008. Moving Beyond Diversity & Inclusion to Belonging

Diversity encompasses specific individual demographics and traits; whereas inclusion centers on how well we embrace, accept, and remove barriers to give everyone an equal chance at success. In today’s workforce many people desire more than diversity and inclusion, they are searching for belonging. According to a recent LinkedIn survey* of 6,000 global professionals, it indicated that the following actions lead to a culture of belonging: 1) being recognized for accomplishments - 59% 2) having opportunities to express opinions freely – 51%, and 3) feeling that their contributions in meetings are valued – 50%. Yet, why do some employers fall short by focusing on one or two aspects of diversity? True inclusion happens at the intersection of diversity and belonging. In the words of the late Kofi Anan, “We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.”