Diversity, inclusion & belonging are key to successful teams & organisations
Diversity, inclusion & belonging are key to successful teams & organisations
Published 1 February, 2020
The danger with studying genders is stating the obvious.
Richard Smith
Former Professor of Strategic Management and Deputy Dean (Programmes) of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business
In brief
- Inclusion and belonging are two sides of the same coin. Inclusion happens at the organisational level and refers to the degree individuals are included in an organisation, not just casually saying everybody is invited, but rather taking into account the values and differences of those people. Belonging on the other hand, happens on the individuals' side and refers to the degree of affiliation someone has with a team or others.
- As diversity increased in more male-dominated firms, the more men became uncomfortable. However, firms that were able to create diversity and address the adverse reaction to it were able to fully reap the benefits of inclusivity.
- The three recommendations that business leaders can take to build an inclusive workplace with a sense of belonging are to 1) address hygiene issues, 2) address diversity by taking a personal and proactive stance on creating an inclusive environment, 3) to reward leaders for taking action on diversity.
How does closing the gender gap within organisations in Asian countries impact overall company performance? Are employees more productive, or less, with a sense of belonging to the workplace? In this podcast, Professor Smith discusses the key findings of his research conducted in collaboration with consultancy group Great Place to Work Institute Singapore.
Building on research conducted in 2018 on the clear and positive link between high levels of psychological safety and a strong teamwork culture, Richard Smith, Professor of Strategic Management and Deputy Dean (Programmes) at the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, has now dug deeper by focusing on diversity.
How does closing the gender gap within organisations in Asian countries impact overall company performance? Are employees more productive, or less, with a sense of belonging to the workplace?
In this podcast, Professor Smith discusses the key findings of his research conducted in collaboration with consultancy group Great Place to Work Institute Singapore. The rigorous study, one of the largest in Asia to highlight gender differences, surveyed over 400,000 employees from more than 800 organisations located across eight countries in the Asia Pacific.
Additional information for reference:
- 2019 Asia Insights Report and Singapore Best Workplaces Scorecard
- More research reports by Great Place To Work are available for download here.