Why Designing for Belonging Should Be an Organizational Imperative

Parents and teachers are typically aware that children’s development and onward success is impacted by the social and cultural network in which they are brought up. High performance is built through a safe environment to try, and it is embedded in people through practice, reinforcement and feedback (how success and failure is recognized and addressed).

The same construct holds true for working adults.

If HR leaders, in their role as purveyors and developers of the organization’s human capital, approach employee growth and the collateral benefits of self-esteem, high performance and belonging as a designable, nurture-driven environmental outcome, how might this impact workplace culture as well as the individual and collective workforce experience?

Access a bonus Workspan Daily Plus+ article on this subject:

• Fostering Connection? Alienating Workers? The Many Shades of Belonging

Making Space for Belonging

Environment (good, bad or mediocre) can make a huge difference (again … good, bad or mediocre) to someone’s personal confidence, trust level, sense of belonging and happiness, and performance.

To attain such results, HR professionals and the organization’s people managers should consider a framework known as SPACE for observing, reflecting on and making small (but meaningful) changes to the work environment. The letters in the SPACE acronym stand for:

• Social (as in social environment). Recognize what behaviors are normalized, mirrored or reinforced. How might those impact the current performance culture, and what could be changed? For example, what sort of banter is addressed (e.g. sexist jokes) and not addressed (e.g. ageist jokes)?
• Physical (as in physical environment). Examine your current physical setting and explore the behaviors it is inviting. What has become hard, easy, visible and/or invisible in this setting? Do the results align with desired outcomes? For example, open-plan offices may promote collaboration but deter focus and some aspects of managerial work.
• Authority. Unpack the installed structures and understand whether these are consistently (either consciously or unconsciously) role-modeled or rewarded by the system. For example, is recruitment done to meet targets or meet the job’s realistic requirements? If the answer is the former, time and space should be set aside for adequate employee training.
• Convention/custom. Observe what behaviors or rituals are repeated (or could become repeatable). What are these, and how, when and where do these occur? How do these formal and informal events affect individuals’ feelings of belonging?
• Experiential/environment. Consider how the current environment makes people feel and how experimentation with new ideas might bring a sense of joy/curiosity/excitement. The “e” in the acronym also may stand for emotion/enjoyment/engagement, each of which is typically critical for making a behavior change work. (Individuals should like the change and feel safe doing it.)

For a real-life application, let’s consider physical wellness — namely, obesity. Data from England’s National Health Service shows 66% of working adults are overweight or obese. Data on U.S. working adults cites a much smaller percentage (29%), but the problem is evident and growing. Research has shown this health factor affects performance (and feelings of belonging) due to its emotional impact.

Utilizing the SPACE framework:

• Social — Do you and your organization’s people managers recognize and address any uncomfortable banter targeting overweight/obese employees?
• Physical — Is the workspace set up so these workers can comfortably maneuver between desks or workstations? Are their chairs stable and supportive?
• Authority — Do leaders unfairly or illegally stereotype these individuals? Do their actions convey conscious or unconscious bias?
• Custom — For company-supplied treats and team meals, are healthy alternatives/options provided?
• Experiential — If personal protective equipment is required for the job, are different sizes provided to ensure a safe and comfortable fit?

You may not be able to do every part of the framework. At times, more than one option may exist. These prompts, however, are designed to help HR and people leaders effectively consider, identify and mobilize elements that promote belonging and value.

Editor’s Note: Additional Content

For more information and resources related to this article, see the pages below, which offer quick access to all WorldatWork content on these topics:

• Equitable and Diverse Workplaces
• Employee Experience
• Well-Being