When people feel they belong, they stay longer, perform better, and contribute more fully.
Lorenzo “Zo” Jones, Vice President of Culture and Engagement, has spent over two decades working at the intersection of people strategy and business success, helping organizations build cultures where employees don’t just work, they thrive. Most organizations treat belonging as an HR initiative when it should function as a strategic advantage, driving measurable outcomes.
Jones firmly believes that building belonging requires starting with psychological safety, building equity into systems, and making inclusion a leadership competency evaluated and held accountable.
Starting With Psychological Safety
Belonging begins with safety. Specifically, psychological safety is the feeling that people have to speak up, offer new ideas, or challenge the status quo without fear of judgment or retaliation.
“Leaders can foster this by modeling vulnerability, admitting mistakes, asking for input, and responding with curiosity rather than criticism,” Jones explains. “When people see that risk-taking is rewarded, engagement and innovation follow.”
Most organizations claim to value innovation and new ideas. Leaders say they want people to challenge assumptions, surface problems early, and propose better approaches. But when employees actually do these things, they face subtle punishment, questions framed as challenges to their judgment, ideas dismissed without consideration, and concerns interpreted as negativity.
This disconnect between stated values and actual response creates environments where people learn to stay quiet. They stop surfacing problems until crises force attention. They stop proposing ideas that might face resistance. They stop challenging decisions even when they see flaws.
Psychological safety changes this by making it genuinely safe to take interpersonal risks. Leaders model vulnerability by admitting mistakes publicly, showing that imperfection is acceptable. They ask for input and actually use it, demonstrating that contribution matters. They respond with curiosity rather than criticism when people challenge assumptions, signaling that productive disagreement strengthens decisions.
Building Equity Into Systems
Belonging doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built into the structure through equity audits.
“Who gets promoted? Who gets stretch projects? Who’s in the room when decisions are made?” Jones asks. “Create transparent processes for advancement and feedback. Train managers to identify and interrupt bias. Equity isn’t just about fairness, it’s about access to opportunity.”
Most organizations approach equity through policies that prohibit discrimination and training that raises awareness about bias. These create baseline compliance without addressing the systemic patterns that determine who actually advances.
Building equity into systems requires auditing outcomes. Who gets promoted reveals whether advancement criteria favor certain backgrounds, communication styles, or networks. Who gets stretch projects shows whether development opportunities are distributed equitably or concentrated among people already advantaged. Who’s in decision-making rooms indicates whether influence comes from contribution or proximity to power.
Transparent processes for advancement and feedback make criteria visible so people understand what success requires and can hold organizations accountable when outcomes show patterns.
Equity isn’t just about fairness; it’s about access to opportunity. When advancement criteria favor people who already have advantages, organizations lose talent from people who could contribute but don’t fit traditional patterns.
Making Inclusion a Leadership Competency
Inclusion should be treated as a core leadership skill, like strategy or decision-making.
“Leaders must be evaluated, coached, and held accountable for how well they include others,” Jones explains. “That includes recognizing and valuing different communication styles, ensuring all voices are heard in meetings, and actively sponsoring diverse talent. It’s not extra, it’s essential.”
Most organizations treat inclusion as a soft skill. Leaders get evaluated on financial results and strategy. Inclusion appears in values statements, but doesn’t determine who gets promoted.
Making inclusion a leadership competency means holding leaders accountable for how well they include others, recognizing different communication styles, ensuring all voices are heard, not just the loudest, and actively sponsoring diverse talent.
Creating Space Where People Feel Safe, Seen, and Valued
“Belonging is not a nice-to-have,” Jones concludes. “It’s the foundation of high-performing, resilient organizations. When people feel they belong, they stay longer, perform better, and contribute more fully. Start where you are. Have the conversation, ask the hard questions, lead with heart. When you create space where people feel safe, seen, and valued, everyone wins.”
When you create space where people feel safe, seen, and valued, engagement and innovation follow. Teams stay longer, perform better, and contribute more fully.
Connect with Lorenzo “Zo” Jones on LinkedIn for insights on building cultures of belonging in the workplace.
