Belonging

Feeling that we belong at work is essential to our sense of security and commitment to an organisation, so creating a sense of belonging among practitioners is crucial to building a resilient organisational culture. It is especially important to encourage a sense of belonging among newly recruited colleagues, those who have changed teams, and those who have returned to work after sickness, a career break or maternity leave.

People who have been working remotely during the crisis, especially those who have started a new job or joined a new team, may have particular difficulties in developing a sense of belonging to their team and to the organisation in general. Letting new people know about work etiquette and ‘how we do things around here’ in an open and kindly way encourages a sense of belonging. 

As a leader, consider assigning a ‘buddy’ to new recruits to advise on basic issues, such as where to get lunch or where the loo is. Overlooking these simple things can cause anxiety in new recruits.

 For new starters who are working remotely, introducing virtual mentoring and shadowing can offer opportunities for the incidental learning that is often overlooked when people are not on site.

As health and social care practitioners our professional identity protects our wellbeing and resilience, even during times of stress and trauma. Feeling we belong helps maintain identity, as well as helping us feel psychologically safe and engaged. The points below draw on research findings to identify factors that can help build a culture of belonging in the workplace:

• Check out how people feel about working in your organisation:

As a leader, it is tempting to believe everyone loves working under your leadership or to become defensive if indicators suggest otherwise. But being open to listening about people’s experiences of work is crucial to making them feel heard and understood.

The iSort Tool will provide insight into the extent to which people feel that they belong in your organisation and will help you to identify priorities for change. It is important to remember, however, that listening without taking action can alienate people, which is the antithesis of fostering a culture of belonging.

Getting practitioners to speak freely can be a challenge. They may be wary of authority figures or may tell you what they think you want to hear. So, to learn what people really think, begin by identifying issues that seem to cause silence, then invite them to lunch or other informal settings to discuss them in a neutral space. You can also consider using employment engagement surveys to establish the feelings of under-represented groups.

• Develop trusting work-based relationships:

The importance of trust in developing a secure base is highlighted above. To develop trust, people need to feel truly appreciated for what they bring to an organisation; KFP2 Sense of Appreciation has tips on how to achieve this.

Simply put, if people are to feel that they belong, then they must believe that their abilities and contribution are recognised and valued. An employer who invests in employees’ professional development will be repaid by increased commitment and loyalty, as well as improved performance.

There is evidence that practitioners who have a trusting relationship with a mentor are better able to take advantage of critical feedback and learning from their practice.

KFP3 Learning Organisation outlines the features of a peer coaching/mentoring scheme that can be used to develop relationships characterised by trust, with minimal cost and set-up time, to encourage a solution focus to workplace issues.

• Take action on inclusion:

Studies in different occupational settings show that making people feel valued for who they are enhances retention. When practitioners see leaders and co-workers who ‘look like them’, they are more likely to feel they fit in. It is therefore important to ensure your workplace represents the community you serve. Excluding people may be unintentional but can profoundly undermine a sense of belonging. Being culturally competent is an important leadership capability. Guidance on enhancing culturally competent leadership is in KFP4 Mission and Vision.

Knowing there are people who may not come forward with ideas and encouraging everyone to have a voice underpins a sense of belonging. Actively encouraging inclusion is more than inviting people to meetings; it means sharing documents beforehand and providing opportunities for people to contribute, even if this takes more time and effort. Writing down ideas on Post-it notes, for example, can encourage contributions from people who are less comfortable speaking out in larger groups.

• Tailored listening:

Another way to show practitioners that their contributions are valued is simply to listen, respectfully and attentively (Heathfield, 2019). How this is done should be tailored to a team member’s personality: quieter people prefer someone who ‘pauses, listens, and creates a space’, while more outspoken people value the opportunity to bring their thoughts to the here and now.

• Encourage people to bring their ‘whole selves’ to work:

For people to feel they belong, they must be their authentic selves at work. This means accepting that health and social care practitioners (like all human beings) are vulnerable and imperfect and will need extra support and compassion from time to time. The importance of leaders ‘role modelling’ self-care and self-compassion is outlined in the KFP5 Wellbeing. It also helps if leaders role-model humility and ask for help when required.

• A shared vision makes all the difference:

If practitioners find their work meaningful and have a collective sense of purpose, they will feel they belong. Ensuring that the organisation’s mission and vision and shared values and behaviours are discussed during induction of new practitioners is emphasised in KFP3. Helping more experienced practitioners reconnect with why they came into health and social care work in the first place, and how their own values match those of the organisation, can be developed through exercises in Appreciative Inquiry.