I recently had an experience that lifted my spirits. It wasn’t a real big deal but has caused me to pause and wonder why. My husband and I belong to a mega church with several services, so at worship on any given Sunday, we might not see anyone we know. But we are also a part of a small study group that connects us to the larger church. This past Sunday, my husband and I were delighted to actually see, and have the chance to speak with, several members of our study group who were attending the same worship service. That sense of connectedness or belonging that I experienced by seeing others I know is what boosted my happiness – that day and the next.
Humans need to belong – as a matter of fact, belonging is a key contributor to our health, happiness, and our social and emotional wellbeing. Positive effects of a sense of belonging include a greater capacity to manage stress when it occurs, resilience in difficult times, improved physical health and reduced experience of depression and anxiety. Maslow felt that belonging was of such importance that in his hierarchy of needs he placed belongingness just above physiological and safety needs.
Workplace research has connected a sense of belonging with employee engagement, longevity in the job, and a willingness to help others also achieve a sense of belonging. A sense of belonging in the workplace can be accomplished when employees feel that the work they do is valued, makes a difference and contributes to the overall team or organization. Stated another way, employees perform best when they are appreciated, comfortable and feel like they belong.
By contrast, loss of belonging has been associated with stress, illness and decreased wellbeing, with a strong linkage to depression. Some organizational psychologists have noted that if a sense of belonging is missing from the workplace, negative talk and complaining will fill the void, creating an atmosphere of fear and resentment. Social isolation and the lack of belonging have been found to be key factors in workplace burnout – and contributes to attrition.
How is your company addressing the issues of belonging and employee sense of well being? Fostering a work culture that allows people to feel that they can be themselves, where their work is meaningful for them personally, where they are accepted and appreciated for who they are, will give you the motivated, cohesive and highly engaged team you are wanting to create.
At Talencio, we have a strong sense of purpose and belonging: we are part of the life sciences community and we specialize in meeting the staffing needs in that sector. We network with the executives and human resources staff of the life science companies we serve, and we network with our talented colleagues – the knowledge experts with the skills to help get the job done. We know that overworked employees cannot put forth their best efforts and may feel under-appreciated. So we seek to assist by providing creative staffing solutions to support in-house employees and prevent attrition.
To learn more about how other life science companies have partnered with us to overcome hurdles and capacity issues, contact us directly at 612.703.4236 or email to: pnorbom@talencio.com. Talencio, LLC is the preferred provider of vetted, accomplished professionals to the Life Sciences community.
Resources:
http://coachlinda.com/creating-sense-of-belonging-is-keep-to-employee-engagement/
http://www.arpitha.com/services/retention-and-belongingness-survey
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/hierarchy-needs-employees-20121.html
http://www.herdwisdom.com/blog/create-a-sense-of-belonging-for-employees/
http://www.motivation-and-self-improvement-guide.com/employee-motivation.html