Any organization is not a mere concept but rather a collection of the people who lead, work, and interact on a daily basis. And belonging happens in an organization when those people feel acceptance, acknowledgement, and connection. While we can and should approach this work from an organizational standpoint, it stands to reason that creating a Culture of Belonging can be achieved one person at a time.

You may have heard the saying made famous by John Maxwell – “people quit people, not companies.” And while there has been debate on the validity of this claim, there is no denying that if we do not feel welcomed, valued, and liked by our coworkers, we are not going to feel good about going to work every day. And an individual’s sense of overall well-being is driven by our need for connection and belonging. So how do we foster a deeper sense of belonging in the workplace?

Belonging can be achieved one person at a time by making an effort to support and connect with others and making sure everybody feels like they’re part of a community at work. Every day is filled with personal interactions that provide excellent opportunities to cultivate a sense of belonging.

Allies play a very important role in creating inclusive workplaces, yet it has become more difficult in the virtual environment. Disconnecting from the physical workplace has posed new challenges and introduced new emotions. Everyone, from leadership down, can play a role in maintaining an inclusive culture – even while online. So, when you’re ready to step into the role of ally, here are some things you can do to ready yourself and increase your effectiveness.

Over the last few years, the pattern of divisive issues pushing people apart has only become more prominent. Politics, climate issues, equity, and much more have divided people across a number of lines. Elizabeth Lesser suggests a new strategy for bridging the gap between individuals and groups. Having lunch with those you may disagree with opens the door for productive conversation and growth. Understanding leads to a lack of contempt that breeds change and action.

Stella Young suggests that in our society disabled people are viewed as exceptional and “are congratulated for getting out of bed and remembering our own names in the morning”. She believes that we need to rewire our perceptions and celebrate their accomplishments for what they are, not as impressive because of their disability. Her unique perspective inspires thoughtful reflection on how we treat people with disabilities, and how we can celebrate them more appropriately.

Imagine a workplace where people of all colors and races are able to climb every rung of the corporate ladder — and where the lessons we learn about diversity at work actually transform the things we do, think and say outside the office. How do we get there? In this candid talk, inclusion advocate Janet Stovall shares a three-part action plan for creating workplaces where people feel safe and expected to be their unassimilated, authentic selves.

What do you think when you look at this speaker? Well, think again. (And then again.) In this funny, honest, empathetic talk, Yassmin Abdel-Magied challenges us to look beyond our initial perceptions, and to open doors to new ways of supporting others.

An engaging video and discussion guide that explore steps an individal can take to create a culture of respect.

Respect in the Workplace Virtual Classroom is a two-hour training that is designed to help employees recognize and address inappropriate behavior in the workplace.

The Connecting Diversity to Improved Healthcare Outcomes Training Toolkit is an awareness-building workshop and addresses topics relating to the what, why, and how of diversity in healthcare. While some of the exercises require some diversity and inclusion competency and may result in heated debate, this workshop does not address particularly sensitive or charged topics.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Facts, figures and ideas for celebrating Veteran’s Month

Facts, figures and ideas for celebrating Women’s History Month

Hispanic Heritage Month

Pride Month

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Indigenous People’s Heritage Month

Facts, figures and ideas for celebrating Black History Month

Here are some tips to help you grow your ERG member base.

Redesigning your role after maternity leave can lead to career acceleration but it means setting clear goals, forensically analyzing how you spend your time, consciously not doing things that aren’t core to meeting your goals, over-communicating, and then course-correcting when required.

As you’re navigating the choppy waters of a recession, don’t lose sight of your larger goal, which is to find work that aligns with your skills, values, and passions.

Provides great background / foundational knowledge of bias, stereotypes and prejudice and the effects it can have in communities and workplaces.

10 women of color were interviewed in order to understand the challenges they face in the workplace, how they cope with those challenges, and how those coping mechanisms affect their chances of long-term success.

Fixing performance reviews won’t magically change these dismal numbers overnight. But it’s an important step toward building a culture of mutual respect, inclusivity, and psychological safety for all. So how to take that step?

A unique and fascinating data set allowed us to explore the language used to describe individuals in subjective performance evaluations and provides evidence that, as we suspected, language in performance evaluations is applied differently to describe men and women.

The most visible aspect of hiring that influences the makeup of your candidate pool is your job descriptions. In job descriptions, words are your primary tool, and academic research has shown that many common words used in job descriptions have male or female associations.

Organizations have struggled with the concept of middle manager engagement since middle managers became part of the picture. And this phenomenon is not reserved for Diversity and Inclusion practitioners alone. Too often, organizations forget the simple things when it comes to middle managers—like respecting their knowledge and ideas, and capitalizing on their potential. When organizations begin treating their middle managers like leaders, like the life blood of the organization, it will be a whole lot easier to engage them.

Source: Profiles in Diversity Journal

So how do we get more organizations to start walking the talk when it comes to bringing more women into leadership roles? One way is through mentoring. Here are three ways to use mentoring to help elevate your female employees. 

Increasing ethnic, cultural and gender diversity in leadership roles can have big benefits for those involved and your bottom line.