Earlier this year, several readers of my Inclusive Leaders Group Blog and social media followers started noticing a shift in my language online —from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), and naturally, I was eager to explain to them about what this meant.
Evolving from DEI to DEIB…the time is now or never…
Belonging represents a deeper, more personal connection that employees feel towards their workplace. It goes beyond mere inclusion, advocating for an environment where every individual feels valued, heard, and integral to the team. This sense of belonging is crucial for fostering a truly inclusive culture.
Belonging in the workplace is an employee’s sense that their uniqueness is accepted and even treasured by their organization and colleagues. Belonging is an accumulation of day-to-day experiences that enables a person to feel safe and bring their full, unique self to work.
According to Great Place To Work, if employees don’t experience a sense of belonging, they are more likely to feel insecure about their place in the organization and feel less freedom to be their authentic selves. And that insecurity– that fear – undermines their performance, their creativity and their ability and willingness to collaborate.
Great Place To Work research reveals that when employees experience belonging in the workplace they are:
- 3 times more likely to feel people look forward to coming to work
- 3 times more likely to say their workplace is fun
- 9 times more likely to believe people are treated fairly regardless of their race
- 5 times more likely to want to stay at their company a long time
How to Build Belonging Through Allyship
Organizations are responsible for creating inclusive structures, but we are individually responsible as leaders and employees for our actions and allyship. Building allyship skills in the workplace begins with developing self-awareness and empathy. It is essential to reflect on our own beliefs, biases, and privileges to better understand how they shape our interactions with and perceptions of others.
Discover How to Build a Workplace Culture of Belonging by downloading my FREE Ultimate Build a Culture of Belonging Toolkit and learn about an innovative award-winning allyship training program, What Dr. King Would Teach Today’s Employees About Allyship here.
Final Thoughts
I’m an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, and author who helps organizations and employees create cultures of allyship and belonging. Belonging in the workplace matters because it impacts business performance and employee well-being. Belonging is necessary for bringing out the best in everyone at work!
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