This week I had the chance to present to a virtual room full of communicators at the first IABC Emena Connect event after summer. I presented my framework on belonging at work with a focus on how it can be used to retain talent.
Workplace belonging is a powerful concept that can greatly affect an organization’s performance. A high level of sense of belonging at work can significantly boost job performance, reduce turnover risk, and decrease employee sick days (BetterUp, 2021).
The ACES framework for belonging at work
The ACES framework, which stands for Authenticity, Care, Empowerment, and Support, is a practical approach to fostering belonging at work. It emphasizes the importance of employees’ ability to be themselves at work (Authenticity), the need for employees to feel valued and important (Care), the vital role of enabling employees to contribute meaningfully to the team (Empowerment), and the significance of employees feeling seen and heard in their work environment (Support).
Each element of the framework speaks to the definition of belonging which developed during my interviews:
Synopsis video
For a sense of the presentation, check out the synopsis video below. Make sure to watch until the end for a discount code for the upcoming belonging workshop in January!
Click here to play with musicWhat’s next?
A full workshop on this topic is planned for January 2024. For more workshop options on belonging at work, visit this page.
