A google search for belonging at work will show an extraordinary rise of interest in the topic (four hundred and twenty one million pieces of content at the last count April 2022). A peek inside people and culture strategies of any organisation paying attention to employee engagement will see this small word with big impact throughout documentation outlining plans. We’ve woken up to the reality that belonging means so much more than inclusion or a sense of ‘feel good’ about where we work. Rather, it’s a fundamental to our human experience that has real, visceral impacts that determines the wellbeing, performance, and success of our people.

It seems that the challenges of 2020 are set to continue with vigour in 2021, and the third sector is reeling from its impact. Within these most testing of times, we’ve also seen the light shone brightly on the serious lack of diversity in charities, with story after story revealing the truth of the scale of everyday and systemic racism in our society.

I’ve learned through this work is that very few leaders want to admit there are problems within their organisation. And who can blame them for feeling that way? The saying ‘the buck stops with you’ rings loud in the ears! There’s an inevitable sense of responsibility that comes with the territory. Leadership books have sold the myth that leaders should know how to solve everything. I’ve seen that flash of shame that comes with having to admit that the picture isn’t quite as polished and rosy as they believed, or hoped it was.