Belonging is a fundamental human need. We may survive without it, but we rarely thrive.
In fact, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs identifies belonging as a key stepping‑stone on the path toward self‑actualization. In workplace contexts, it usually means employees who feel they belong can bring their whole selves to work, feel safe to speak up and challenge the status quo, and can reach their full potential—both for themselves and for the organization. It’s no wonder, then, that employees who don’t feel they belong are 59% more likely to quit their jobs.
The case for cultivating employee belonging is clear. But how can we do it without falling into “cringe” territory? Let’s explore the whats, whys, and hows of it all.
What Is Culture of Belonging?
Let us begin with what the amazing Brené Brown, author of Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, says about the differences between fitting in and belonging here:
Fitting in is assessing a group of people and thinking, “who do I need to be?,” “what do I need to say?,” “what do I need to wear?,” “how do I need to act?,” and changing who you are. And true belonging never asks us to change who we are. It demands that we be who we are.
If you have ever felt out of place in life, you may have been advised that you just need to “find your tribe.” However, unlike traditional tribalism, in which individualism is often sacrificed for the unity of the group, a culture of belonging in the workplace—and in any social setting, really—should celebrate diverse perspectives.
Employees should not need to try to “fit in” to the pre-existing company culture but, rather, to be accepted for who they are and their unique contributions. A true culture of belonging means that there is a seat at the table for everyone, regardless of what they bring to it.
Why a Culture of Belonging Is Important
Have you ever felt like you were on the outside, looking in? Perhaps you didn’t receive an invitation to a work lunch or were the last to find out about the new team project. It turns out that when we are faced with social rejection, we experience a physical sensation of pain in the body. That’s right—to your brain, being snubbed feels the same as having your toe stubbed.
The more cynical might roll their eyes at this. Even if someone does feel left out at work, why does it matter? Being best buds with everyone in the office shouldn’t be a prerequisite for doing the job you’re paid to do, after all.
But the reality is that it does matter. Because when employees feel like they don’t belong, it has a direct impact on their ability to perform well at work. Delia’s response to ostracization, for example, was to hide her strengths:
I just put my head down, got on with my job, didn’t really, you know, do anything else. And actually, the result of that for the company was that they missed out on a whole load of things that I’m really good at, that I just didn’t have the confidence to show.
When a company encourages employees to develop meaningful relationships, they can expect to see a boost in business performance. This is reflected particularly in:
- Productivity: Harvard Business Review found that having a keen sense of belonging increases workplace productivity by 56%. Because when employees feel a sense of belonging, they are happier, and when they are happier, productivity becomes easier.
- Employee retention: The 2022 McKinsey Great Attrition survey discovered that a lack of belonging was the main reason for over half of respondents choosing to leave their jobs.
- Diverse talent: Diverse workforces perform better and boast higher retention than monocultural ones. By failing to implement a culture of belonging, companies risk pushing out different perspectives—the very viewpoints that could transform the organization for the better.
- Employee wellbeing: As social creatures, dependent on social support from babehood, human beings are wired to operate in groups, yes, even introverts! Loneliness increases the risk of premature death by 26%, while high-quality social connections are associated with better health and greater life expectancy.
- Employee engagement: When employees feel connected, for example, through a mentoring program or an ERG, their desire to show up at work (both physically and mentally!) significantly increases.
There’s no doubt about it; a culture of belonging just hits different. It can’t be faked, and it can’t be manufactured. Sorry to say, there’s no copy-paste template! There are, however, some best practices you can follow.
How to Build a Culture of Belonging in the Workplace
Let’s shift the elephant in the room: A culture of belonging is not the same thing as implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. While DEI can be strategic and structured, belonging is something that can’t be forced. Here’s how to implement it without the corporate gloss.
1. Watch out for cliques
Workplaces aren’t middle schools. While it’s perfectly natural for groups with common interests to pop up and form at work, keep an eye out for whether they don’t evolve into exclusion-based cliques.
For example, sales reps who consistently exceed their targets form a tight-knit group, celebrating each other in meetings, going for drinks after work, and even creating a private group chat. A talented but new or underperforming rep is subtly iced out. It’s no longer about shared performance but, instead, gatekeeping and withholding support from and for outsiders.
While these cliques aren’t always malicious or overt, as they often arise out of comfort, familiarity, or unconscious bias, the impact on team morale, trust, and collaboration can be just as corrosive. If an employee seems left out or withdrawn, have an open conversation to find out what would help them feel more connected.
2. Prioritize psychological safety
In workplaces, psychological safety goes hand in hand with a sense of belonging. That is, if employees don’t feel they belong, they won’t feel psychologically safe—and vice versa.
To illustrate, in a busy hospital ward, a newly qualified nurse notices subtle signs of a patient’s deterioration during morning rounds. Though concerned, they hesitate to speak up as past experiences have shown that junior staff are often brushed off during fast-paced handovers. They don’t yet feel like a full member of the team, and the fear of being dismissed or seen as overstepping holds them back. This hesitation highlights how psychological safety and a sense of belonging are deeply connected. When team culture discourages input from newer or junior staff, individuals may stay silent even when they have crucial information.
Employees should be able to share honestly, without fear of reprimand. Say, they know they can admit to their mistakes without getting yelled at by their boss. It also means that no matter their level, they have the opportunity and freedom to express areas for improvement, even if it means challenging the status quo.
3. Connect people through mentorship
Being known and included by even one other person at work can make the world of a difference to an employee who is struggling to connect with others, especially when they are new to the team. A meaningful way to do this is to connect people through a mentorship program.
Mentoring programs often pair two employees (but not necessarily), one as a mentor and other a mentee, for both personal and professional development. As an example, you can establish a buddy system to welcome new employees or launch a group mentoring for the cohort with leadership as mentors.
Not only do these mentoring formats help new joiners find their feet in their new role, but they also give senior leaders (who, as the report shows, are often the loneliest employees in a company) a chance to feel more connected (and by extension less lonely) by building meaningful relationships and expose themselves to fresh perspectives.
4. Make space for different perspectives
Have you ever been in a meeting that is dominated by only one or two voices? When the meeting room becomes a stage for two actors, everyone else is reduced to an audience. This kind of dynamic can stifle participation, limit diverse viewpoints, and cause groupthink. Needless to say, it’s a scenario best avoided.
There are multiple ways you can make space for different voices and perspectives:
- A round table discussion: Everyone is given an opportunity to share equally.
- Rotating chair system: Switch the meeting facilitator every time so no single voice naturally dominates.
- Brain‑writing before brain‑storming: Give everyone 3-5 quiet minutes to jot down ideas individually before any open discussion starts. This levels the playing field for introverts and reduces the “halo” bias around the first loud suggestion.
- Anonymous Q&A feed: Use a live, moderated chat or polling tool alongside in‑person dialogue so shy or remote participants can surface questions without feeling on the spot.
5. Integrate remote workers
25% of remote workers experience loneliness on a daily basis, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report 2025. This is in comparison to 16% of onsite workers. No, the answer is NOT a Return to Office (RTO) mandate! After all, remote workers, while often being more lonely, also report higher productivity, better job satisfaction, and a healthier work-life balance.
Companies should instead consider ways to integrate remote and hybrid workers, making sure to treat them as just as much a part of the team as those who work onsite. This may involve regular check-ins, quarterly in-person meet-ups, and virtual social sessions, to name a few.
6. Launch employee resource groups
If there’s one thing that could undoubtedly help when it comes to building belonging in the workplace, it must be employee resource groups.
Given that feelings of isolation and exclusion tend to occur when employees feel they aren’t included in a group, inviting them to join ERGs of their interest (or even create a new one!) could be an effective way to combat such feelings.
While we see (and encourage) a lot of ERGs providing a platform for underrepresented employees, ERGs don’t always have to be mission-driven. Sometimes, it’s about shared interests, hobbies, or even just having a bit of fun!
7. Celebrate uniqueness
Another surefire way to cultivate belonging is to find what makes your people tick and celebrate it. From quirky interests to unique non-work-related skills, taking an interest in your employees will help them feel like they can be themselves while at work. You can do this through, for example:
- Cultural calendars: Celebrate holidays and traditions that reflect different team demographics.
- Tailored team activities: Instead of inflicting paintball on a Friday evening, plan team-building activities around what they would actually like to do. (And if they like the sound of paintball, by all means, go for it!)
- Spotlight series: Create casual spotlight moments. Think “Meet the Team” posts, quick lunchtime talks, or internal newsletters that highlight employees’ hobbies, passions, or perhaps side hustles. This is a fun, low-pressure way for people to share who they are beyond their job title.
8. Embed belonging into everyday workflows
While DEI practices tend to be centered on raising awareness, intentional conversations, and structured programs, a culture of belonging is about the “everyday.” Small habits and daily norms that foster belonging and unity are:
- Shout-outs: Publicly acknowledging individual and team wins.
- Inclusive communication channels: Ensuring that everyone who needs access to a communication channel has access.
- Feedback loops: Keeping things two-way by acting on feedback given by employees and communicating how their ideas have been put into practice.
Culture of Belonging at Play
Company culture doesn’t flip overnight. And just like any good relationship, real workplace belonging takes time, care, and a little patience. The good news? It’s absolutely doable. Here are a couple of companies that have nailed it, helping their employees feel valued, connected, and part of something bigger than themselves.
Walt Disney Co.
The Walt Disney Company has created “magical” mentorship programs facilitated by MentorcliQ mentoring software as a way to provide employees of all backgrounds with the resources they need to flourish in their careers. This includes women like Jill Hotchkiss, former executive vice president of creative marketing at Disney. Her mentor taught her how to push herself and network effectively, to the point that she has now become a mentor herself!
Cardinal Health
When Cardinal Health implemented a mentoring program using MentorcliQ, they didn’t even need to market it internally. It was so popular that demand grew naturally through word of mouth, eventually expanding to 20 programs across over half a dozen countries. The 97% program satisfaction rate even translated into human resources savings of over $5 million.
Help Employees Feel They Truly Belong
This might sound all good and well, but there’s a catch to building belonging. If not implemented properly, it could feel stilted, or, worse, fake. And as awesome as trying to build meaningful relationships can be, a poor match could make some employees feel even less connected than they were before.
This is where MentorcliQ comes in. Our mentoring and employee community platforms use proprietary matching algorithm to pair people who will genuinely click, then wrap those relationships in easy‑to‑use tools that keep the conversation flowing.
From guided goal‑setting and built‑in ice‑breakers to real‑time analytics that spotlight emerging champions and at‑risk employees, MentorcliQ turns what could have been an awkward initiative into an organic, self‑sustaining community. This way, employees discover common ground faster, managers spot growth opportunities sooner, and everyone feels they have found their place—because they actually have.
Ready to call a culture of belonging yours? Book a demo today!
