Back to blog 08/14/2020

What Drives the Sense of Belonging at Work: Fostering a Diverse & Inclusive Company Culture

“Diversity is the “what”; inclusion is the “how.” Diversity focuses on the makeup of your workforce — demographics such as gender, race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, just to name a few, and inclusion is a measure of culture that enables diversity to thrive.” – Rita Mitjans (Experienced D&I Leader)

 

Diversity and Inclusion: a work culture having one without the other will not be able to optimize the real benefits of leveraging the unique experiences, different backgrounds, and distinctive talents of the workforce. Similarly, a culture that is both diverse and inclusive, but does not nurture a sense of belonging for the employees is one that failed at empowering the workforce to do their best while feeling safe, respected, and valued at work. Belongingness is thus an integral component of diversity and inclusion measures by any business. Some of the best practices of diversity and inclusion that affect employee experience and engagement at the workplace include:

Belongingness for Everyone

As an important emotional need for humans, belongingness makes one feel accepted among other members of a group. While it is widely regarded as an important desire for personal social settings like friends and family, the sense of belonging is also crucial among co-workers. It influences human behavior in many ways, one of which is the motivation to perform and do their best at work. As a result, employee engagement and productivity increases significantly while employees feel content with the way their company values their contributions and believe that they are a respected part of the company.

An effective Diversity & Inclusion approach is one that begins with cultivating a culture that prioritizes the safety, security, positivity, and belongingness for every employee.

Compassionate Leadership

A company that adapts successful approaches and strategies at the top sees its impact trickle down to all organizational levels. This also holds true for Diversity & Inclusion which becomes more meaningful for the entire workforce when leadership is committed to it. At the same time, employees value having a dedicated Diversity & Inclusion champion on the team that works diligently to align the company’s goals with initiatives that promote workplace diversity and inclusion, deliver support and listen to the needs of the employees, provide necessary resources in response to the requirements, share their expertise in recruiting, retaining, and engaging a diverse workforce among other comprehensive responsibilities.

Understand the Uniqueness of Employees & Help Them Thrive

The significance of Diversity & Inclusion initiatives in the workplace is growing rapidly and the businesses that have truly created an effective culture are the ones that value workforce diversity as part of their corporate values, mission, and culture. These progressive companies understand that each employee brings something unique to their organization and recognizing each unique strength is how they create an environment that every employee can thrive in.

Diversified Maintenance respects the different abilities, interests, backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints that its employees bring to the table. The Company, together with its VP of Diversity & Inclusion, are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive company culture where every employee feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential. Contact us today to learn more about our D&I initiatives and plans for the future.