How to create a sense of belonging in your company

The need for belonging is often overlooked in companies. Yet, it is essential for building true team cohesion and effective team building, transforming individuals into a collective force. How can you establish and maintain this vital bond in an increasingly digital and individualized professional environment? Discover the best ways to cultivate belonging in your organization and enhance human resources management.

What is the sense of belonging in the Workplace?

The sense of belonging in the workplace refers to the emotional connection and feeling of recognition that an employee has toward their employer. It is expressed through a deep understanding of being fully integrated into the team and the organization, feeling valued and not excluded.

This concept goes beyond organizational aspects; it also touches on the psychological dimension and fulfills a fundamental human need, as illustrated by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It is a significant pillar of mental well-being and fulfillment at work.

A strong sense of belonging plays a key role in performance. It is a driver of motivation and a determining factor in business success and employee development. Fostering it requires sincerity and must be built on trust, recognition, and respect.

For your employee, feeling a strong sense of belonging means having an emotional attachment and a solid connection to their professional environment, colleagues, and the company. This can manifest through several feelings, such as:

• Feeling recognized and appreciated for their work and contributions,
• Feeling heard, understood, and having the opportunity to express and share ideas,
• Feeling engaged and helpful by understanding the meaning of their work and their role in the company’s overall success,
• Feeling connected to others and aligned with the company’s vision by sharing common values,
• Feeling respected and safe, and being encouraged to be authentic,
• Feeling valued and acknowledged. This sense of being part of a community where they belong fosters pride.

Examples of strategies to strengthen the sense of belonging in the workplace

Actions related to onboarding and welcoming:

A thoughtful and well-executed welcome when a new employee joins is a key driver for fostering a genuine sense of belonging. This integration phase is crucial: Your new hire should quickly feel that they are an integral part of the team and that they truly belong in the group to avoid feelings of isolation. It is essential that they feel seen and valued by the organization. Emphasizing the onboarding experience from the start lays the foundation for their engagement and loyalty to the company.

To achieve this goal, your company should implement targeted actions, such as presenting the organization’s mission and values during onboarding. These explanations help new hires identify with and embrace these principles. You strengthen team cohesion from day one by promoting dialogue and ensuring each person’s well-being. Investing in a structured onboarding process thus encourages employee retention.

Managerial actions:

The manager plays a key role in increasing employees’ sense of belonging. To nurture this need, a manager should:

• Be well-trained, act as a source of inspiration, and strive to lead by example.
• Always think about the team rather than the individual, and ensure that each team member feels included and supported, which is especially important with the rise of remote work.
• Be capable of uniting the team around shared goals to reinforce the unity needed for belonging.

Among the concrete actions managers can take, one essential step is to trust employees and encourage initiative. Trust is one of the most potent forms of recognition. Highlighting and valuing employees’ work, through thanks, bonuses, or celebrating team achievements, further enhances their commitment and sense of belonging. Managers should also hold regular one-on-one and team check-ins to ensure everyone feels good. Showing employees they matter is a powerful tool to boost this sense of connection.

Another essential lever for managers is giving meaning to employees’ work. Part of their mission is to inject meaning into daily tasks and clarify objectives and the company’s mission and values. It’s also essential to give team members a voice, not just listening during meetings but offering opportunities for expression.

Actions related to culture and team cohesion:

Company culture is vital to fostering a sense of belonging. For it to be meaningful, it must be firmly rooted in the organization’s core values. Sharing a common and clear vision is essential for nurturing this feeling. Without a solid understanding of the company’s mission and values, it’s difficult for employees to develop a strong connection.

When team members identify with the collective project and share common values, this creates a source of fulfillment and pride. A culture based on trust, recognition, and respect is essential, as it meets the fundamental human need to belong to a group and to grow within it peacefully.

Team cohesion also plays a significant role. A close-knit team promotes a harmonious work environment and positive interpersonal relationships, crucial for developing a sense of belonging. Companies can organize team-building events, lunches, or breakfasts to maintain and strengthen these bonds, encouraging informal exchanges and strengthening relationships.

Why is the sense of belonging necessary for your business?

The benefits for your employees

The sense of belonging is closely tied to your employees’ well-being and professional fulfillment. It also plays a crucial role in their psychological health.
Employees who feel this sense of belonging feel understood, heard, comfortable, supported, and aligned with your company’s values. This feeling directly contributes to happiness at work and improves mental health, particularly by reducing feelings of isolation in hybrid work environments.
With a strong sense of belonging, your employees feel:

• Recognized and appreciated for their contributions,
• respected and trusting of the company and their colleagues,
• valued and valuable to the collective effort,
• free to be themselves,
• Socially and professionally integrated.

The benefits for your organization

Strengthening the sense of belonging is a strategic investment with multiple benefits for your organization. This lever directly impacts motivation and leads to measurable positive outcomes:

• Improved performance: Motivated and engaged employees experience a significant boost in productivity.
• Increased engagement: a strong sense of belonging enhances team involvement in projects, generally resulting in higher-quality and more creative work.
• Reduced turnover and resignations: The risk of voluntary departures is lower, reducing recruitment and training costs.
• Retention of talent: Employees are more likely to stay long-term and grow within the company.

Conclusion

The need to belong within your company is more than a secondary desire—a fundamental pillar of workplace fulfillment and efficiency. By fostering this sense of belonging, your organization can strengthen team cohesion, boost engagement, and transform your team into a high-performing collective.
Creating spaces for inclusion and recognition is essential in an era marked by individualization and remote work. Your company’s success may well depend on the collective actions of your team.