Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

(Editor’s Note: Today’s article is brought to you by our friends at Achievers, the industry leading employee experience platform. They were recently awarded first place by HRO Today for their customer satisfaction ratings. Congrats to them and enjoy the article!)

As an HR professional, I’m sure I’m not alone in reading the 2024 workplace predictions that come out this time of year. I always like to see if the predictions confirm what I’m seeing in the business world. And for 2024, I’m noticing some common themes.

• Performance and productivity will remain a primary focus.
• HR Technologies, specifically artificial intelligence, will continue to evolve.
• Wellbeing programs will be a key differentiator for organizations. 

And diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) will remain a priority. Which is what I want to talk about today. Specifically, belonging.

I recently got my hands on the Achievers report “The Belonging Blueprint” which talks about everything organizations need to create a culture of belonging. One of the pieces of the report that immediately grabbed my attention was the welcome from Kumari Williams, vice president of belonging and diversity at Workday. I really liked the way that Williams explained how belonging plays a role in the employee experience, performance, and wellbeing.

Belonging is a fundamental human need that plays a crucial role in shaping our overall wellbeing and satisfaction, both in personal and professional contexts. When individuals feel a sense of belonging within their workplace, they are more likely to be happier, healthier, and more productive. Moreover, they tend to stay with the company for longer periods, contributing to increased stability and continuity within the organization.

– Kumari Williams

I continue to hear that one of the reasons that DEIB efforts fail is because organizations spend too much time talking and not enough time doing. I also hear that organizational efforts fail because they are too focused on the “D” (diversity) and not enough on the “B” (belonging). The latest research from Achievers supports that anecdotal feedback. 

• 26% of employees have a strong sense of belonging,
• 43% have a moderate sense, and
• 31% have a low sense of workplace belonging.

Couple these research findings with Williams’ comments about belonging shaping job satisfaction and it makes an instant and important connection. Organizations with a strong sense of belonging will have better employee experiences, better performance and outcomes, and better employee retention. 

5 Pillars of Workplace Belonging

I will admit that building a culture of belonging can be hard. Even if the definition of belonging is easy. Achievers defines it as “an experience of connection, security, and community – feeling at home in one’s place, without reservation”. I like to say that belonging means being able to bring your whole authentic self to work.

In their report, Achievers introduces a Belonging Model with five pillars – welcomed, known, included, supported, and connected. Here’s a brief description of each pillar.

WELCOMED is focused on integrating employees into the organization. This applies to new employees as well as people who are taking on a new role within the same company. Organizations should have structured onboarding programs for new hires and internal mobility.

KNOWN means that employees are recognized as themselves. This doesn’t have to be intrusive about someone’s personal life. One of the first things I think of when it comes to getting to know someone is understanding how they like to work. It reminds me of the concept of a personal user manual. Managers need to learn how employees like to work and be productive. Employees need to learn how their manager likes to work so they can effectively “manage up”.

INCLUDED is exactly that … a person feels that they are included to participate. I recently wrote about the SMARTIE model, which is a variation of the SMART model adding an “I” for inclusion and “E” for equitable. When the organization is making decisions, they need to have the right people in the room. 

SUPPORTED is focused on giving employees the support they need to be successful. This includes tools, training, teamwork, and management support. If organizations want employees to do their best work – and we all know they do – then they need to set employees up for success. Not just when they’re a new hire, but all along the employee experience. 

CONNECTED means that employees are able to build and maintain relationships across the organization. This doesn’t mean that employees have to be besties with everyone. It does mean that employees should feel comfortable interacting with others in the company in terms of feeling psychologically safe to have conversations and share feedback. 

One of the things that I liked in reading the research and learning about the five pillars is how Achievers provided a roadmap to focus on belonging. Because while belonging sounds easy to talk about, it can be challenging to bring it into an existing organizational culture. 

Employees Stay Where They Feel They Belong

Today, I’ve only shared a high-level overview of The Belonging Blueprint report. If you want to learn more, and I hope you do … you can download the full report on the Achievers’ website.

And, Kumari Williams will be chatting with Dr. Natalie Baumgartner, chief workforce scientist at Achievers on Wednesday, December 13, 2024 / 2p Eastern about the report and how organizations can improve belonging in the workplace. I realize the webinar is late notice, so if you’re already booked, sign up anyway to get the recording. 

Creating a strong sense of belonging will give your employees better experiences, better performance and outcomes, and better employee retention. Organizations can bring a diverse group of employees together, but if they don’t make that group feel like they belong, then employees will leave. I know this sounds obvious, but I’ll say it anyway. People don’t want to stay where they don’t feel that they belong. 

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Organizations continue to look for ways to entice employees to return onsite. I saw a headline in The Washington Post a couple of months ago saying “Bosses mean it this time: Return to the office or get a new job!” The article is what you would expect. While organizations would love employees to return to the office full-time, they are demanding that employees return to the office at least some of time. Right now, I think the common request is for employees to spend at least three days a week in the office.

On some level, I’m surprised that this return to onsite work conversation has lasted this long. But I also get it. Organizations don’t want employees to leave. So, they keep asking / pleading for employees to return. 

Meanwhile, employees want the onsite work environment to get better with a focus on their wellbeing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2021 one-way commute to work was 27.6 minutes … an all-time high. So, if employees are going to face increasing commute times, they want to know that the work experience once they get there is going to be good. Honestly, how many people would drive for almost a half-hour only to be treated poorly for eight hours and then spend another half-hour going home? We wouldn’t do it in our personal lives, so why do it in our professional life?

However, a better work experience isn’t all about pizza parties and game tables. It’s about creating a work environment where employees feel safe and secure. 

Work Is a Contributor to Wellbeing

Employees aren’t afraid of hard work. But they want to work someplace that acknowledges that work and puts programs in place to help when things get tough. Make the onsite work environment a place where employees can do the work and maintain their wellbeing. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be tough days. But if the number of tough days outnumbers the rest, then organizations need to ask themselves some hard questions. 

Wellbeing Programs: Are Organizations Addressing the Cause

Organizations can promote wellness and wellbeing programs all day long, but if the company’s practices don’t support them, then employees will understand that the programs are simply for show. And the whole reason the program is being implemented (i.e., to help employees do their best work) will not materialize. Because employees will look for organizations that not only create programs but support them. 

Workplace Violence Prevention Resources

Organizations need to have policies with zero tolerance for workplace violence. They need to educate employees on what to do if they are subject to or witness workplace violence. Human resources departments should be trained on how to properly investigate workplace violence concerns. And the organization needs to be prepared to act to prevent incidents and also deal with them if they happen. 

Creating a Workplace First Responder Team

Hopefully, organizations create workplace first responder teams and never have to use them because they never have an incident. But I’m not sure that’s practical thinking. The time to think about emergency response is before you have an emergency.   

I’m not opposed to having fun at work. That being said, organizations need to also think about the safety and wellbeing of their employees. I believe employees can have fun when they know the workplace is safe. 

As organizations discuss the benefits of onsite work, don’t forget to talk about workplace safety and wellbeing. Make the onsite work experience worth the commute. 

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Tampa, FL

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According to a 2020 survey published on Psychology Today, about 1 in 6 people are active journalers. Journaling can have a positive impact on our overall wellbeing. I’ve written in the past about how journaling can be helpful in your career development. 

I’ve journaled a handful of times in my life: when I was recovering from my car accident, my first year as a consultant, and most recently during the pandemic. I found the practice very useful. But then I saw an article on Austin Kleon’s blog titled “The Importance of Revisiting Notebooks” and it made me wonder. Because I never went back and revisited those journals. 

I don’t want to imply that anyone might be doing journaling wrong if they don’t go back and revisit their old journals. The article did make me wonder though if I wasn’t getting the full benefit. This started a project for me about how to make the most out of journaling. Which is how I discovered commonplace books.

A commonplace book is a way to compile knowledge. They date back to the 19^th Century. People like Leonardo da Vinci, Henry David Thoreau, and Virginia Woolf have been known to keep commonplace books. 

This article in The New York Times Magazine did a great job of summing up a commonplace book. They’re like a diary without the risk of annoying yourself. Commonplace books are a place to keep quotes, lines from books and songs, or pictures that just speak to you. Austin Kleon, who started me down this rabbit hole in the first place, had a nice read titled “Inside my commonplace diary”. 

The best way for me to describe the difference between journals and commonplace books is that journals contain our thoughts and commonplace books contain external stimuli. That’s when it hit me. Maybe what my journaling practice was missing was the outside world. So, in an act of rebellion, I decided to merge my journaling with a commonplace book. Here are two things I learned. 

It’s very easy (and relatively inexpensive) to start. I didn’t buy a fancy journal or book to start this project. You know all those free notebooks we get at conferences? I grabbed one of those. I figured if I really get into it, then I can decide later if I want something more.

When I want to journal, I do. And when I want to remember something that I’ve seen or heard, I make note of that too. Sometimes they are related. I might see a quote that I want to remember and make a note of why I want to remember it.    

I’ve been using this combination journal / commonplace book approach for a few months, and I must say I’m enjoying it. I also find myself occasionally revisiting what I’ve written … which is what prompted this project in the first place. 

If you’re looking for a way to add something new to your journaling practice, I hope you find this helpful. And if you were trying to figure out if journaling is for you … maybe researching commonplace books makes sense. There are no rules. Ultimately, it’s about finding the right combination of things for you. Because when it works for you … then it works. And that’s what is important. 

Image from Sharlyn Lauby’s latest graphic t-shirt from TeePublic 

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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

A mixtape is defined as a compilation of music, typically from a variety of artists. It’s not dramatically different from a playlist, except that a playlist is typically digital, and a mixtape is a physical copy like a CD or old school cassette tape. 

The reason I’m talking about mixtapes today is because I listened to RuPaul’s MasterClass on authenticity and self-expression, and he mentioned that his goal was for the MasterClass to become someone’s mixtape. I took that to mean bringing together a list of takeaways that you could use in the future. And honestly, I can say after hearing his MasterClass that my list of takeaways is something that I might like to have on a card or in a journal and refer to them frequently. 

Just in case you’re not familiar with RuPaul, he is a drag queen and produces, hosts, and judges the reality competition RuPaul’s Drag Race. The show has won 12 Emmy Awards, 3 GLAAD Media Awards, a Critics’ Choice Award, 2 Billboard Music Awards, and a Tony Award. In addition to his work on Drag Race, RuPaul is an active supporter of voter registration and started an initiative called Drag Out the Vote. 

While RuPaul’s MasterClass was focused on authenticity and self-expression, I thought many of the key takeaways could relate to our careers. Then when I heard the comment about mixtape, it hit me that we should consider maybe having a career mixtape. Maybe not literally – although that could be fun – but figurately from the standpoint of constantly reminding ourselves to stay focused on what matters in our personal and professional lives. 

Be true to yourself. RuPaul called it “finding your frequency”. I believe it can take time to figure out the many facets of ourselves. And once we do that, it doesn’t mean we won’t ever change. Being true to ourselves is a never-ending process. And part of career success is being able to stay true to ourselves in our work. Think of it like staying true to your values. 

Take care of yourself. Some of this is tied to the previous takeaway (be true to yourself). Don’t be afraid to prioritize your personal wellness and wellbeing. It does mean learning the best way to take care of you. For example, how much sleep do you need to be at your best? What’s your optimal morning routine? If you want to do your best work, you need to take care of yourself.  

Find your supporters. You can call this group your personal board of directors or your network. Bottom-line? Find people who will support you. That doesn’t mean that the role of a supporter is to say “yes” to everything you do. Sometimes we need our supporters to say, “Are you sure you want to do that?”. Or “Maybe you should do some more research …”. 

Figure out how to reground yourself. We all make mistakes and have setbacks – in both our personal and professional lives. Know what you need to do when that happens to get yourself back on track. Learn how to forgive yourself, take those lessons learned and apply them to the future. You will not be able to grow your career if you’re unable to manage your mistakes. 

Find a mentor. Then be a mentor. One of the things that RuPaul talked about was the appreciation he had for the people who mentored him throughout his career. And because he had such great mentors that he felt it was important to mentor others. Whether you are a mentor or a mentee, mentoring can have a huge positive impact on your career. 

Some of you might be wondering if RuPaul talked about drag and dressing in drag and wearing makeup.  The answer is yes. What was fascinating to me about the conversation was the emphasis on practice. And we need to do that in our careers. If we want to stay relevant, we need to learn new things. And to learn new things, we need to practice. 

Like Malala Yousafzai’s MasterClass, RuPaul had conversations with other people. He chatted with people that he has been working with for decades. Think about that in the context of your career. Are you building long-lasting professional relationships? Relationship building is a core competency for human resources professionals. Is it time to prioritize reaching out to our colleagues – not to ask for something – but to catch up and find out how they’re doing? 

In addition, while RuPaul and his guests were chatting, it was also interesting to see how they weren’t always agreeing with each other. But they were laughing and talking about how what works for RuPaul is good for him and what works for someone else is good for them. It reminds me of the takeaway about finding your supporters. 

As we’re approaching the New Year, does it make some sense to think about a list of career-related things you want to remember. I’m hesitant to say career goals, because it’s not about making resolutions. Sometimes we just need a reminder to focus and do something. Create a career mixtape for yourself and leave it in a familiar place so when you need to open that book it’s right there. And it keeps you focused.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby

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Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

(Editor’s Note: A huge thank you to Carrie Cherveny, senior vice president of strategic client solutions at HUB International, and Eric Peterson MSOD, an educator and speaker on inclusion and diversity for their help with this article. I was looking for resources and asked for some assistance which was very much appreciated.)

Over the past week, a war has started in Israel and Gaza. And there is still a war going on in Ukraine. Today’s article isn’t to talk about how these wars started and what’s currently happening. I want to take a moment to talk about employees and their needs during conflict. 

Our workplaces are diverse. We have individuals of all religions, including non-religious believers, in our workforce. And even if someone doesn’t speak about their beliefs, it doesn’t mean they don’t have them. It’s possible organizations have employees with family in a war zone or close to a war zone. Employees might be worried, distracted, and possibly angry about what’s going on. 

Employees might be wondering if there’s something they can do to help. So, I wanted to share some resources that could be helpful. Please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list. 

INTERNAL PROGRAMS

If your organization has an employee assistance program (EAP), wellbeing programs, or mental health benefits, employees might want to utilize those programs. HR departments should be regularly reminding employees about these benefits because employees might be too conflicted to come to HR and ask about how to use them. 

In addition to internal programs, organizations need to be aware that employees might encounter workplace conflict and harassment. Alex Alonso, chief knowledge officer at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), wrote a book titled “Talking Taboo: Making the Most of Polarizing Discussions at Work” that might be insightful and helpful at this time. 

Speaking of SHRM, if you’re a member, you have access to Express Requests. This is a section of the SHRM website where their knowledge advisors curate information about a specific subject. SHRM does have an express request available on the Israel – Hamas War. Be sure to check it out.

Also, Eric B. Meyer, an employment attorney with the firm of Fisher Broyles, published an article on “5 Fantastic Resources to Help Your Business Address Antisemitism in the Workplace”. Eric has been writing about how the events in Israel might impact the workplace, so if you’re not already following his work, check out his blog “The Employer Handbook”. 

HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS

Several community- and faith-based organizations have indicated that they will be trying to help the victims of the attacks. Time published an article titled “How to Help Victims of the Israel – Hamas War” that includes a list of organizations offering support including the Alliance for Middle East Peace, The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, The Red Cross, and Save the Children.

It’s also possible that your local community- and faith-based groups are trying to help as well. For instance, your local synagogue, Jewish Community Center, mosque, Islamic Community Center, and / or church.

One more thing. There’s a lot of information being circulated via the internet and social media. I’ve already seen misinformation being shared and I’m sure you have too. Now is a good time to remind ourselves that “Media Literacy is a Business Competency” and be alert to online information. This is one more way that we can be supportive during this time of conflict.

As a human resources professional, I know that sometimes employees are reluctant to share that they’re hurting. And when I say employees, I mean employees at every level. Sometimes an executive might feel they have to “stay strong” for the team. If you know of a resource that would be helpful to the HR community during this time of conflict, please share it in the comments. Having a list of resources available can be helpful. You don’t have to wait until someone asks. Just bookmark the page in case you need it.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while at the Wynwood Art District in Miami, FL

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Today’s article is about two definitions. 

Introvert means a person who prefers calm environments, limits social engagement, or embraces a greater than average preference for solitude. I’ve always thought of an introvert as someone who gets their energy from being quiet or having time to themselves.  

Extrovert means having a disposition that is energized through social engagement and languishes in solitude. So in contrast to introverts, extroverts get their energy from being with people in teams or on group activities. 

The reason I’m bringing up extroverts and introverts is because I recently participated in a meeting where someone got these definitions wrong. And on top of that, they implied that being an extrovert is better than being an introvert because you have to be outgoing and gregarious in order to be successful. 

I believe we need to be careful when attaching labels to people, even labels like extrovert and introvert. Because the truth is we’re a little bit of both. We might find that we gravitate toward one or the other at home versus at work. Or we tend to feel one way around certain groups and differently in others. 

In fact, it’s possible if we would self-identify as an extrovert that maybe we’re working through a challenge and deliberately focused on introverted qualities like a calm environment and spending time alone. The reverse could also be true. An individual who self-identifies as an introvert might be in a new role and trying to build new work friendships by spending more time with others. 

Organizations need employees to have both introvert and extrovert qualities. Teams need both as well. As individuals, we know our preferences. That being said, as individuals we should be willing to share our preferences and occasionally flex to meet the needs of the situation. And if we’re on the receiving end – meaning that someone is asking us to give them space or asking to be included with the group – we need to figure out how to respect them.

The meeting I was in recently reminded me of a few things. 

1. Know the meaning of the words you use. 
2. No one is 100% introvert or extrovert. We have a bit of both. 
3. While we know our preferences, there might be times when we need to flex. 
4. We need to respect the preferences of others. 

As organizations spend more time talking about returning to the office and the benefits of collaboration, knowing what extrovert and introvert mean will become incredibly important.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Havana, Cuba

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

I realize that no one wants to talk about COVID. But let’s talk about it anyway. Because people are still getting COVID and COVID is still extremely contagious. Today’s article isn’t about masks, even though I’m starting to see more people wearing them. It’s also not about vaccines, even though they were recently approved for distribution. 

Organizations want employees to return to the office. I understand that. I’m not here today to talk about whether organizations should demand that employees return to the office. 

I wanted to have a chat about COVID today because we’re seeing an increasing number of articles on the subject. So, let’s talk about the likely scenario that an employee or group of employees might call in one day and say they can’t come to work because they have COVID. Hopefully, it never happens. But I do believe organizations should have a COVID plan ready. 

Back when the pandemic first happened, we spent a lot of time saying, “I don’t know.” And “We’ve never dealt this this before.” It was true. This was totally unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. But now, over three years later, I’m not sure we can still say that. Organizations should have a plan and be prepared to use it. If an organization doesn’t have a plan, I could see an employee saying to themselves, “Really?! After everything we’ve been through?! You didn’t think this could happen?!”. 

Again, this is one of those situations where it makes sense to have a plan and if you never use it … all the better. Here are a few things to think about:

Is your workplace doing things to mitigate and prevent the spread of COVID? There’s information on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration website. It might make some sense to refamiliarize everyone with this information. 

How will the company handle a call from an employee or group of employees who say they contracted COVID? Not just the sick pay, but how will the operation function? For example, if you have a handful of salespeople attend a conference and they all come back with COVID, what will you do?

If an employee calls in and says a family member has tested positive, what does that mean in terms of the employee coming into the office? On one hand, the employee doesn’t have COVID. On the other, COVID is still very contagious. 

These are just a few questions that the organization needs to ask. I’m confident there will be more. And I’m not an attorney so it might make good business sense to call your legal counsel and find out their thoughts. It’s better to have this conversation proactively than reactively. Also, so much has happened over the past few years, I don’t know if the actions we took back when the pandemic started are the same actions we would take today. That’s why seeking the knowledge of others is critical. 

Organizations want to know that they will be able to operate their business safely. Employees want to know that they work in a safe environment. Right now, there are no predictions that we’re going to see caseloads at peak pandemic levels. But that doesn’t mean with everyone coming back to the office that there won’t be times when more than the usual number of employees might be out with COVID. So, make a plan. Have it ready.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Austin, TX

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