities), the organizational culture, diversity, and policies, to name a few. Still, there are specific things you can do to help build belonging, so colleagues are happier, more productive, and positive contributors to your bottom line.
Consider these two options to improve workplace belonging, courtesy of the Blue Zones Project Worksite Pledge:
1. Implement Onsite Well-Being Activities and/or Social Gatherings.
WHY: Having a work environment that builds teamwork and collaboration starts with having healthy relationships among co-workers. Friendly relationships among co-workers create a sense of belonging and improves morale, which leads to higher employee retention and job satisfaction. It also encourages sharing of knowledge and innovation, and enhances individual and organizational productivity. These factors make your organization a desirable place to work. Arranging formal or informal social activities is undoubtedly the most effective way to bring employees from various departments together to interact, have fun, and connect. Gallup found that close work friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50 percent, and people with a best friend at work are seven times more likely to engage fully in their work.
HOW: Survey employees to see which type of onsite activities or social gatherings they would be most interested in and at what frequency. Once there is an understanding of what employees want to participate in, set up a calendar of events. Communicate and promote these activities to maximize participation. Onsite activity examples include hosting intramural sports or a yoga class, team challenges, gardening, and book clubs. Social gathering examples include dinners, retreats, and pau hana or “Wine at Five.” To increase engagement with a little friendly competition, feel free to offer incentives or prizes for workplace challenges and activities.
2. Prominently display the organization’s vision, mission, and values in a public place, include it in the employee handbook, and communicate it to employees at least once a year.
WHY: Having employees aligned to the organization’s mission can be a strong driver of organizational performance. Aligning the mission, vision, and values helps drive a sense of belonging, engagement, and commitment, and provides clarity for employees. In one study, 53 percent of employees responded that they were motivated to stay in their current jobs primarily because of their organization’s mission.
HOW: Use multiple mediums including, but not limited to, print (signs throughout building), website; team, company-wide and department meetings; and company handbooks to communicate the company’s vision, mission, and values, and how they impact all employees at the company.
To build belonging, we also encourage the participation in Blue Zones Project Purpose Workshops, to help employees identify their gifts and passions and how it aligns with their current role at your organization. After the Purpose Workshop, you can leverage each other’s gifts to further build belonging and strengthen company culture.
There are two Purpose Workshop opportunities coming up with Blue Zones Project Hawai'i. View our schedule of events and be sure to RSVP to save your spot.
Waller, L. (2020). Fostering a Sense of Belonging in the Workplace: Enhancing Well-Being and a Positive and Coherent Sense of Self. In: Dhiman, S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Well-Being. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02470-3_83-1
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