Is Inclusion the Same as Belonging?
I consciously felt for the first time the meaning of indirect exclusion.
Many companies are introducing “belonging” into the “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) equation, evolving the acronym to “DEIB” or even “DIB.” However, this raises a critical question:
Are inclusion and belonging truly interchangeable?
Inclusion is the deliberate action taken by individuals or organisations to make everyone feel valued and seen, particularly those historically marginalised. In contrast, belonging is the subjective feeling of being included, which doesn’t necessarily equate to genuine acceptance.
The concept of belonging is multifaceted, often discussed in contradictory ways. Some see it as bringing your authentic self to work, while others believe it involves making everyone, especially employees culturally dominant, comfortable in DEI discussions. I believe that achieving a sense of belonging is a more complex task than achieving inclusion through affirmative actions. Belonging is highly subjective and tends to diversify significantly when intersectionality elements are present.
Therefore, while inclusion may encompass a broad range of individuals within the same group, the sense of belonging varies for each person as well as the outcome of their experiences. From my perspective, intersectionality – the concept that acknowledges how interconnected social categorizations like race, gender, and sexuality can shape one’s identity, and the reasons why this can influence people’s perceptions and their feeling of belonging – has deeply impacted my own experiences. The feeling of belonging to a workplace has been a rare one for me due to these intersecting identities, a trans and neurodivergent individual raised in a disadvantaged environment.
In light of this, it’s essential to highlight how labels can aid DEI teams in more precisely identifying employees’ needs, increasing the likelihood of fostering a genuine sense of belonging.
After a decade of traveling through diverse cultures and unconsciously searching for a sense of belonging, I’ve honed my expertise in recognizing workplaces that truly prioritize diversity and inclusion. Although it’s still not common to find environments where everyone truly feels like they belong, in my experience, workplaces with a higher percentage of diverse individuals in leadership positions tend to be the most inclusive ones. However, workplaces that appear highly inclusive because of a diverse workforce can often be deceptive.
From my direct experience, the most oppressive workplaces that disempowered my diverse identities were exactly where diversity was visible on the frontline (bottom of professional hierarchy) while lacking or almost absent behind the scenes (e.g., decision-making, executives). In my opinion, this scenario might indicate indirect exploitation of vulnerable employees, as their inability to progress in top positions is prevented by cultural barriers and because of a gap between inclusion and belonging.
I like to call it illusive inclusion, because new employees trust the inclusive appearance that lead their recruitment, however, the lack of effective equality, diversity and inclusion’s strategies hinder the ability to feel a sense of belonging and preventing the abilities to succeed and progress.
During a group clinical supervision session, where we discuss our work-related concerns through the guide of a therapist, I had a moment that made me think about the idea of belonging. As my colleagues shared their concerns with our supervisor, it struck me that their issues were quite different from my own.
While sitting in silence, I observed that many of the colleagues who weren’t actively engaging in the session were from marginalised backgrounds.
As a transgender individual, I keenly felt that these colleagues and I shared a unique perspective. It was at this point that I consciously felt for the first time the meaning of indirect exclusion while identifying the therapist’s inability to foster a genuine feeling of belonging among all employees. It was the day when I realized how job losses were directly related to the lack of authentic commitment to diversity and inclusion, resulting from the inability to foster a sense of belonging for all employees.
This experience made it evident that inclusion, although a starting point, wasn’t enough. The therapist should have recognised the lack of participation as a possible result of marginalised experiences and encouraged them to express their different views on work-related concern. It was also exactly when I realised how my loss of jobs and inability to progress, over the years, were mainly marked by the lack of DEIB strategies.
To sum it up, my experience taught me a powerful lesson:
Inclusion is the starting point, but belonging is the emotional glue that makes people feel valued, appreciated, and like a real part of the team. Belonging can’t be measured, but when a workplace genuinely invests in its employees’ well-being and guides them to success, a commitment to inclusion can gradually transform a once tight-knit culture into an open one where everyone is on a journey of growth and discovery, unafraid to embrace their and other’s uniqueness and authenticity.
