• Rediscovering the sense of belonging in social research: A new survey measure: Lena Walther, Jannes Jacobsen & Lukas M. Fuchs
    • Social integration and participation cannot be conceived of without a “sense of belonging”, but so far there has been no instrument that is suitable to measure this important social concept. The authors of a new validation study introduced an emotion-centered survey instrument with important applications to the analysis of marginalization, unemployment, gentrification, migration, and the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on social disintegration and isolation.
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  • The Science Behind Our Need to Belong: Kelly Ann Allen, PhD

    • “Researchers can use the need to belong to build human motivation and action theories. The human mind has a primary and almost universal desire to form and keep relationships with others. The need to belong may well be considered important and has been discussed alongside other human needs in the history of psychological research (e.g., Glasser/Maslow: food and water; Freud: sex and aggression)….Most of the earlier findings around belonging haven’t changed. People need to feel a sense of belonging. In fact, Baumeister suggested that a sense of belonging may be even more important than having an intimate relationship.”

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  • The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation: Roy Baumeister & Mark Leary

    • Belongingness appears to have multiple and strong effects on emotional patterns and on cognitive processes. Lack of attachments is linked to a variety of ill effects on health, adjustment, and well-being. Other evidence, such as that concerning satiation, substitution, and behavioral consequences, is likewise consistent with the hypothesized motivation. Several seeming counterexamples turned out not to disconfirm the hypothesis. Existing evidence supports the hypothesis that the need to belong is a powerful, fundamental, and extremely pervasive motivation.
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  • The Value of Belonging at Work, Harvard Business Journal: by Evan Carr, Andrew Reece, Gabriella Rosen Kellerman, Alexi Robichaux
    • Social belonging is a fundamental human need, hardwired into our DNA. And yet, 40% of people say that they feel isolated at work, and the result has been lower organizational commitment and engagement. U.S. businesses spend nearly $8 billion each year on diversity and inclusion (D&I) trainings that miss the mark because they neglect our need to feel included. Recent research from Better up shows that if workers feel like they belong, companies reap substantial bottom-line benefits: better job performance, lower turnover risk, and fewer sick days. Experiments show that individuals coping with left-out feelings can prevent them by gaining perspective from others, mentoring those in a similar condition, and thinking of strategies for improving the situation. For team leaders and colleagues who want to help others feel included, serving as a fair-minded ally — someone who treats everyone equally — can offer protection to buffer the exclusionary behavior of others.
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  • How Any Business Can create A Culture of Belonging in the Workplace: Deborah Sweeney
    • According to research by Coqual, a nonprofit think tank, as sense of belonging at work is rooted in four elements: 1) being seen for your unique contributions; 2) connected to your coworkers; 3) supported in your daily work and career development; and 4) proud of your organization’s values and purpose.
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  • The Power of Belonging: What It Is and Why It Matters in Today’s Workplace: Coqual

    • At a time when COVID, economic fallout, and social uprising have magnified inequalities in American society, this research calls upon leaders to support and empower their employees by creating workplace cultures where employees are seen, connected, supported, and proud. A strong culture of belonging is a win-win for employer and employee. This report guides the way.
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  • Business-unit-level relationship between employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and business outcomes: A meta-analysis.: James Harter, Frank Schmidt, Theodore Hayes

    • Based on 7,939 business units in 36 companies, this study used meta-analysis to examine the relationship at the business-unit level between employee satisfaction-engagement and the business-unit outcomes of customer satisfaction, productivity, profit, employee turnover, and accidents. Generalizable relationships large enough to have substantial practical value were found between unit-level employee satisfaction-engagement and these business-unit outcomes. One implication is that changes in management practices that increase employee satisfaction may increase business-unit outcomes, including profit.
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  • Interactive Effects of Personality and Perceptions of the Work Situation on Workplace Deviance: Amy Colbert, James Harter, Michael Mount, L.A. Witt, Murray Barrick

    • In this study, the authors focused on the joint relationship of personality and perceptions of the work situation with deviant behavior. Using 4 samples of employees and multiple operationalizations of the core constructs, the authors found support for the hypothesis that positive perceptions of the work situation are negatively related to workplace deviance. In addition, consistent with hypotheses, the personality traits of conscientiousness, emotional stability, and agreeableness moderated this relationship. Specifically, the relationship between perceptions of the developmental environment and organizational deviance was stronger for employees low in conscientiousness or emotional stability, and the relationship between perceived organizational support and interpersonal deviance was stronger for employees low in agreeableness