Social belonging is a basic human need that is embedded in our DNA. However, 40% of people say they feel isolated at work, resulting in less organizational commitment and engagement. Statistics show that US businesses spend nearly $8 billion annually on diversity and inclusion (D&I) training, which misses the mark because it ignores our need to feel included. They take.
Employee rejection is harmful and really painful: it feels like physical pain. And it's a bite that we've all experienced at one time or another. The feeling of being left out is a deeply human problem, and it is very difficult to find its root causes even in the healthiest workplaces.
A sense of belonging is good for business
If employees feel they belong to the company, the business will enjoy significant benefits. Our research showed that having a high level of belonging has been associated with a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% reduction in the risk of displacement, and a 75% reduction in sick leave. For a company of 10,000 people, this will result in annual savings of more than 52 million dollars.
Employees who belonged to a higher workplace also showed a 167% increase in their employer score (i.e. willingness to recommend their company to others). They also received a double salary increase and 18 times more income.
Can rejection and the feeling of not belonging be fixed?
Many solutions have been proposed including:
Gain perspective: Older employees share their thoughts with newer employees regarding the experience of rejection and feeling of not belonging and how they deal with it.
Encouraging mentoring: Colleagues help each other guide someone else who feels rejected.
Empowerment: Employees plan how to create team experiences to make work more inclusive and enjoyable. Teamim is an attractive solution to increase the sense of organizational and team belonging.
All three methods make the team members who feel excluded gradually enter into the interaction. .