What does a sense of belonging at work entail?
It is necessary to feel valued, welcomed and wanted. Feeling valued at work means employees believe their work, efforts and personal sacrifice are visibly considered added value for the company and the team. They trust their boss and organisation to look after them and treat them as human beings, not just a means to an end. At the same time, they feel they have a clear place in the team and are someone whom others regard as reliable.
At a time when many people work remotely, a sense of belonging can be suppressed due to distance and limited contact. However, employees can feel lonely even if they are surrounded by a team. Here are some tips on how to promote belonging in your team:
Let them feel good. Treat with maximum respect the natural curiosity and need of people to learn at work. It is necessary to support them in their efforts if you expect to achieve goals and results. Show gratitude for their hard work, appreciate their efforts and contributions. Without being noticed, they will hardly feel excited about further work.
Give them autonomy. Feeling respected and believing that we are right, if that really is the case, can have a calming effect on how we work. Autonomy provides people the opportunity to grow and develop in the skills and abilities in which they are strong.
Show appreciation. Many employees work at home, on holiday, at weekends and during family trips, without any extra reward. Recognition by a company or a leader costs nothing and is invaluable and highly motivating for employees. Of course, financial or other material recognition is a pleasing bonus in itself.
Spread it further. Positive feelings are contagious. When employees feel comfortable, their cognitive thinking and creativity improve and they are better prepared to respond to stress and failure. Often what involves one person can also affect more people in the team, so the workplace can become a place where not only talented, but mainly satisfied and motivated people work.
Boost your confidence. Various jokes, or even gossip or bullying, contribute horribly to divisions in a team and demotivation of individuals. Conversely, employees who are well aware of their strengths and weaknesses can quickly learn from mistakes and disappointments and deal with them, instead of suffering with stress and guilt. Work with staff on a better understanding of their abilities and on how to use their potential at work.
Discuss. In order for the team to stay healthy and everyone achieve a sense of belonging, hard work is required from each team member. Regularly discuss relationships and potential team tensions, the role of individuals, future opportunities, and simply be transparent and invest time in what really delivers, namely people.
-bb-