“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
~Peter Drucker
In our Bringing Belonging to Work webinar series, the second session—“Belonging Is the Outcome, Not a Strategy”—invited participants to look honestly at their workplace culture. What do people actually experience day to day? How do they describe what it feels like to work there?
Workplace culture is not what’s written in the mission statement. It’s what people do and say when no one’s watching. Belonging doesn’t just happen because it’s written into your values. It’s the result of consistent, intentional effort. To achieve belonging as an outcome, we have to put in the work.
In this issue of The Belonging Brief, we:
In any workplace, people come together from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. That’s part of what makes collaboration and culture meaningful.
At the same time, colleagues are connected through a shared organizational mission and vision. We don’t all have to hold the same beliefs to work toward the same goal. As Adam Grant puts it:
Beliefs are deeply personal and often tied to our identities. They help shape how we see the world. But in the workplace, our focus should not be to change anyone’s beliefs. We should connect around shared values that guide how we show up for one another and for our mission.
Values like respect, kindness, accountability, and community are what help us collaborate effectively, even when we see things differently. If our values (and values-driven behaviors) are clearly defined, they give us a common language for how we treat each other and pursue our shared goals.
It can be worthwhile to reflect on our values as a team. What does my culture tell me about this value? What does living into it look like for me? What behaviors align with this value? Here’s a great next step for letting shared values shape your workplace culture.
We may hold different beliefs, but we can always choose to act in ways that affirm each other’s dignity and humanity. That choice is what strengthens belonging for all.
Belonging starts with understanding where your organization is today.
To build a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued, you first need to know how people experience it right now. The AmazeWorks Culture & Climate Survey helps organizations take an honest look at how people experience their workplace.
Designed around our Conditions for Belonging, this survey gathers honest, organization-wide feedback about how employees experience their work environment. It invites reflection on questions like:
The results give you a starting point for meaningful culture change, helping you align your values with your daily practices and policies. AmazeWorks can help you interpret the data, facilitate conversations, and design next steps that strengthen belonging across every level of your organization.
📩 Interested in getting started? Reach out to our team to learn how a Culture & Climate Survey can help you measure what matters most.
There’s a common misconception that DEI only benefits people with marginalized identities. The reality is that we ALL benefit from creating cultures of belonging. And the data proves it.
Paradigm, a workplace inclusion firm, helps organizations assess and strengthen their culture. In one company’s climate assessments, they found that White and non-LGBTQ+ employees reported higher levels of belonging than their Black and LGBTQ+ colleagues.
When they discovered their starting point, they were able to take action. They implemented strategies to improve belonging for those who felt least included. Within one year, every single group—including those who already felt high belonging—reported an increased sense of belonging by an average of 7 percentage points.
Another example of this is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which mandated wheelchair access and led to more ramps, elevators, and automatic doors. These accessibility improvements were designed for people with disabilities, but they ended up benefiting everyone: parents pushing strollers, travelers with luggage, and delivery drivers alike.
When we focus on equity and belonging for those most impacted by exclusion, we improve experiences for everyone.
Belonging doesn’t happen automatically, even with the best strategies. While leaders play a key role, culture is made by everyone in it. Each interaction, choice, and conversation shapes the experience of belonging.
Leaders can do everything within their power to support someone. And sometimes, they’ll need more than what one person (or one workplace) can give.
That’s not a failure or an excuse. It’s the reality of building a living, evolving culture.
Be patient with the process. Be clear about your strategy. And remember: the work of belonging is never “done.” It’s lived, one interaction at a time.