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Cision Canada
4 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
The ROI of Belonging at Work: McLean & Company Research Reveals Why HR Must Build a Culture Where Employees Feel Seen, Heard, and Connected
What does it take to truly thrive as an organization? In an era marked by growing loneliness, disconnection, and change, new research from global HR advisory firm McLean & Company identifies belonging as a critical driver of individual, team, and organizational success. The report highlights how organizations should harness the power of belonging by weaving opportunities for connection, recognition, and empowerment across the employee experience. TORONTO, July 15, 2025 /CNW/ - As loneliness continues to rise across the workforce, the need to feel a sense of belonging has become central to how people experience and thrive at work. New research from McLean & Company reveals that the ability to foster authentic connection directly correlates with critical business outcomes. Despite this, the firm's insights show that belonging remains one of the most overlooked and underinvested areas in HR. In an era defined by uncertainty and a growing epidemic of loneliness, McLean & Company's research calls on organizations to shift their perspective to recognize belonging as a core ingredient in building strong, adaptable, and successful organizations. The recently published research, Unlocking Belonging in the Workplace, identifies belonging as a powerful and dynamic force rooted in how individuals feel seen, heard, and connected at work. Key findings from McLean & Company's research include: Employees who feel comfortable being themselves at work are 5.7x more likely to be engaged and 70% more likely to stay with their organization (McLean & Company Engagement Survey, 2021-2024). Employees who feel their contributions are important are 3.5x more likely to handle stress effectively (McLean & Company Engagement Survey, 2021-2024). Teams reporting their organization is increasing investment into employee belonging are 54% more likely to highly rate their organization's revenue growth (McLean & Company HR Trends Survey, 2025). Yet, despite its impact, only 31% of HR leaders report increasing investment in belonging-related initiatives (McLean & Company HR Trends Survey, 2025). McLean & Company's research insights underscore that belonging is not a passive outcome – it must be deliberately designed and consistently sustained. In hybrid and distributed environments especially, the opportunity to connect meaningfully doesn't happen by chance. The firm's insights provide guidance on how organizations can create connections by embedding belonging into the core of talent practices, from hiring and performance management to learning and development and employee listening. "Belonging is a unifying force in a divided and disconnected world. It's about creating the conditions for people to connect and contribute meaningfully, be more resilient through complexity, and thrive together," says Elysca Fernandes, director, Human Resources and Advisory Services at McLean & Company. "It has the potential to transform our individual and collective experiences, expanding our horizons to achieve better outcomes both now and in the future." The World Health Organization and U.S. Surgeon General have both flagged loneliness as a public health concern, which underscores the importance of strengthening connection and community at work – and employers can play an essential role. McLean & Company's research pushes beyond definitions to explore the nuances of what belonging truly means in today's workplaces and acknowledges that belonging is deeply personal, shaped by cultural background, employment type, lived experience, and even trauma. The firm reports that for some, belonging may be rooted in team relationships; for others, it's found in meaningful work, aligned values, or flexibility and autonomy. This variability makes a one-size-fits-all approach ineffective and highlights the importance of listening for what drives belonging at all levels. McLean & Company offers a research-backed, actionable framework to optimize employees' sense of belonging, from listening to building belonging skills, to create an intentional, adaptable, and future-ready organization. McLean & Company's Unlocking Belonging in the Workplace research is now available to its members and includes reflection tools, implementation guidance, and advisory support to help HR and organizational leaders move from awareness to action. The firm's wellbeing-focused offerings, including workplace wellness surveys, employee focus groups, and wellbeing workshops, explore belonging as a key driver of organizational health. For media inquiries or to connect with McLean & Company analysts for exclusive, research-backed insights on human resources, culture, and employee experience, please contact Communications Manager Katie Tame at [email protected]. About McLean & Company McLean & Company pairs evidence-based research and immediately applicable tools with deep HR expertise to position organizations to meet today's needs and prepare for the future. The global HR research and advisory firm's member organizations enjoy comprehensive resources, full-service diagnostics, workshops, action plans, and advisory services for all levels of HR professionals, from executive leadership to HR leaders to HR team members, that help shape workplaces where everyone thrives. McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research Group. [email protected].
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shaping Organizational Culture Is a Top Priority for HR, Says McLean & Company
Culture shaping and sustainment is anticipated to be HR's #1 value-add activity by 2030, according to McLean & Company's Future of HR Survey (2023). This finding highlights the growing urgency for organizations to prioritize culture as a strategic asset. A new resource from the firm outlines how HR leaders can take control of culture change by translating values into daily behaviors, closing experience gaps across the organization, and driving measurable outcomes like productivity, engagement, and retention. TORONTO, April 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Culture has emerged as a critical focal point for organizations hoping to deliver business value through their people strategies, serving as a powerful driver of employee experience, performance, and competitive advantage. As workplace dynamics continue to evolve, McLean & Company, a global HR research and advisory firm, has released an new research-backed blueprint: Shape and Sustain Organizational Culture. The firm's blueprint will help HR teams not only define their desired culture but sustain it in practice. "Culture exists in every organization – whether it's intentionally shaped or not," says Amani Gharib, director, Human Resources Research & Advisory Services at McLean & Company. "But strong cultures don't emerge by chance. They are intentionally built through leadership role modeling, strategically aligned culture initiatives, HR alignment, and consistent reinforcement of desired values and behaviors." The research arrives at a time when organizations face persistent challenges in bridging the gap between stated values and lived experience. For example, McLean & Company's Engagement Survey (2021-2024) reveals that while 65% of employees believe their organization's mission, vision, and values are reflected in daily activities, perceptions differ significantly by employee level. Non-managers are far less likely than senior leaders to report positive cultural experiences. Additionally, only 36% of HR professionals rate their department as very effective at shaping and sustaining culture, despite 80% recognizing it as critical to business and HR success (McLean & Company Management & Governance Diagnostic, 2023-2024). The Shape and Sustain Organizational Culture resource addresses these disconnects with a practical, four-step process: Prepare for culture change. Work with leaders on culture initiatives. Identify opportunities for HR alignment. Manage and sustain culture change. Embedding culture into the everyday employee experience bolsters long-term performance and is a notable driver of employee engagement and retention. Insights from McLean & Company's Engagement Survey (2021-2024) reveal that employees working in high-performing cultural environments are 1.3x more likely to look forward to coming to work and 1.1x more likely to say they'll remain with their employer in the next year. The blueprint emphasizes that leveraging cultural practices can strengthen emotional connection and motivation and that a thriving culture contributes to reduced turnover. The firm urges organizations to reinforce values consistently through policies, leadership role modeling, and communication across all work environments, including remote and deskless roles. "There's no singular approach to culture change," explains Gharib. "With consistent leadership and a proactive change management plan, organizations can bridge the gap between values and behaviors – shaping a culture where everyone thrives." An accompanying webinar for HR professionals, Shape and Sustain Organizational Culture, will be hosted on June 12, 2025. The session will explore key findings from the research and walk participants through actionable steps for leading successful culture transformation initiatives. For more information, please visit McLean & Company's webinar page. For media inquiries or to connect with McLean & Company analysts for exclusive, research-backed insights on performance management, HR priorities, and talent management trends, please contact Communications Manager Katie Tame at ktame@ For more information on how organizations can prioritize, shape, and sustain their culture, please explore the workshops page. About McLean & Company McLean & Company pairs evidence-based research and immediately applicable tools with deep HR expertise to position organizations to meet today's needs and prepare for the future. The global HR research and advisory firm's member organizations enjoy comprehensive resources, full-service diagnostics, workshops, action plans, and advisory services for all levels of HR professionals, from executive leadership to HR leaders and team members, that help shape workplaces where everyone thrives. McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research Group. Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact ktame@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE McLean & Company View original content to download multimedia: Sign in to access your portfolio
