{"id":1380,"date":"2024-07-19T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-19T17:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peopleworkingwellbc.ca\/?p=1380"},"modified":"2025-09-12T19:40:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T19:40:06","slug":"five-ways-to-foster-belonging-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peopleworkingwellbc.ca\/learning-hub\/other-sectors\/five-ways-to-foster-belonging-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Ways to Foster Belonging In the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Belonging or the lack thereof is an important part of how people show up in the workplace. People who feel like they belong can bring their true authentic self to work. Belonging also fosters safety, which creates an environment where people experience trust and well-being. Ultimately, if employees feel like they belong in a workplace, this not only improves their mental health at work but can also increase their productivity, teamwork, and engagement.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>

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Creating an environment that is conducive for belonging and psychological safety is an intentional process. The process of fostering belonging can include what happens when a new employee first walks through the door, to what language leaders use during staff meetings. Here are five ways to increase belonging in the workplace.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>

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  1. Ensure someone is available to provide a friendly welcome to new employees: When a new employee first walks through the doors of an organization, there is a lot of information and cues that will impact their feelings belonging. This is an excellent time to create an environment that fosters safety. This could be as simple as having a friendly and warm greeting from a receptionist or providing a meaningful gift to an employee on their first day.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Be intentional with artwork: Artwork can be a great way to express the values of the organization. It can also create feelings of belonging among employees. Artwork could be used to display a team\u2019s accomplishments and activities. This can be an effective way of creating solidarity and feelings of togetherness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Use inclusive language: This is a simple yet effective way to create belonging. For example, using \u201cwe\u201d and \u201cour\u201d when discussing projects with employees. This can be especially effective for new employees since it expresses collaboration and teamwork from the onset. Using gender neutral language can also be an important part of this process. Look for ways to use language that doesn\u2019t exclude certain groups of people, and is inclusive of everyone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Train leaders in active listening: Feeling heard and having a voice in a team is an important part of belonging. When leaders are active listeners, it creates an environment where employees can feel safe to express themselves. sThe OARS approach can be a helpful way to practice active listening; Oopen ended questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening and Summaries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Utilize Mentorship: Mentorship can provide guidance, support, and practical solutions to employees. This mentorship does not necessarily have to come from a direct supervisor, but from someone who has experience and expertise within the job area and the organization.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/section>
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    Reference:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>

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    Coyle, D. The Culture Code<\/em>. Bantam, 2018<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>

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    \n Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Lunch & Learn\n <\/h4>\n \n \n
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    Learn to identify the hidden aspects of diversity and apply this understanding to advance equity, foster inclusion, and support mental wellness in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n

    \n \n Learn More\n \n\n\n<\/svg> <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Belonging or the lack thereof is an important part of how people show up in the workplace. People who feel like they belong can bring their true authentic self to work. Belonging also fosters safety, which creates an environment where people experience trust and well-being. Ultimately, if employees feel like they belong in a workplace, … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1393,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"post-author":[],"resource-topic":[22],"resource-type":[9],"resource-sector":[5,10,4],"class_list":["post-1380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","resource-topic-inclusion-and-belonging","resource-type-article","resource-sector-community-social-services","resource-sector-other-sectors","resource-sector-tourism-and-hospitality"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFive Ways to Foster Belonging In the Workplace - People Working Well<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/peopleworkingwellbc.ca\/learning-hub\/other-sectors\/five-ways-to-foster-belonging-in-the-workplace\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Five Ways to Foster Belonging In the Workplace - People Working Well\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Belonging or the lack thereof is an important part of how people show up in the workplace. 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