Creating a Sense of Belonging in the Workplace: A cross-cultural study of why some employees feel they belong and others feel alienated

To learn more, we invite you to download and read the research report and infographic today:

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE RESEARCH:

Do Employees Feel Like They Belong?

Slightly fewer than half of employees strongly agree that they feel they belong at their organization Forty-five percent of employees say they strongly agree that they feel they belong at their organization, and another 37% moderately agree that they do. That leaves almost 20% who don't feel much sense of belonging. These results are better than many would have feared, although HR leaders should be aiming for a company where more than half strongly agree they belong. So, while most employees at least moderately agree they feel a sense of belonging, there is more that could be done to deepen that feeling.

What Hinders a Sense of Belonging?

We asked employees about the extent to which they agree with the following statement: "Our top leaders often emphasize teamwork and cooperation." This statement sets a high bar in asking respondents if they strongly agree that top leaders often emphasize teamwork and cooperation. Nevertheless, it would likely be a surprise to leaders to discover that almost two-thirds do not strongly agree. It's a reminder that relentless communication is needed to instill the leader's goals and values across the organization. Leaders should note that communication about teamwork or other matters is difficult to do well. Only 26% of respondents strongly agree that their organization's communication programs and techniques are effective.

What Helps Create a Sense of Belonging?

Almost half strongly agree that they are viewed as productive, but an alarming number feel burned out and lonely. Most of the findings on how employees feel about their jobs are reasonably positive, especially when you combine those that strongly agree and moderately agree. For example, roughly 80% of people feel engaged and feel they are viewed as productive; and almost three-quarters feel empowered to do the job the way it should be done. What is of concern is that 12% strongly agree they feel lonely at work and 20% strongly agree they feel burned out. These factors represent too big a percentage of the working population to ignore. Add in the moderately agrees and there are 31% feeling lonely and 47% feeling burned out. Given that the primary barrier to a feeling of belonging is overwork, it's clear that these are pain points that need to be addressed.