How Do We Measure Inclusion?

As leaders, we spend a lot of time thinking about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Of these three important concepts, inclusion is the most elusive – both to understand and to quantify. Ultimately, inclusion is a set of practices – it is the things we do. Therefore, to measure inclusion, we must examine both how well we execute on those practices and their outcome: our employees’ feelings of belonging.

It is widely agreed that we are facing a crisis of belonging in modern society. According to HBR, nearly “40% of people say that they feel isolated at work, and the result has been lower organizational commitment and engagement.” Recent Workhuman^® research indicates that almost a third of the U.S. working population have felt lonely during the workday.

Boosting belonging provides a better employee experience, and it encourages collaboration and trust, which helps you to foster clusters of talent and innovation in your organization. Here are seven ways to quantify belonging.