The Power of Belonging: What It Is and Why It Matters in Today’s Workplace

• Amid all the upheaval in the world right now, how does belonging help people and organizations move forward as we return to work? Julia Taylor Kennedy: The importance of belonging has taken on a life of its own in the last month, as protestors march against systemic racism and police brutality, and as we cope with the coronavirus pandemic. [...] And because we've grown closer as colleagues and workplace communities, and because of the stresses we are under, these issues are being raised loudly and persistently. [...] And because belonging scores vary—for example, they were much lower for Black and Asian women than for White men and women in our survey—it’s also further evidence of the inequities in our systems, and prompts us to examine how to fix them. [...] Organizations and leaders are running fast to get comfortable privately and publicly with the reality of systemic racism in the US and in workplaces—and to assure employees that despite the pandemic, they can work safely and collaboratively. [...] You’re ready to get up in the morning and connect with your colleagues, not just punch the clock and sit in the corner rolling your eyes at company leaders.