We now know, and there’s much research evidence to back it up, that finding a sense of belonging at work is vital to maintaining happy, engaged, productive employees.
If employers can create a sense of belonging, then the impacts on employee wellbeing are huge.
With this sense comes the feeling that an employee can bring their whole self to work, which makes them feel energised, creative and able to bring critical thinking to their role, instead of seeing work merely as means to an end.
Different support needed now
But our personal and work lives have completely changed over the past few years and now require a different kind of support to help us feel that we truly belong.
Employees are, today, looking for an organisation whose goals and values that they can relate to. If a company’s goals and corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach aligns with theirs, this creates an environment where they feel like they can be part of a wider purpose. They can also connect with their colleagues through this shared goal.
This “culture first” approach is becoming more and more popular when recruiting new employees.
Employees want relatability
To attract talent, there’s a bigger emphasis on having a relatability to the values that organisation holds. For instance, 40% of active job hunters cite company culture as the most important factor in finding a new position.
As an employer, we’re finding that interviewees are commonly now asking questions about subjects such as business sustainability, CSR strategies and the overarching values of the business.
Practical tips for creating a culture of belonging
Creating a culture of belonging doesn’t happen by accident, though — it takes intention, action and continuous learning.
When you’re considering how you can help employees feel a sense of belonging, HR is one function that can really help.
Top 3 tips for HR teams to demonstrate purpose:
- Put company culture at the forefront of the recruitment process. Think about your company message on your website, social media and job adverts and how this appeals to people with shared values.
- Be clear about your onboarding process. Plan how to introduce new starters to the values and purpose, including how they’re welcomed to the company in advance so they understand the company culture and can how the company aligns with their own values.
- Invest in management training and ensure that the team feel connected to their line manager. Employees should see their line manager as the first point of support.
Golden thread
It’s important to think about how to make people feel included from day one. Organisations are made up of lots of different cultures – it’s okay to recognise that one size does not fit all. As long as you’ve got a golden thread that brings them everyone together to create community in the workplace, then this is an environment that can support and encourage everyone’s individual identity.
About the author
Vicky Walker is Chief People Officer at Westfield Health and has over 20 years’ experience in client-centric HR environments. She is a solution-oriented leader whose priority is to look after Westfield Health’s people so they can deliver the best possible service. Her remit is to deliver the strategic vision, create a people focused plan and make Westfield Health a top 100 employer.
You might also like:
