Building a Culture of Belonging

Belonging has become a cornerstone of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), especially since 2020. At its heart, belonging is about more than being included. It’s about feeling truly seen, heard and valued.

The murder of George Floyd in 2020 forced the world to confront injustice faced by Black communities in a way it never has before. With the pandemic forcing us to be still, truths about discrimination became impossible to ignore.

For the first time, many organizations started having real conversations about race and acknowledging the lived experiences of their Black employees. Calls to amplify marginalized voices highlighted this shift.

This brought "belonging" into focus in EDI work. It became clear that inclusion isn’t just about inviting people in. It’s about creating spaces where they feel they belong and are valued for who they are. Leaders began to commit to fostering workplaces that validate and celebrate diverse experiences.

Building belonging takes intentionality and action. This article and video will share practical steps to help you create workplaces where everyone feels safe, valued and empowered to show up as their authentic selves.

What Is a Culture of Belonging?

Let’s start by looking at what we mean by belonging and how it relates to EDI in a professional context.

Diversity is about involving people from different backgrounds, genders and orientations. Equality ensures that everyone has the same rights and opportunities. Inclusion goes further by providing access to resources for those often excluded. But belonging? That’s the game-changer. It’s about feeling accepted, valued and supported.

Belonging starts with removing barriers, both big and small. It could involve policies that address intersectionality, ensuring people with overlapping identities are included in decision-making. Or it could be as simple as creating a workplace where someone feels safe bringing their favorite dish to lunch without judgment or questioning.

True belonging happens when everyone can show up as their authentic selves, knowing they’re valued for who they are.

Why Is a Culture of Belonging Important?

Belonging at work is crucial, because it impacts engagement, performance and employees’ health and wellbeing. When people feel they belong, they will more likely stay and excel. It's fundamental to what it means to be human. Our brains constantly assess spaces to determine two things. The first is our physical and psychological safety, and the second is whether we feel like we belong.

When we don’t feel we belong, our fight-or-flight response activates, leading to stress and, over time, potential physical illness. In contrast, feeling like we belong activates the brain’s reward response, fostering engagement, motivation and high performance. [1]

Employees who feel part of a team go above and beyond to ensure its success. Belonging doesn’t just enhance individual performance, but team performance too. Conversely, feeling excluded or unvalued can make teamwork feel very difficult.

The 2023 EY Belonging Barometer reported that 75 percent of respondents have felt excluded at work, while 56 percent said they felt unable or reluctant to share aspects of their identify at work, fearing it would hold them back. [2]

The best teams are those where every member knows they have a place and feel appreciated.

Encouraging Open Communication and Psychological Safety

EDI efforts have faced a growing backlash in recent times, with anti-EDI rhetoric spreading globally. Many feel excluded by EDI initiatives, believing that prioritizing certain groups leaves others behind.

Organizations must listen to their loudest critics and the quietest voices: both are disengaged groups. Connecting with them is essential to address their concerns and show that inclusion benefits everyone. Inclusion is about “us,” not “them.” When this belief permeates an organization, a true sense of belonging follows.

Psychological safety is key. It’s the set of circumstances in which team members can speak up without fear of punishment or humiliation. Without it, employees are unlikely to share their needs, creating a major barrier to fostering inclusion and belonging.

Belonging begins with senior leadership, who should set clear standards for others to follow. Some ways to build psychological safety include:

Leaders should model the behaviors they want to see, to inspire employees to engage, challenge inequities and contribute to creating an inclusive culture.

Use external experts to facilitate open, honest conversations about EDI initiatives.

Give employees the skills to be able to listen in order to understand, not just respond.

Bringing Inclusive Policies and Practices to Life

Creating a culture of belonging is both an intentional effort and a process. It’s something that requires ongoing commitment to maintain. Line managers play a pivotal role in building belonging into an organization’s DNA. Here are some everyday practices that you can use to support your efforts:

1. Hold regular one-on-ones. Regular one-on-ones help you to understand how your team is progressing with their work. But they also focus on how they're doing personally, and whether there's anything impacting their sense of belonging within the team and organization.
2. Get to know your people. Create an “About me” document for you and your team, including things like what you like to do, how you work, and so on. It’s a great way to humanize yourself to your team, and help them to get to know you and each other better.
3. Ensure meetings are inclusive. Rotate roles in your team meetings to make sure that everyone has a voice.
4. Encourage mentoring. Establish mentoring within teams to ensure that everyone receives support to achieve their goals and overcome any challenges they may be having. Consider whether you need to match mentors with people who have similar identities. For example, placing Black female mentees with Black female mentors.

Belonging in Hybrid and Remote Teams

The post-COVID-19 world has normalized remote and hybrid work, bringing benefits and challenges. Maintaining a sense of belonging is one of the biggest. Remote workers report feeling lonely 98 percent more often than their on-site counterparts and 179 percent more often than hybrid employees [3].

Intentional communication is therefore essential. Understanding team members’ preferred communication styles and staying connected helps maintain relationships and combat isolation.

Examples of virtual events to foster connection include:

• Virtual coffee chats. Set up regular breakout sessions for informal conversations, allowing team members to connect beyond work.
• Virtual team or wellness days. Activities like online yoga or cooking classes can promote wellbeing and help teams to bond.

Virtual spaces bring their own challenges when it comes to inclusivity, so it’s important to put measures in place to encourage diverse voices in meetings.

Approaches you can take to fostering inclusivity in virtual spaces include:

Give team members what they need in the format that works for them.

Ensure team members have equal opportunities to be heard. Proactively invite quieter team members to share their thoughts, ensuring they feel comfortable beforehand.

Ensure virtual meetings accommodate different time zones, holidays, and cultural differences. Encourage feedback or questions before meetings to include everyone.

Examples of Belonging in Action

I think it’s fair to say that no one can fully say they’ve gotten it right yet, but there are some organizations doing great work to get there. Google, for example, partners with initiatives like GTA Black Women in Tech to attract diverse talent. While the OLIVER Agency empowers employee networks with allocated budgets and invites speakers from marginalized groups to upskill and inspire teams.

In Summary

Building a culture of belonging requires collective commitment and effort. It takes courage, intention and consistent action to create spaces where everyone feels valued, seen, and empowered to show up as their authentic selves.

I hope this article has provided you with insights into its value, the part we all play in creating it within our organizations, and tools you can use to achieve it.

About Me

I am an Inclusion Strategist and Coach with more than 15 years of experience and lived experience of marginalization. I identify as Black, a woman, a breast cancer survivor and someone who was raised in a family from a lower socio-economic background. I’ve seen first-hand how embedding EDI enhances engagement, performance and retention. While many organizations understand the "why," few truly build EDI into their DNA.

Let’s Act

Start with a simple yet impactful step: Host a One-on-One Check-In.

Set up a meeting with each team member to understand their experiences, concerns, and sense of belonging within the team. Ask open-ended questions like:

• What makes you feel most supported at work?
• Are there any barriers to fully contributing to meetings?
• What would help you to be comfortable being yourself in team activities?

Use this opportunity to listen actively, identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate your commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a culture of belonging in the workplace?

A culture of belonging ensures individuals feel seen, valued, and safe to be their authentic selves, fostering acceptance and inclusivity.

Why is belonging important for workplace performance?

Belonging enhances engagement, team collaboration, and performance while reducing stress, promoting wellbeing and increasing retention rates.

How can organizations promote psychological safety?

Organizations can foster psychological safety through employee listening groups, active listening training, inclusive meeting practices and senior leadership involvement.

What strategies support belonging in remote and hybrid teams?

Strategies include intentional communication, virtual events like coffee chats or team days, and inclusive virtual meeting practices that engage diverse voices.

What role do managers play in creating belonging?

Managers support belonging by holding one-on-ones, understanding team dynamics, encouraging mentoring, and promoting inclusive team practices.