What do people want to feel at work? That they belong.

I love conducting employee focus groups.

🤨 Seeing employees switch from skeptical to trusting.

👯‍♀️ Experiencing the bond when two employees have been same experience, but never knew it.

🧩 Helping employees switch from idle frustration/talk to problem-solving.

But, the ultimate reward for me is gaining human insight.

At the end of each focus group, I ask participants to prioritize the topics we discussed. I simply say, “Use this card to anonymously tell me what’s most important out of everything we’ve discussed. Or, let me know if there is something that we haven’t discussed that we should have.”

Out of hundreds of cards that I’ve received over the years, one stands out.

It simply said, “To feel like I belong”.

Upon reading, I pressed the card against my chest. Hoping that my embrace of the card would somehow comfort the person that wrote it.

That moment is so implanted in my mind because it gave me words for how I want people to feel at work. Like they BELONG.

✅ Think we need to increase belonging at work? Ask your team - What are some moments that make you feel like you “belong” here. Then, do those things more.