Belonging at work

Abstract

Given the growing need for workers to work smart, to maximize efficiency, and to be retained within an employer's workforce, it is important to understand the aspects of the work experience that make it meaningful. This phenomenological research study explored the powerful human feeling of belonging as it was experienced at work. Twelve adults, aged 20 to 80, recounted personal experiences ranging from their first jobs up to working for one company for over 39 years. Many types of work were represented. Based on phenomenological research methodology, a structure (Giorgi 1997) of themes based on participant's experience was identified. The structure of belonging at work was composed of six complex constituents or themes. The strongest sense of belonging that emerged was the discovery of self within a job. There were also elements of being invited and learning to be part of a group. Wanting to be included, learning how to connect and doing meaningful work were also important. There were clear components of acceptance and recognition. Actualization, reflection and their relationships to each other were also apparent. Not-belonging dimensions were also found: fear, rejection and competition. These too were found to be essential to understanding the experience of belonging at work. BackgroundWhat is work like? This article is research into what it was like for people to be at work and how the experience has come to have meaning for them. The ways people experience work and how these experiences become meaningful in their lives can be an important perspective from which to explore issues of Human Resource Development (HRD). Careful phenomenological investigation should lead to significant improvement of understanding experiences at work. Appropriate knowledge of how people experience work could help managers, designers of work, employees and educators improve their efforts. In addition, reflecting on the ways people have found meaning in their work experiences may improve efforts to make more informed decisions about how precious resources, energy and time are spent in organizations. It might help us understand relationship capital or useful social knowledge. Finally, it could help us understand and appreciate better how we learn and grow as adults and how these experiences come to have value in our lives. This study researched how 12 people experienced a specific human emotion within work settings. The question investigated was, 'What is the experience of belonging at work?'

Belonging at work: the experiences, representations and meanings of belonging

“…Gherardi (2017) argues that researchers need to explore materiality as being and belonging, embedded and situated in the social and cultural relationships at work. This is evident in many of the images and texts used by the informants in which belonging was linked to feelings, emotions, learning, participating, connecting and being included (as predicted by McClure and Brown, 2008;Wenger, 2000). Exploring belonging means accounting for belonging with its multitude of meanings and allowing for a wider understanding that includes being and becoming.…”

“…The learning literature, developed from the original contribution of situated learning (Lave and Wenger, 1991), stating that learning is relational and culturally situated in social practices, argues that belonging influences possibilities for being invited to learn, participate, connect and be included (McClure and Brown, 2008). Situated learning revolves around gaining access and achieving full participation through the dual processes of belonging and negotiating meaning in social relationships within a specific social and cultural context (Easterby-Smith and Lyles, 2003;Lave, 1997;Wenger, 2007;Wenger, 2000).…”

Veteran‐civilian career identity conflict: What is human resource development's role?

“…This includes substantive inquiry on human interaction in the work context (Estlund, 2003). The way people experience belonging at work is of particular interest to HRD scholarship (McClure & Brown, 2008). The discipline of HRD has supported the psychological need to belong (Maslow, 1970) as evidenced in many employee work concepts.…”

The Supervisory Role of Life Science Research Faculty: The Missing Link to Diversifying the Academic Workforce?

“…Respect, Recognition, Responsiveness and Responsibility, summarized as "the four Rs" of inclusive leadership (which includes managers and supervisors) positively impacts employee morale, performance, and conduct (60). Employees who experience inclusive leadership best practices report an improved sense of belonging and mental well-being at work, as well as increased feelings of being valued, trusted, and psychologically safe (61)(62)(63). Furthermore, inclusive leadership has been shown to increase overall employee productivity and boost performance in innovation skills valued by organizations, such as employee creativity and the ability to solve problems (64)(65)(66).…”