Have you ever had top talent walk out on their job because they didn’t feel part of the team? You might not be alone. Figures suggest that as many as 40% of staff feel isolated while at work.
In this article, we are going to look deeper into fostering a sense of belonging in your team through your HR process to improve employee retention.
Why does employee belonging matter in the HR process
A need to feel a sense of belonging is inherent in all of us, whether it is stimulated by social, or situational environments and materials.
At work, we yearn to be part of something bigger than our role and we dislike boundaries that stop us from engaging and participating in a way that makes us feel valued (Journal of Workplace Learning, article 3 April 2019. Belonging at work: the experiences, representations and meanings of belonging by Cathrine Filstad, Laura E.M. Traavik, Mara Gorli).
When as employees, we feel belonging, we are more engaged, motivated, productive and confident.
Yet 40% of US staff felt physically and emotionally isolated at work in 2018, according to a study by Cigna - a feeling mirrored across the world experts say. It seems we simply aren’t doing enough to retain staff within our HR processes and company cultures.
Covid 19 made this situation worse for some, as lockdowns and remote work magnified the sense of disconnect. As we return to a more hybrid workspace it feels more important than ever to operate an inclusive and more mindful HR function.
When employees feel a strong sense of belonging we see a
● 56% increase in job performance
● 50% drop in employee churn rates
● 75% reduction in sick leave
For a 10,000-strong workforce this looks like as much as US$ 52 million in business savings, according to an article in the Harvard Business Review.
How to foster employee belonging with great HR processes
Part of our job as HR managers is to provide employees with the tools they need to do their jobs, the other part, which is incredibly important, is to foster a sense of belonging. Here at mselect we created a checklist of concepts to include in your HR function.
1. HR process mapping: demonstrate care through the employee journey map
More and more businesses are moving their core HR functions online, something we offer to clients at mselect. With this comes a need to revisit HR process mapping to make sure that a system build is fit for purpose.
What is HR process mapping? HR process mapping is an illustrative way of planning the steps in your HR flow of processes (a workflow chart if you like).
Your HR process flow must include a guide to the employee journey.