The Great Resignation, where thousands of people across various sectors and countries have voluntarily left their jobs following the pandemic, has shaken up the world of work. This phenomenon has brought to light a reality that many organizations were previously unaware of: paying salaries and offering job stability is not enough; it’s crucial to cultivate a sense of belonging in the workplace.
What Makes an Employee Feel Part of a Company?
To address these questions, we analyzed over 130,000 reviews on Glassdoor, a platform where employees and former employees anonymously rate their companies. The findings highlight three essential pillars: a positive work environment, growth opportunities, and wellbeing-centered management.
The Work Environment: More Than Just an Aesthetically Pleasing Office
In our research, the most positive comments referred to concepts such as a good work atmosphere, united teams, positive culture, or mutual support. These aspects, though often underestimated, are crucial for making someone feel they belong to a place.
A collaborative environment—where respect, trust, and camaraderie thrive—improves productivity, reduces stress, fosters creativity, and increases engagement. The simple fact that someone feels heard, valued, or part of a strong team directly impacts their satisfaction.
Growth Opportunities: The Driving Force of Commitment
A second significant finding was the importance of professional growth. Both current and former employees highly value learning opportunities, promotions, and career development. Conversely, phrases like “dead-end job” or “no opportunities” frequently appear as reasons for resignation.
Stagnant careers not only frustrate employees but also weaken their emotional bond with the organization. Therefore, offering training programs, promotion paths, or constructive evaluations should not be an extra but a core part of corporate strategy.
Leading from Wellbeing: When Managing Means Caring
The third finding is the significance of management quality. When leadership is perceived as fair, approachable, and competent, people tend to stay. However, if perceptions revolve around poor management, micromanagement, or favoritism, talent drain is inevitable.
This is where “happiness management” comes into play, a increasingly relevant approach in the corporate world. It’s about designing policies and environments where people can develop professionally, emotionally, and socially. Flexible hours, work-life balance programs, recognizing effort, or involvement in decision-making are examples.
The Connection with Social Responsibility
Often, corporate social responsibility is thought to be linked only to environmental issues or external social causes. However, one of its most powerful dimensions is internal: a company’s commitment to the wellbeing of its own people.
Companies promoting internal social initiatives, such as corporate volunteering, equal opportunities, or sustainable practices, positively impact society and generate pride among employees. This shared, lived-experience pride is one of the most powerful forms of a sense of belonging.
What Measures to Take?
- Invest in work environment, from team dynamics to the redesign of physical spaces; the atmosphere matters.
- Offer real growth, not empty promises but personalized professional development plans.
- Train leaders in emotional competencies, communication, and talent management.
- Promote happiness as a strategy: measure wellbeing, detect issues, and act accordingly.
- Practice authentic internal social responsibility: what a company does for its employees speaks as loudly as what it says externally.
Fostering a sense of belonging is not a fleeting trend or a generational whim; it’s a strategic necessity in a labor market where talent chooses where to stay. Companies that understand this will not only retain their top professionals but also build stronger, more human, and sustainable corporate cultures.
- Key Questions and Answers:
- Q: What makes employees feel part of a company?
- A: A positive work environment, growth opportunities, and wellbeing-centered management are crucial.
- Q: What is a positive work environment?
- A: It’s more than just an aesthetically pleasing office; it involves respect, trust, and camaraderie.
- Q: Why are growth opportunities important?
- A: They prevent employee frustration and strengthen the emotional bond with the organization.
- Q: How can management contribute to employee retention?
- A: By being fair, approachable, and competent, and by promoting happiness as a core strategy.
- Q: How does social responsibility impact employee sense of belonging?
- A: Internal social initiatives generate pride among employees, fostering a strong sense of belonging.
- Q: What specific measures can companies take to foster a sense of belonging?
- A: Invest in work environment, offer real growth opportunities, train leaders in emotional competencies, promote happiness as a strategy, and practice authentic social responsibility.
