The Science Of Workplace Belonging: What Google’s Research Reveals About High-Performing Teams

When it comes to understanding how to drive employee motivation, the focus tends to be on initiatives that fall into one of three buckets: compensation, achievement, or recognition.

But it’s important to understand that there’s a more fundamental need that needs to be addressed if we are to drive peak performance in our organization – our need to belong.

How fundamental is this need? Well, neuroscience studies have shown that feeling excluded triggers the same neural pathways as physical pain.

Ironically, this is why we see so much division these days – we’re so desperate to feel a sense of belonging that we’ve narrowed our definition of who belongs and consequently, it’s harder to have this need met. And so, we end up feeling even more alone than we did before.

And to be clear, this isn’t just a societal issue. Google’s Project Aristotle revealed that psychological safety – feeling a sense of belonging where you can question and challenge things without fear – was the single most important factor to creating high-performing teams.

In other words,belonging isn’t just a feel-good measure. It’s a performance multiplier.

Through my work with organizations across Canada, US, Europe, South America, and the Middle East, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern when it comes to leadership effectiveness – teams not only succeed, but thrive when everyone feels like they belong.

And this goes beyond basic inclusion – this is about creating a workplace environment where each employee knows their unique strengths and perspectives are recognized and valued.

The power of simple gestures to create belonging

When I travel to give one of my leadership keynotes or workshops, there are occasions where the organizers will meet with me the day before to take me out to dinner. It’s a nice opportunity for us to bring the familiarity we’ve created online over the previous weeks into the real world.

While I enjoyed each of these social occasions to better connect with the people I’ve been hired to help, there was one dinner in particular that really stands out for me.

It was a dinner filled with such warmth and camaraderie that halfway through the meal, I was joining in on the playful banter. And that playful banter with these leaders continued the next day and throughout the time I spent working with this organization.

Over a short period of time, these leaders had fostered in me this sense of belonging through the simple act of treating me as one of the members of their team.

The fact that they accomplished this not through grand gestures, but through simple and thoughtful efforts reinforces something the late Tony Hseih wrote in his book “Delivering Happiness” about his time as Zappos CEO:

“Remember that at the end of the day it’s not what you say or what you do, but how you make people feel that matters the most.”

Creating a culture of belonging at work

At a time when there’s so much divisiveness and outrage, it can feel almost impossible to create a culture of belonging in today’s workplaces.

But the truth is it doesn’t take elaborate measures or special conditions to engender a sense of belonging. We just have to use our leadership to create workplaces where every employee not only feels seen and heard, but is valued for who they are. 

So how can you nurture this sense of belonging in your team?

As with most things, that journey begins when we use our listening skills to discover and understand what moments and spaces made our employees feel like they were valued? As well as reflecting on our daily actions and asking ourselves – what did we do today to help others feel like they belong?

Use this self-reflection to encourage curiosity and ask questions to understand the different perspectives and experiences of your employees. This is especially true for perspectives that challenge the dominant viewpoint. Remember, belonging doesn’t mean creating consensus – it means knowing your voice will be heard and respected.

And as I shared from my own experiences working with different teams around the world, create opportunities for connection beyond work. This isn’t idle chit-chat, but real, genuine conversations where people share something personal and not generic. This will help team members see each other beyond what they do and as whole individuals.

And finally, model vulnerability to your team by sharing your challenges and areas you want to grow and improve. This opens the door for others to feel safe in sharing their concerns and challenges.

In our complex, increasingly uncertain world, creating a workplace environment where everyone truly belongs is no longer a “nice-to-have”, but a critical element that will drive peak performance and long-term organizational growth.

So let’s not overlook the critical need for genuine connection and a sense of belonging to develop the exceptional teams we’ll need to meet the challenges of today and the opportunities of tomorrow.