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Belonging as Infrastructure
The Inclusion Bites Podcast
Belonging as Infrastructure
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Speaker
Andrea D. Carter
JL
Speaker
Joanne Lockwood
Joanne Lockwood hosts Andrea D. Carter on the Inclusion Bites Podcast, unpacking the neuroscience of workplace belonging. They explore how belonging differs from DEI frameworks, diving into practical cultural strategies that let individuals truly perform and thrive within inclusive organizations.
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“Join me as we uncover the unseen, challenge the status quo and share storeys that resonate deep within.”
“her ability to turn complex data into science and storeys that people can feel, translating into lived experience behind the numbers into insights that leaders can actually act on.”
“The Difference Between Belonging and DEI Quote: "And I think when organisations abandon DEI accountability in favour of belonging focused culture, they're making a critical error. And you can't create belonging without addressing the structural barriers of DEI frameworks.”
“The moment that the market opens more, you're going to see mass exodus from organisations where people didn't belong and that will become more and more of a trend.”
“if you're not creating environments where you're actually factoring in well being, what you're saying to all of your employees is this, you go figure out how to renew yourself and then come back to this environment and we're not gonna change anything. But if you can't do it, guess what? You're not good enough. And so depression has increased, anxiety has increased.”
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Welcome to Inclusion Bites, your sanctuary for bold conversations that spark change. I'm Joanne Lockwood, your guide on this journey of exploration into the heart of inclusion, belonging and societal transformation. Ever wondered what it truly takes to create a world without? Remember, everyone not only belongs, but thrives. You're not alone. Join me as we uncover the unseen, challenge the status quo and share stories that resonate deep within. Ready to dive in? Whether you're sipping your morning coffee or winding down after a long day, let's connect, reflect and inspire action together. Don't forget, you can be part of the conversation too. Reach out to jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk to share your insights or to join me on the show.
So adjust your earbuds and settle in. It's time to ignite the spark of inclusion with Inclusion Bites. And today is episode 211 with the title Belonging as Infrastructure. And I have the absolute honour and privilege to welcome Andrea D. Carter. Andrea is a neuroscience based workplace belonging expert, an organisational scientist and founder of the Belonging first methodology, helping leaders turn belonging into a measurable, practical culture strategy. When I asked Andrea to describe her superpower, she said that it is her ability to turn complex data into science and stories that people can feel, translating into lived experience behind the numbers into insights that leaders can actually act on. Hello, Andrea, welcome to the show.
Hello, Joanne. So nice to be here today. Thanks for having me.
Yes. Whereabouts in the world are you?
So just in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and it's freezing here.
Freezing. So that's quite. Up north, as I would say in the uk is quite. It's a northern part of Canada, is it? Or the whole of Canada's freezing at this time of year?
Well, it's the wintertime here and so for those of us who ski, we love it. Although Ontario skiing is like skiing on ice and out west it's skiing in the mountains. Like, you know what you ski, you.
Need the powder, don't you? You don't want it to freeze too much.
Well, skiing on ice is, you know, you're working really hard, I'll say that. Yeah, that's true.
Hard to walk around as well. You need to be able to crunch into as well, I guess.
Yes, well, and it's, you know, even just going outside, right. Like if you're walking your dog or something like that, you're, you're certainly putting on all of the clothes and you're just, you know, your eyes are peeking out from behind all of your winter gear.
I've got a Puppy and I took her out for a walk this morning and often when I take her out she's six months old and she's a cavapoo so she's never going to be a massive dog. So she's kind of small, medium at the moment. And I bring her back and she's got this like dirt line across her body where it's gone up up to her shoulders and it's like brown stain across her body. The bottom of her ears are also dirty so you can see exactly the dirt line where she's gone through puddles, gone through mud and stuff. So she's a curious being in the snow.
She'd love it.
Probably snow angels.
That's cute. Yeah.
Instead of snow angels where she lies on the back in the snow, she lies in the mud and does it. It's got her back.
It's like just like the horses. Yeah, they do that too. Yeah.
So what sort of dog have you got or dogs?
I have one dog, he's a rescue and we rescued him about seven years ago and he's a cross we think between a pharaoh hound and a basenji. And so he's a very interesting dog because he is more like a cat than a dog. We've always had very rambunctious dogs and so, you know, typically border collies and Australian shepherds. And so this dog is a little bit of a, a different personality than what we're used to. And yet he's so sweet. And he doesn't bark if he wants something. He communicates through his eyes. So you have to really pay attention to what he's asking you for.
And he's just such a sweet boy. He will lay in any sort of sunshine that is coming in through the house and that is his most favourite thing. He won't swim, he won't go in puddles. But he loves to hop through the snow and he certainly loves to be outside.
That's beautiful. Sounds fantastic. Nothing better than a dog that looks communicates through the eyes. I've learned about puppy dog eyes firsthand and they're. There's something else, aren't they the eyes?
They really are. And even you know, if he's hungry or something like that, like he has this specific look of okay, I'm hungry, I'd like to eat now. He's fascinating. He's taught me a lot about non communicative behaviour for sure. And so lovely that we have him. He's a real treat in our family.
That's, it's interesting you say that about non communicative behaviour. I thought I'd learned some really good lessons. My wife and I are raising two children, you know, because children teach you a lot about leadership and your own leadership style and how to influence and not tell and you're managing human beings a different way of communicating. Yeah. So our puppy has taught us a whole new set of lessons around patience, accountability, responsibility and cause. I remember just before we got her, I read, read the book or some YouTubes and the golden rule is it's never the puppy's fault. They don't set out to be mean, vindictive, annoy you or anything like this. They just, they just do puppy stuff.
So if, if they're not doing the right puppy stuff, it's down to you to create the environment and to create the lessons. It's really like Leadership Development 101. This is now 3014. I feel like I've graduated as a master's in patience and accountability.
So true, so true. And it is one of those things where, you know, when you look at going first, I always talk about belonging through that lens of going first. You know, we have to set the conditions and we have to have language and we have to have infrastructure in order for people to, to really thrive and succeed. And it's the same for animals, right, when there's predictability and clarity and there's structure and it actually allows the human brain and also the puppy brain to, to succeed and to do the things that, that we're actually wanting from them. So children, puppies, workplaces, they're all learning grounds for sure.
So we start in the, in the intro that I read out and, and, and spoke to about this belonging first methodology. What is belonging? How would you describe that in the workplace or even in society?
Yeah, so it's interesting because I think what often happens is that, and especially right now. So let's address the elephant in the room, if you will. You know, there's so much media right now that DEI is dead. In Canada we call it idea. So in the acronym we include accessibility. So Inclusion, Diversity, equity, accessibility. And what we're seeing in Canada, I mean, I work across the globe, so I, I work with a lot of global organisations and so you're hearing a lot of different kind of elements from different places in the world. And if you look at localization and you look at all of the things that each country is bringing right now and the volatility that we're under right now, you know, I think it's actually a dangerous belief to Say that DEI is dying or even misplacing that DEI is the same thing as belonging to.
Because they're not. And I think treating it as true is actually causing some real harm. And here's what's actually happening. You know, we're seeing organisations roll DEI language into culture and belonging initiatives, but they're conflating two fundamentally different things. So DEI is structural accountability frameworks, right? They're allowing organisations to not only measure representation, but track pay equity audit hiring processes, evaluate promotion velocity across demographics and hold organisations accountable for some of the systemic gaps that we're seeing. DEI and idea really is a question of asking, you know, are our structures equitable? Whereas belonging is actually an experiential infrastructure. It's going to measure five specific indicators that we validated back in 2022, actually in the mining industry. We had 3,500 participants.
It was the largest mining study that had ever been done and it was across 11 Toronto Stock Exchange listed organisations. And so we validated, we started there, we started with what is belonging and what do people have to experience in order for them to experience belonging from a. From a neuroscience perspective? And then can they be measured? And so the five indicators are actually comfortable connection, contribution, psychological safety and wellbeing. And what they do is those five indicators actually enable people to perform at their best. And so we're not just checking to see if you're invited into the organisation or into the meeting, we're checking to see whether or not can you actually perform at your best in this environment. Belonging actually asks the question, can people succeed in the systems we've built? And so those things are very different, you need both, but they're not interchangeable. And I think when organisations abandon DEI accountability in favour of belonging focused culture, they're making a critical error. And you can't create belonging without addressing the structural barriers of DEI frameworks.
And you can't achieve DEI outcomes without belonging. Infrastructure and those two elements together are what allow us to look at creating organisations that are not only diverse but actually succeed together. That's where your quality, your speed, your engagement, your innovation comes from.
See, I've always said you can be included but not feel belonging.
Absolutely. What you've just said there, it's interesting because when we look at this, I like to think of DEI as looking at information that is input, belonging is output. And so belonging is the action of being able to actually show up and create environments so that the infrastructure works. And so if I might go through the five indicators just a little bit here, if that would be helpful.
Yeah, please, please, I'd love to hear them.
I think that that kind of breaks things down a little bit and provides a little bit more context to what I'm talking about. So comfort. I always think it's so funny when I. When I say the word comfort, people are like, oh, yeah, you know, we have to be comfortable in our space. And I'm not talking about the fluffy stuff, right? I'm not talking about, you know, that you're not gonna have friction or conflict. We actually need friction and conflict. However, comfort is the first indicator, because when you go into friction, when you go into conflict, if you don't have some key elements that actually set your brain up to regulate, you are going to be in an environment where you are consistently dysregulated. And leaders, when they walk in a room, they either dysregulate their teams and their organisation or they regulate the organisation.
And so one of the things that helps our brain do that is actually having clarity and predictability. And so that is part of the comfort indicator. So clarity, you know, really, when you look at clarity, it can be things like being able to walk into a room. And let me. Let me say it this way, you've probably felt this where you've walked into a meeting and you've had absolutely no idea why you're there, what the decision is that you need to make, or whether you're supposed to speak or supposed to stay quiet. And you almost spend the entire time scanning the room, trying to read the emotional temperature, figuring out what the unspoken rules are. And by the time the meeting ends, you're exhausted. But you're not exhausted from doing the work yet.
You haven't done the work. You're exhausted from the cognitive load of uncertainty, of not knowing. And that's your brain being in threat mode. And so when you're in this mode, your cortisol levels are elevated, your nervous system is working overtime and there's zero energy that's actually going towards real problem solving, innovation, working through situations or conflicts, or, you know, being able to generate new ideas. The flip side of that, when, when comfort is present, you enter a meeting and it starts with, here's why we're here, here's what we need to decide, here's how your input is going to shape this outcome, and here's who is ultimately making the final decision. Clarity, predictability. So immediately, you know, when you have those things, shoulders drop, right? Your brain stops scanning and worrying about, you know, what other people are doing. And you're actually, by having those things, you're being told where you're gonna focus your energy and where you're gonna focus your brain power.
So that problem actually gets your attention rather than having to manage your own anxiety.
Yeah, that's the word that's gonna pick up anxiety. You're not sure what's there. Your brain's rushing around upstairs going, what am I doing? How do I succeed in this environment? You don't know, do you?
You don't know. And so if you think about a lot of fitting in environments, so fitting in is the opposite of belonging. Fitting in is. It's 100% on me to come into your environment, Jo, and I have to adapt to you, I have to read your signals, interpret what you've said, read between the lines in how many different ways, all of those things. And then, you know, I don't even know. I, I might be right, I might be wrong. And so what that does is that instead of you getting my best self, you're getting my anxious or confused or navigating trying to figure things out. And that fitting in model is actually what's costing organisations from being really successful.
You know, once you hire someone, when you onboard someone, you obviously want them to succeed in your, in your environment, it's too expensive to have to replace bad hires. And a lot of times it's not a bad hire, it's that the organisation hasn't created belonging. And belonging is, is 50, 50. It means that it's 50% on me for me to create belonging for you and 50% on you to create belonging for me. It means we're showing up together to actually create that comfort, get clear on what makes each other do well, create success factors that we're working towards and we understand and we know having an awareness of somebody else's needs and what makes them do well, that's all part of comfort. And so comfort isn't about eliminating challenge or conflict or friction, it's about creating clarity and predictability so that people's nervous systems can actually use their energy towards performance.
What we need to be really, really mindful of then is the people's comfort is different to other people. Some of the anxiety that I may feel in a certain situation may be magnified or not there for others. You know, it depends on your own personality types, your own knowledge, your own power in the dynamic, power dynamic in the relationships. And your comfort level is going to have a different temperature gauge, isn't it?
Absolutely. And in a fitting in culture, the comfort level is all about the person who has the most power. And so in that fitting in culture, everything is about one person rather than about the team or the group, even the family. And so in those situations, you know, some of the skills and the behaviours, capabilities are to look at how to create comfort for your team so that they thrive. And it's interesting, I was listening to a Bloomberg, a podcast the other day and it was this incredibly successful woman who had, you know, run. She was a CEO, she was cfo, she had run all of these organisations. And what she talked about was that, you know, they were talking about middle management right now and how middle management is, is really being compressed. Well, middle management has always been compressed because they're getting pressure from above and from below.
And so that, that's just the role. But the thing is, is that those middle managers who actually created comfort for their team actually saw the person first. That actually led to, and this is the next indicator, connection. And it leads to building trust by getting to know someone, by getting to understand someone, by building a relationship that's built on trust rather than on transaction. And when you create mutual accountability and when you create mutual responsibility, connection allows you to trust somebody when you're going through friction and conflict. And so if you think of a lot of teams, I'll give you another example for connection here, but most people have probably felt this as well. You know, you're on this team, everyone's polite, everyone does their job, but nobody trusts each other, right? Everything is about transaction. Like, I'll give you this, you give me that, you do this, I'll do that.
And nobody's going to ask for help because they don't want to look too weak. And nobody is going to offer help because you're not sure if it's welcome. And so meetings are all about performances, right? And everyone's guarded. And, you know, this is what happens when, when real connection is missing. And so, you know, even on this, this other podcast on Bloomberg, you know, the, the concept really was that if middle managers don't know how to connect with people, that they never create environments where the employees are thriving and they can't succeed as well. And so what we know is that when you start with comfort and creating clarity and predictability and then you move into connection, which is developing a bond. You know, what you're doing there is you're creating the structure so that one of your team can say, you know, I'm stuck on this. Can you take a look? And three people immediately jump onto it, right? Or In a meeting, when someone names somebody else as being a big contributor publicly, like, this moved forward because of what Jo did.
Right. Like, you feel that you're in this together and that's oxytocin, that's your brain going through a bonding process. And when connection isn't just about being nice, I say that with bunny ears, you know, it's about building trust through reciprocity. So when friction and conflict and we know that that's not going away, right? Volatility is just getting more volatile. It means that we can also then navigate these things together instead of retreating into isolation.
You know that your teammates have your back, you know that people are going to be there to support you and you're not going to get thrown under a bus by your manager, by your leader. You know when you can succeed. So you got that. So the previous hit, you got the clarity and, you know, you got the support. Yeah, I get that. I get it completely.
So the next indicator is contribution. And you've likely felt this too, at some point. You know, you've worked on a project or you've been. You can even think of. Families are great with this too. You know, there's. There's likely one person that is dictating and only certain people are asked their opinion. Or, you know, you've poured work into a project and, you know, staying late, working weekends, you know, delivering something that you're proud of and then nothing, no acknowledgement, you know, no feedback.
The work just kind of like disappears.
Worse, your effort gets dismissed. Oh, I haven't got time to look at that, or I'm too busy, or I haven't looked at it yet. And you think, well, why. Why did I bother?
Yeah, that is such a great point too. Thanks for adding that into the conversation. Because you're absolutely right. And you know, that dismiss, man, like, that's. That's really detrimental. And so in the contribution indicator, what we're looking at here is that contribution actually motivates and mobilises us. And when we know that the work matters, when we know that we matter, when we're valued and the work that we do, or the. Even the perspective that we provide, when that becomes influential, and that can actually change decisions, that.
That actually allows your brain to release not only dopamine but also serotonin. And so, you know, your brain, when you're acknowledged, releases dopamine. And it's essentially what says, hey, you've. You've done something that people are acknowledging and this is good. And then what happens is that when Somebody acknowledges it. You have serotonin that's released when somebody doesn't acknowledge it. That actually takes the foot off the dopamine and it drains your motivation really quickly because when it's not acknowledged, the serotonin can't kick in. And serotonin is the hormone and neurotransmitter that actually allows you to stay motivated and to keep going.
And so I always think it's so fascinating because people always think about the high performer and the low performer and that this is like universal. But the thing is, is that nobody operates in a silo. Everyone, the frontline worker, the admin assistant, the middle manager, the executive, you know, they all need to know that their work matters. And this isn't, you know, we're not talking about, you know, constant praise, it's acknowledgement. It's, it's, you know, you've done this work and there's an acknowledgement of people. So the project succeeded because of what you brought to it. Here's what you brought to it. Wrap ups at the end of all projects should have the leader actually acknowledging what each person brought to the project.
And that is a way that you can actually directly see where your work, your direct influence, helped move something forward. Whether that was a decision, whether that was solving a problem, whether that was innovating. And with just simple words, you then feel energised and you want to contribute more. And that's actually the dopamine saying, hey, you know, what I do here matters. It's not just busy work, right? I'm creating value. And when the manager says, you know, you really helped us make a really good call, we couldn't have finished this without you. Those moments tell your brain, I'm not invisible, I have impact, I matter and I can keep going. And so then what happens is that you stay in the space knowing that you want to keep going and you want to keep contributing.
And so when we look at contribution, that's really where we're looking at the engagement and the staying in things. Even when times are hard.
You're speaking there and I'm nodding my head, I'm smiling. It's so true. I mean, that phrase you use or paraphrase what you said, you matter. Because if you don't matter, you're not acknowledged. Why do I bother? Why am I here? What's in it for me? You know, Cause we've always got the what's in it for me motivation thing here. There's nothing in it for me. Why am I here? Why do I bother. And if you're not acknowledging me as having contributed or delivered something, then I'll go and do something better.
I'll go and find somewhere else who does appreciate me, the quiet quitting. Or we'll just vote with our feet and say, yeah, completely, absolutely. And I can think of instances of my own career where I just thought completely less of the environment and the manager or whoever I was talking to and thought, you know what, I could go and be doing something more fun, more interesting and I wouldn't spend all night doing it or worrying about it because you don't care. And it's like, yeah, that one comment or that one lack of acknowledgement destroys motivation and belonging, doesn't it?
Absolutely. And you know, our data right now around the globe is showing some, some really important statistics. You know, there, there is not only quiet quitting, but also, you know, a workforce that is, I'm calling it the Great Detachment. And I've done a lot of writing about this because what's happening is that for years engagement surveys have been the forefront of organisational infrastructure, of gathering what apparently matters to employees or how they're doing. And the reality is, is that engagement studies just show you who's busy. They don't actually show you who's going to stay or who actually wants to keep going. And when employees get the feedback, I don't matter like what we've been talking about, they eventually go, okay, well right now the job market sucks. So finding a new job may not be my best move here, but I'm gonna spend half of my day looking and half of my day working.
And I'll do my bare minimum because I'm not actually important anyways. And so what that does is the quality of the work that you're getting, the speed of things getting done, your innovation rates, you know, people have stopped speaking up. Some of your top performers at this point in time have stopped speaking up. Our workplace toxicity rose 14% from 2024 to 2025. It went from 66% to 80% at the end of 2025. And if you think of workplace toxicity as that high, it means that we're not doing some of the skills and the behaviours and we're not saying some of the things that are actually allowing people to go, I actually matter here. And you know, if you look at December 2025 alone, 91,000 women left the workforce in North America. Women with children under five participation dropped from 69.7% to 66.9%.
College educated women, participation fell from 70 to 67%. So when we're looking at all these things, you know, we know, and I'm using women's stats only because I'm writing an article right now about it and they're right in front of me, you know, and, you know, when we look at, you know, how many people are, are not being seen right now, that's, that's huge. And some of that is being impacted by the DEI rollback. You know, if we look at the amount of black women who lost jobs in February to April, you're looking at 304,000 black women and 300,000 black women who were laid off. And so, you know, if you look at those forced exit costs, just in the US alone, that's 9.2 billion in GDP. You know, UK has, has different stats, but they're all trending downwards is my point. And so we don't just have to look at the us, because the US is certainly under a lot of volatility and a lot of change and a lot of work that's been done is, is certainly rolled back, but we're still seeing that downward trend. And so when you look at belonging and you look at how that's actually impacting organisations and how organisations are succeeding, what we're going to see is that as the job market shifts and changes, the moment that the market opens more, you're going to see mass exodus from organisations where people didn't belong and that will become more and more of a trend.
The fourth indicator is psychological safety. And we know about psychological safety, right? Psychological safety. There's been millions and millions of dollars spent on psychological safety. And psychological safety is really what protects you as you go through friction. And so it keeps people willing to speak, to try to admit, to challenge without that fear of social punishment. You know, we've spent millions of dollars on psychological safety training and yet it's only one fifth of belonging. And so that creates massive gaps. And we know about psychological safety, right? We know that, you know, if you've been in a meeting where you notice a flaw in something in a plan that could cause real, you know, problems down the line, but you don't say something.
You know, we see, we've seen the impact of not having psychological safety within an environment. And what happens is that the last time somebody raised a concern, a leader got defensive or a manager got defensive, or someone was labelled not a team player, or somebody was berated, or somebody was told their voice doesn't matter, that doesn't matter. And so what it does is it Trains people to stay quiet, meetings end, flawed plans move forward and you think, well, I guess I tried, I tried before, that doesn't work. And so people self censor, not because they don't care, but because speaking up becomes more dangerous. And so we talked about cortisol. And so when you're in an environment where you're constantly scanning for clarity and predictability, if you don't have comfort, you actually can't create psychological safety. And so psychological safety then is really about, you know, making sure that there's a leader or somebody who says, tell me more, what is it that I'm missing here? And they lean in with curiosity and not defensiveness. They close the loop on things.
So last week Joanne raised a question about X. Here's what we did about it, or here's what we have talked about since then, here's what we looked at. You may not actually have the solution right then, but just communicating that there is, you know, Sorry, that's really loud.
Again, it's not me. No, no, definitely not. No, nothing here. There's no rain.
So, you know, when we're looking at those, when we're looking at those elements of what makes us feel safe, we're looking for the brain shifting from, you know, threat scanning to open exploration. And so we've had those conversations. You've had those conversations with people that you love, you've had those conversations with colleagues, you've had those conversations in organisations where you bring something up and the defensive pattern is so great, you know, that you can't actually have the conversation. And so, you know, really, if you want to have those, those moments where you're building trust and you're, you're creating spaces where people actually lean in, you need to do than. You know, we value feedback, really we do, and saying it in a town hall because people know the truth, right? And they know that if I speak up, somebody's gonna say, hey, tell me more about that, or if I speak up, and you're met with defensiveness, you know that it's actually not psychologically safe. And so we see more of the.
Latter trying to create that culture. It's making sure you have that culture where people know that their contribution, they're whistleblowing, their contributor is safety, is actually welcomed and encouraged. And I think the airline industry did it effectively after some major disasters 20 or 30 years ago where planes were dropping out the sky because people were saying, well, if you'd have asked me, I'd have told you that the rivets weren't checked. Or we didn't this. And now the aircraft industry is now very much a contributor. First environment. We want to hear what the problems are. No one's ever going to get fired for speaking the truth.
And it's a real turnaround in the airline industry, certainly.
Sure. And we saw, I mean, for sure, we saw that with NASA as well. And so some of those major explosions were because engineers couldn't speak up. And, you know, and we see that all the time. I mean, the mining industry, anything, any industry, where you're having to look at physical safety, physical safety is always driven by psychological safety as well. And if you're not creating the condition of comfort and connection, you certainly can't create the condition of psychological safety. So you can talk all about psychological safety, but if you're not creating those first two conditions, you won't actually get that psychological safety. The last indicator that is there is well being.
And well being is what actually renews us, it's what allows us to be resilient. And I find this one to be really an interesting indicator, even just based on the science and based on the data that we collected over the past 150,000 employees that we've worked with over the past three years, eight industries. And, you know, I keep coming up against employees who say to me, managers, leaders who say to me, you know, Andrea, we've done all this resilience training, we've given our employees these calm apps. We've, you know, provided them with meditations, we've given them, you know, yoga and, you know, extra benefits, and they're still not bouncing back. Why? And my response is always, well, fitting in is a hundred percent on the person, 0% on you, and belonging is 50, 50. And so if you're not creating environments where you're actually factoring in well being, what you're saying to all of your employees is this, you go figure out how to renew yourself and then come back to this environment and we're not gonna change anything. But if you can't do it, guess what? You're not good enough. And so depression has increased, anxiety has increased.
We're not creating the infrastructure for wellbeing to actually exist. And so what that looks like is, you know, you've probably had a leader or a manager, excuse me, who sends an email at 11 o'clock@ night. You have the. I had this. Oh, my goodness. I couldn't even believe that this happened. I was working for an organisation and I had gone into the hospital, I was having a gallbladder attack and I Had to have my gallbladder taken out. And I'm a consultant, I work within, you know, organisations, but I'm not an employee.
And this VP of HR was initially emailing me and then texted me and then WhatsApped me and was like, I need this. And I was like, I'm in the hospital. Like, what do you want from me? I had never had that experience before and when I got back, you know, I said to him, I was like, if this is how you are treating your consultant, I can't even imagine what the conditions are of how you're treating your employee. When you have that manager who sends the email at 11pm and expects the response by 7am, that VP of HR, he didn't wanted a PDF because he wanted to send out an email to his ERGs about, you know, the work that was being done. He didn't need to send it out right then and there. It wasn't a massive urgent, it wasn't going to affect anything in the organization. Nothing was going to come crashing down because those ERG leaders didn't have this PDF. It was all about him.
And so when you look at that, you know, those are examples where you're looking at, if this email is sent out 11pm and you're expecting a response by 7am and that's the norm, can your employees actually sustain that? Is that a sustainable work ethic or a new project gets added to your plate without asking whether or not it's already there? You know, you start working through lunch, skipping breaks, staying late, and these are things where you're like, you know, this is. This is. This is just a busy season, but that busy season never ends and you're exhausted and your sleep is disrupted and, you know, you're irritated coming home to your family, that's a nervous system that's not going to recover. Right. You're running on fumes and eventually something is going to break. And those conditions are the conditions that are created by the organization. Those aren't the conditions that are necessarily created by the individual. So when we're talking about that 50, 50, and you want people to be resilient and bounce back and come back to their best self, you have to create the conditions so that they can do that.
And those can also be things like, I'm fully unplugging for this vacation. This is really important. I hope when you go on vacation, you do the same.
Yeah. For real? For real. Or would you just. Or when you go home at night, unplug until the morning.
Exactly.
It's okay.
It's okay.
It's okay. Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, if you are going to send an email at 11 o'clock at night, make it quite clear that I've sent this because I couldn't sleep. I don't expect you to have any to do anything with it until at least 9 o'. Clock. And even then it's not the most important thing in your world. If you could just email me back when you get this and say, when can I get it? And to set my expectation, that's all I ask for. I can't have it for three days. Fine. I can't have it for three days.
Great. But not everyone has that. Not everyone has the resilience to be able to engage at that level, which is what I think what you're saying here is all these factors, the comfort, the connection, the contribution, the wellbeing, it impacts people differently and their ability to engage back in that environment. So I might say exactly what I just said to you. Sod off. I'm not gonna do that till 11 o'. Clock. You're gonna get the best me, middle of the morning, not now.
Other people might start panicking, as you say, the anxiety that stress is gonna, oh my God, I'm gonna let my manager down. They're gonna think badly of me, it's gonna affect my career. So different people are gonna cascade this differently, aren't they? Yep.
Well, and even, I mean, we now have automation, right? Like we have all of this technology that allows us, sure, write the Damn email at 11pm at night, but don't send it. Select that you can send it in the morning. You know, just populate that you're going to send it at a time that is within working hours, you know, and it's not that you're always going to have, you know, sometimes you're going to go through situations where things are urgent and people, you want people checking, but you don't want that to be the absolute norm because the sustainability of that is not, you know, that's, that's not a possibility anymore. And so consider what you're, what you're talking about. And it might be that you're setting the clarity and the predictability of this week while we're going through this and while we have this emergency, we need all hands on deck and here's the expectation and you might get an email after work hours and we do need you to be looking. But that's a week, that's not a month, that's not six months, you know, that's Not a year, that's not all the time. And I think that when you go from this happens in times of stress and conflict because something's happening within the organisation and it's urgent and it's an emergency, that's a completely different situation. You know, if I had had a report, that would have been the end all, be all.
If I was the CFO and I was supposed to be presenting the next day, you know, clearly that PDF needed to get me of hr. But in that moment, no, you know, they certainly, it was just his own agenda. And so when you look at some of those things, you know, that's when you have performance infrastructure. You know that when volatility doesn't break people, it strengthens the infrastructure. And when it's working, people navigate the change, they navigate the friction, they challenge productively instead of defaulting to our fight flight. Freeze and faint or detach is the great word that certainly is happening now.
I don't know what you're saying here. Absolute, most complete sense. And I've probably always thought of the comfort, connection and contribution as part of psychological safety. By splitting them out, you really are drawing attention to those items separately from the inclusion contributor, Challenger and learning safety, the traditional models of psychological safety. And I think that's really, really powerful to sort of see them in their own right at that level.
Well, and what's fascinating about it is that we can measure it now, right? It's not just looking at one question. Like I always love the one question that's on most engagement surveys is do you feel you belong here? And that is meant to measure belonging and, and, and it doesn't. And so unless you're actually measuring for comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety and well being, you actually can't tell whether or not belonging is breaking down or whether belonging is in a good state. And so, you know, even with relationships in general, being able to understand, you know, what am I contributing? What are you contributing? Is our belonging fragile between us? Can we measure it at the management level? Because you'll see teams with, with a lot of our organisational surveys, you'll see teams where, yeah, okay, great. You know, people are getting the work done and they're meeting their targets and they're meeting the deadlines, but the team is fracturing and they're falling apart and the turnover is increasing or, you know, you go from having your top contributors all of the sudden not engaging, those are, those are signals you can pick up faster if you're actually measuring for belonging. And we've been doing that and what's fascinating is that it's not just measuring for a mean average, which is what most survey data does. We're also looking at the average against the outliers. And so looking at some of the mediated analysis and the multiplicative analysis where we're actually looking at, okay, what's the gap between the average and the underrepresented and what are the identities that actually create your underrepresented? And that's something with dei.
I mean everything has been very much a factor of you only get one identity. And we're intersectional beings. And so how our intersections of identity either bring us closer or push us further apart is very apparent and well documented. And yet if you look in the organisations, organisations are typically not even measuring that and don't even know how to measure it. And so it is one of those things where you really do have to consider what that looks like, what you're.
Saying there about the outliers versus the median. I thought that's really powerful because I've often found when I work in organisations that the challenges they focus on the NPS score. Look, we're doing great. 86% of our people say they're happy. My question is, well, who are the 16% who aren't happy and what do we know about those people, the demographic? Can we drill down at that? What insights can we get? Because too often people are patting themselves on the back over the big number. Not actually every person who's not happy is a person that we're failing and why are we failing them? And that's, I think some of the balance, I think, so we're saying about looking at the medium and the outliers I think is a, is a fascinating way of looking at that and actually understanding the demographic rather than just that homogenous number.
Absolutely. So, you know, really until, until 2022 I guess was my first publication. So I, I do a lot of, I'm also an adjunct professor and so I still have to do a lot of research and a lot of journal based publishing. And that was the first publication that we published on looking at mediation analysis and why mediation analysis within the organisation is so important. And at the time they didn't even have the advanced statistical analysis to do it, which is why I think most people rely on just the mean averages and, and, and looking at simple significance scores in your variables. And so you know, when you actually start to unpack the data and you look at measuring that gap between the norm and the underrepresented and we can use the word underrepresented, even based on underrepresented for belonging as well. So who are the people that don't feel that they belong? But that allows you to create predictability within who's going to stay and who's going to go. And what's fascinating is that most people assume that it's, you know, in, in HR, they always label them, well, a player or an A employee, a B employee, a C employee.
And so, you know, when a lot of layoffs are happening, they always get rid of the Cs and the half, the Bs, if you will. But those A's then become Bs and Cs very quickly. And so it's, it's actually not the right way to look at how you're, you're looking at your employee base. But understanding those metrics is really important because it actually allows you to understand where are teams breaking down. And nobody succeeds or does their best in a silo. And so when we're looking at these elements, you know, it's often not an engagement problem, it's often not a passion problem, it's often an infrastructure problem. And if you're not measuring and measuring in a way that actually tells you what's going on, which averages will never tell you what's going on, it's very easy to just skim over, you know, the situation and give yourself a gold star.
It's going back to Hertzberg's two factor theory. It's the detractors, it's the hygiene issue here that turns A's into C's. And it's. People don't set out to be a C person, they set out to be the best person they can be. But the environment we're creating is detracting to the point where they, they're not motivated and organisations still throw all their money at motivation, not trying to sort out the root causes and the toxicity and the problems that exist. And I dare say, but your approach is that you can look for patterns of whether leadership is failing or not succeeding, and we can look at which teams, which leaders, which events are triggering this as well.
Yeah. And certainly when you look at the behaviours of public versus private versus government, you're going to see different behaviours across those three differentiating factors. You know, we often see the, and it's funny because I do spend a lot of time speaking with employment, employment lawyers, and they often come to me when, you know, there's, there's a big issue in trying to sort out the organisation and so I've had, you know, numerous conversations about the fact that the most toxic organisations are often the organisations that started off as family run businesses that then became public. And we certainly see that if you look at the spirits industry, that industry certainly right now, you know, they've lost almost all of their top female CEOs and leaders. It's a really interesting industry because, you know, you're looking at factors where a lot of those alcohol companies, spirits companies were born from family run businesses that became popular. And you know, most businesses start off as something small, family run and, and grow. And so if they're not actually fixing some of their hierarchical fitting-in practices, they're actually weeding out some of their best talent before they even get started. And you know, I'm just using spirits as, as, as a, as a example.
I mean there's many more examples. So you know, that's, that's not just that industry, but you certainly see that. And so when you're looking at these elements, when you're looking at these factors where toxicity is swept under the rug because, oh well, we scored, oh, we scored 74% on our engagement this year and last year it was lower. But the survey made you, it was very clear that other people, it might not be confidential. You know, that's going to change how you respond. It's mandatory that you respond to this survey. But FYI, it's not necessarily confidential. So we'll know what you've said about you.
How truthful are employees going to be?
Especially if your sample size in your team or your department, your demographic is small. It's, I know most of these survey systems do work out. If a population is below 20 people, then it won't, it'll anonymize it. But there's still a lot of areas where you can go, I reckon that was that person there that said that based on the answer to that particular question, people can draw their conclusions. So yeah, is it truly anonymous? Is it, Are you really speaking freely or are you being caged, forgetting if I tell the truth there, they'll know it's me.
Well, and I guess when you look at that too, I always find it fascinating when you're debriefing leaders on their survey results and they start unpacking instead of getting curious about, okay, so what do we do next? How do we solve for this? Why is this so important for us right now? Instead of them looking at, okay, this is the data that came in, this is our gap score. What you'll see is a Lot of leaders who don't necessarily understand how they regulate or dysregulate a room. They get defensive and instead of them looking at what they want to do, they look at who to blame and why. Oh, that's gotta be so and so, or that's gotta be because of this. And they start rationalising the data, mitigating.
The problems and things.
Yes, yes, yes.
It's been a tough year, profits are down. I've been stressed as well.
So, you know, when we look at any conflict or friction or problem, even if we just look at surveys and we look at, you know, mean averages, you're still going to find elements in there where you can grow from. They're not meant to be accusatory. Survey data is meant to help you solve. If you're looking at it through the lens of growth. Why have we collected data? Why do we collect subjective and qualitative versus quantitative data? After any quantitative survey data that you're collecting, the next thing that you should be doing is looking at, okay, so let's get clear on what's actually happening here and asking better questions so that you can unpack those scores rather than being defensive. And I would say what I almost always see, the initial reaction is, well, this is because. Or so and so did this. This is clearly this department and that's really a product of fitting-in culture rather than creating belonging culture.
And it shows up right away.
That almost says to me about the culture of the organisation, if someone's getting defensive, then they haven't got their own belongingness sorted. There's something in there that, where they don't feel, they feel under threat. Maybe people are then going to judge them and they can't be. Yeah, so all we're doing is passing this toxicity pattern up the line and somebody else is picking up now and they're feeling uncomfortable. So yeah, it's. And the other problem with surveys is they're only valid for the 20 minutes that you complete the survey. So if we're doing these once a year, twice a year, they really are a small snapshot in time. Even if we're doing these micro surveys, these pulse surveys about how you feel right now, these daily, daily touch points, checking in with people, then all we're going to get is historic how it was six months ago.
Yeah, that's right. And so your pulse surveys, your one on ones, your check-ins, your weekly check-ins, all of those things add to the greater build of that data and your survey data. But you know, a lot of HR departments Functions are not necessarily looking at structuring how that's possible so that people can learn in real time. So what I see on average, and you know, even just recently I had, you know, an HR director come to me and you know, she was talking about ergs and you know, she said, we've got like eight active ergs. Our ERG leaders are exhausted, they're threatening to step down. You know, I've launched six new initiatives in the past year to support them. The engagement is lower than when we started. Our executives are, you know, asking me to justify why we're investing in these ergs when the business results are improving, you know, and you can hear the frustration and the frustration isn't unique and it's because HR has typically been an initiative based role, but initiatives aren't infrastructure.
And so the more we're putting on people without building infrastructure, the harder it is for organisations to actually create those environments. And so if we look at DEI and we look at, at belonging and we look at culture and toxicity, a lot of this is because people are burning out. Ergs are certainly burning out because they've been giving everything nights, weekends, emotional labour, strategic thinking and all of that work disappears a lot of time, you know, it's, we're not sustaining them, we're not supporting them. HR teams are. You know, we've seen all of the McKinsey reports and certainly Gallup about how frustrated HR teams are right now in creating programme after programming. You know, whether that's mentorship platforms, leadership training, executive roundtables, engagement surveys like we were just talking about, you know, there the complaint is always, well, you know, nothing's moving the needle on retention or performance. And it's like, yeah, because all we're doing is throwing an initiative after an initiative after an initiative. And we're not actually even listening to the ERG leaders who have so much data and influence and all of their work is just going into the void.
We're not actually leveraging it or using it. And so, you know, I'm actually in the middle of writing a 15 article series specifically on this because it's become such a problem and talking specifically about why the infrastructure of belonging is so critically important. And Jo, something that you said is still sitting with me is that, you know, when leaders don't feel that they belong and I think as you go up through the levels, you know, leadership can be incredibly lonely because you often don't have people that you can speak to about what the challenges are freely and openly. And so there's A lot of confidentiality that goes into what you're allowed to say and what you're not allowed to say. However, that belonging also starts with self first. And so, you know, when we're looking at how you're belonging to yourself and then what you're giving to your organisation, you actually can see the gaps of where people give themselves comfort. How clear are they about what they need in order for them to create predictability and regulate their own work and their own experience? And so that belongingness and the indicators of belonging are as much a measurement of self relationship as they are to another, or as they are to a team, or as they are to a greater team or environment. And so you can measure it in schools, you can measure it in organisations, communities, and also with yourself.
Do you think some of this is from a corporate perspective, from a workplace perspective? It's mapping on to the world. We're living in a time where there's a lot of tension, whether it's political leaders, polemic rhetoric, divisive statements. We have situations going on in Eastern Europe, we have situations going on in the Middle east, we have situations going on in South America, situations all over the world. At the moment, there's a whole lot. There's a lot of tension. If you've got the news, look at the media. There's a lot of things that are raising everybody's anxiety levels in the world. And is that.
Do you think it's being mapped into the workplace where people are feeling this tension?
Well, you can't separate. The thing is, is that you can't separate information. The way that your brain works, your brain doesn't separate, compartmentalise information. And so, you know, you're waking up in the morning and, you know, maybe you pick up your phone or maybe you're on social media and depending on what algorithms you're looking at, you know, what news you're getting, you're always going to see something that triggers. And media is right now designed to trigger us to generate a reaction so that it actually stops us from scrolling. And so of course we bring that into work and of course it then shapes our day and of course that our day at work shapes how we show up at home with our loved ones. And so the brain doesn't separate that, it just layers it on. And so when we look at those elements, not understanding your own regulation is also something that is incredibly important right now.
And, you know, one of the first studies that we did 11 years ago looked at whether or not DEI would polarise or bring people Together and the way it was being rolled out at the time showed it would polarise. And I mean, here we are and it has polarised, but I think it's polarised because of what it needed to unveil. And so we're now in this space and time where we're looking at the distinction between individuals and collective thinking. There's always been tension around that. The problem is, is that belonging is very inconvenient. And what I mean by that is belonging requires you to work through the friction even when you don't want to. And so that element becomes challenging when we're working in spaces or we're living in spaces where friction has essentially been taken out. And what I mean by that is, you know, if somebody doesn't like someone, we stop speaking to them.
If, you know, if something is. Is too hard, we stop and we don't show up. You know, we might say we're gonna go to this function and then, oh, well, actually, I'm not feeling up to it tonight, so I'm not gonna go. And so it becomes very tricky because you can't navigate around that unless you change your own behaviour. And you understand that friction and conflict is also part of your growth. And so I think what we've created and we've certainly seen on global stages is that we have to be able to work through things. And otherwise, you know, when we don't work through things, this is where, you know, wars and violence and physical threat really becomes a reality. And so we're seeing on a global stage, those leaders who understand what it means to work through friction and conflict and those leaders who are going to stick to their individual perspective.
And I think it's, am I winning or are we winning or how are we creating winning together? And because we've eliminated friction, we've actually eliminated a lot of what it means to win collectively.
Andrea, thank you so much. It's been an insightful conversation. How can people get hold of you?
Yeah, so probably the easiest way, what I'd love to offer up, is a way for you to actually look at your own belonging metrics. Now, this is a very simple way of assessing the belonging that you're giving someone and the belonging that you're receiving. But you can go to belongingfirst.com forward slash, belonging breakdown. And it allows you to really easily assess what belonging you're giving and what you're receiving with a specific person. So you can do that with yourself, you can do that with a specific work colleague or person in your world. And just see that initial assessment, what you're giving and what you're receiving. So I would highly recommend doing that. Also, please feel free to join me on Substack and for that you're just going to Substack Andrea D.
Carter. You can access a lot of the writing I've been doing and certainly that article that I'll. Or the 15 articles I'll be writing. And then of course, please join me on LinkedIn at Andrea D. Carter as well on LinkedIn.
Fabulous. I'll go and hunt you down on Substack immediately as soon as we hang up.
Wonderful. Thanks so much, Joanne, for having me.
A pleasure. And thank you so much. As we bring this conversation to a close, I want to express my deepest gratitude to you, our listener, for lending your ear and heart to the cause of inclusion. Today's discussion struck a chord. Consider subscribing to Inclusion Bites and become part of our ever growing community driving real change. Share this journey with friends, family and colleagues. Let's amplify the voices that matter. Got thoughts, storeys or a vision to share? I'm all ears.
Reach out to joanne.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk and let's make your voice heard. Until next time, this is Joanne Lockwood signing off with a promise to return with more enriching narratives that challenge, inspire and unite us. Here's to fostering a more inclusive world one episode at a time. Catch you on the next bite.
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Gemini Infographic Material
In the Inclusion Bites podcast episode “Belonging as Infrastructure,” Andrea D. Carter, a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert, explains how belonging is a measurable and actionable phenomenon, distinct from traditional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) frameworks.
Below are the core bite-sized concepts and the five indicators at the heart of belonging:
1. DEI and Belonging: Distinct but Intertwined
DEI is Structural: DEI frameworks provide the accountability infrastructure—measuring demographic representation, pay equity, and progression, and holding organisations accountable for closing systemic gaps.
Belonging is Experiential: Belonging examines whether people can thrive in the systems we create, measuring lived experience and day-to-day reality, rather than just numerical diversity targets.
Both Are Necessary: Belonging cannot truly exist without addressing DEI’s structural issues, and DEI outcomes will falter without an underpinning belonging infrastructure.
2. The Five Elements of Belonging
Andrea D. Carter describes five validated and measurable indicators essential for belonging:
Comfort
Not “niceness,” but clarity and predictability.
Without clear roles, expectations, and decision-makers, people’s brains enter “threat mode,” leading to exhaustion and lost productivity.
Connection
Genuine bonds built on trust and mutual understanding, not just transactional exchanges.
Teams who share accountability and responsibility are resilient in the face of friction and conflict.
Contribution
People must know their work is seen, valued, and has an influence.
Acknowledgement triggers dopamine and serotonin, fuelling motivation; lack of recognition drains it and fuels disengagement, “quiet quitting,” and eventual exodus.
Psychological Safety
The environment enables people to question, challenge, and admit mistakes without fear of social punishment or career damage.
This can only exist if comfort and connection are already in place.
Well-being
The system replenishes resilience, rather than burning people out.
Well-being isn’t just mindfulness apps or “self-care”—organisations must build sustainable working practices and not shift 100% of responsibility onto the individual.
3. Fitting In vs. Belonging
Fitting In (0%/100%): Individuals shoulder the entire burden to adapt, mask, and constantly scan for unspoken rules—often leading to anxiety, exhaustion, and diminished performance.
Belonging (50%/50%): Both organisation and individual take responsibility to co-create an environment where all can perform and thrive.
4. The Risks of Ignoring Belonging
The “Great Detachment” is visible in workplaces where these elements are missing: disengagement, toxicity, and high turnover—especially among underrepresented groups, as illustrated by declining participation metrics for women and ethnic minorities.
Table: Belonging Infrastructure At-a-Glance
Key Takeaway:
Belonging is real, practical, and measurable. It is not a matter of fluffy culture; it is a shared infrastructural responsibility. When these five elements are weak or missing, performance, innovation, and retention all suffer—regardless of DEI stats on paper.
To truly build inclusive cultures, organisations must balance both accountable DEI structures and robust belonging infrastructure—turning statistical representation into lived resonance and impact.
For more: Listen and subscribe to Inclusion Bites via seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
Episode Category
Primary Category: Belonging and Organisational Culture
Secondary Category: Wellbeing
🔖 Titles
Building Belonging: Why Infrastructure, Not Initiatives, Is the Future of Workplace Inclusion
Beyond Diversity: How Belonging Becomes Measurable, Practical, and Organisationally Transformative
The Five Indicators of Belonging: From Comfort to Wellbeing in Modern Workplaces
Why Fitting In Fails—How Belonging Culture Drives Performance and Retention
Harnessing Neuroscience for Workplace Belonging: The Case for Measurable Infrastructure
From DEI to Belonging: Shifting Mindsets and Metrics for Organisational Success
Regulating the Room: Comfortable Connection and the New Science of Belonging
Quiet Quitting, Toxicity, and the Great Detachment: The Case for Belonging Infrastructure
Psychological Safety and Beyond: What It Takes to Truly Thrive at Work
Infrastructure Over Initiatives: Rethinking Leadership Responsibilities for Lasting Belonging
A Subtitle - A Single Sentence describing this episode
Andrea D. Carter unpacks the science of belonging as infrastructure, illuminating how comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing underpin resilient, high-performing cultures where every individual can truly thrive.
Episode Tags
Belonging as Infrastructure, Workplace Inclusion, Psychological Safety, Organisational Culture, Employee Wellbeing, Leadership Development, DEI Strategy, Measurable Belonging, Team Engagement, Neurodiversity at Work.
Episode Summary with Intro, Key Points and a Takeaway
In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood welcomes Andrea D. Carter to explore the concept of “Belonging as Infrastructure” and why it is essential for organisational culture. The conversation dives deep into the difference between DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) frameworks and belonging, challenging the assumption that simply rolling out DEI initiatives is enough. Andrea articulates how belonging differs by being an experiential infrastructure, focusing on indicators such as comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. Together, Joanne and Andrea discuss how leaders can inadvertently cause harm by conflating DEI compliance with lived belonging, and why measuring these five validated indicators offers a tangible way to transform insights into actionable culture change.
Andrea D. Carter is a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert, organisational scientist, and founder of the Belonging First methodology. With a record of working across the globe and conducting major research projects—most notably the largest belonging study in the mining industry—Andrea brings data-driven insights to improve employee experience and organisational health. She is recognised for her skill in translating complex scientific findings into practical, human stories that resonate with leaders and enable real change. Andrea’s evidence-based approach equips organisations to assess and act upon the lived reality of belonging in their workplaces, shining a light on the importance of structure as well as lived day-to-day experience.
Throughout the episode, Joanne and Andrea emphasise that DEI and belonging must work together but are not interchangeable; DEI provides the accountability and measurement framework while belonging delivers the lived emotional experience necessary for success, innovation, and team cohesion. They candidly tackle the dangers of “fitting in” versus truly belonging, the impact of toxic cultures, and the importance of understanding workforce outliers rather than relying on averages.
The key takeaway is that belonging cannot be left to chance or reduced to a tick-box exercise—it requires both robust infrastructure and a collective commitment to foster environments where everyone can thrive. This episode is a must-listen for HR professionals, leaders, and change agents seeking honest analysis, clear frameworks, and actionable strategies for embedding belonging at the heart of their organisational culture.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Raising children and a puppy teaches valuable lessons in leadership, communication, patience, and responsibility.
09:13 A major mining study identified five belonging indicators—comfortable connection, contribution, psychological safety, wellbeing, and performance—crucial for success, stressing that true belonging requires structural DEI accountability.
13:13 Uncertainty triggers stress, hinders problem-solving, and innovation, while clarity and predictability reduce anxiety and boost focus.
19:22 Lack of connection hinders collaboration and thriving workplaces; fostering comfort, clarity, and connection enables support and success.
26:48 Global data reveals "The Great Detachment" where disengaged workers, influenced by poor feedback, quietly quit or split efforts between job searches and work.
29:13 Women's workforce participation and job security are declining, particularly among black women, with significant economic impacts; global trends show downward patterns in inclusion and belonging, threatening organisational stability.
36:04 Well-being fosters resilience but requires shared responsibility; solely relying on external aids without creating supportive environments exacerbates employee struggles like depression and anxiety.
41:39 Use technology to schedule emails within working hours to promote work-life balance, reserving after-hours urgency for rare emergencies only.
44:24 Belonging requires measuring multiple factors like comfort, connection, and psychological safety, not just single questions. Effective analysis should identify gaps between averages and underrepresented groups, aiding DEI and team wellbeing.
50:43 Family-run businesses turned public often become toxic, affecting leadership diversity and talent retention, as seen in the spirits industry.
59:18 Belonging is vital for leaders, starting with self-awareness, as it impacts relationships, organisations, and communities.
01:01:32 The brain doesn't compartmentalise information; external triggers, especially from media, influence how we react, shaping work, home life, and emotional regulation.
01:06:25 Thank you for supporting inclusion. Subscribe to Inclusion Bites, share, and join the movement for change.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Life Lessons from Children & Pets
09:13 "Belonging, DEI, and Performance"
13:13 "Clarity Eases Cognitive Overload"
19:22 "Connection Enables Workplace Success"
26:48 The Great Detachment Explained
29:13 Women's Workforce Decline and Impact
36:04 "Prioritising Wellbeing for Resilience"
41:39 "Boundaries and Balance in Work"
44:24 Measuring True Belonging Effectively
50:43 Toxicity in Evolving Family Businesses
59:18 "Belonging Starts with Self"
01:01:32 "Interconnected Mind and Media Impact"
01:06:25 "Inclusion Bites: Join Us"
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💬 “Does your DEI strategy actually help people succeed… or is it just ticking a box?” If you’re not sure, you need this 60-second insight! 💬
This week, I’m joined by the brilliant Andrea D. Carter, neuroscience-based belonging expert, organisational scientist, and founder of the ‘Belonging First’ methodology. She’s demystifying what ‘belonging’ really means—and why it’s NOT just diversity with a different label.
Together, we explore:
🔑 The five critical indicators of belonging—real, measurable, and practical, not just feel-good fluff
🔑 Why DEI and belonging frameworks are not the same (and the dangers of conflating them)
🔑 Practical, neuroscience-backed actions any leader can use to transform their workplace culture—today
Why Listen?
“Inclusion is about understanding, and this episode is packed with insights to help you create more #PositivePeopleExperiences.”
As the host of Inclusion Bites, I release episodes every week to inspire, challenge, and equip you to build cultures of genuine belonging—beyond the buzzwords. This short clip is just a taste of what’s to come.
What’s your take? 💭 What does ‘belonging’ look like in your workplace? Share your stories or thoughts below 👇 and join the conversation!
🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen
#PositivePeopleExperiences #SmileEngageEducate #InclusionBites #Podcasts #Shorts
#Belonging #DEI #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #PsychologicalSafety
Don’t forget to like, follow, and comment—and share with anyone who cares about real inclusion.
with SEE Change Happen and Andrea D. Carter
TikTok/Reels/Shorts Video Summary
Focus Keyword: Belonging as Infrastructure
Video Title:
Belonging as Infrastructure: Building Culture Change for Positive People Experiences | #InclusionBitesPodcast
Tags:
belonging, culture change, positive people experiences, inclusion, workplace culture, organisational change, diversity, equity, leadership, company culture, psychological safety, employee engagement, workplace wellbeing, DEI, comfort, connection, contribution, inclusion podcast, see change happen, empowerment, inclusive leadership, team engagement, HR transformation, Andrea D. Carter, Joanne Lockwood, inclusionbites
Killer Quote:
"Killer Quote: 'Belonging actually asks the question, can people succeed in the systems we've built?' - Andrea D. Carter"
Hashtags:
#BelongingAsInfrastructure, #CultureChange, #PositivePeopleExperiences, #InclusionBites, #SeeChangeHappen, #WorkplaceBelonging, #Inclusion, #Leadership, #Equity, #OrganisationalCulture, #PsychologicalSafety, #Diversity, #PeopleFirst, #WorkplaceWellbeing, #EmployeeExperience, #ERG, #ComfortAndConnection, #CultureStrategy, #ChallengingNorms, #JoanneLockwood
Summary Description:
Dive into this thought-provoking episode as I, Joanne Lockwood, explore what it truly means to foster Belonging as Infrastructure with neuroscience-based organisational scientist Andrea D. Carter. Learn why culture change is not a buzzword, but a measurable strategy to enable true Positive People Experiences in any workplace. Discover the five key indicators of belonging—comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing—and why they are the foundation for effective, sustainable organisational culture. If you're passionate about creating workplaces where everyone thrives, tune in for tangible insights, and join our call to action for genuine inclusion. Listen now to ignite change and champion a future where everyone matters.
Join the movement—like, share, and subscribe to keep driving culture change and Positive People Experiences forward.
Outro:
Thank you for tuning in to Inclusion Bites! If you enjoyed this episode and believe in Positive People Experiences and culture change, hit like, tap subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments. For more insightful conversations and resources, visit SEE Change Happen at https://seechangehappen.co.uk.
Listen to the full episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast here: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen
Stay curious, stay kind, and stay inclusive - Joanne Lockwood
ℹ️ Introduction
In this episode of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, host Joanne Lockwood welcomes Andrea D. Carter, a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert and founder of the Belonging First methodology. Together, they unravel what it truly means to operationalise belonging as infrastructure within organisations—moving beyond the rhetoric of DEI towards measurable, lived experience.
The conversation delves into the dangers of conflating DEI with belonging, exploring Andrea D. Carter’s model of five key indicators: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. They discuss why structural accountability remains crucial, the notion of “fitting in” versus “belonging”, and how leaders and teams can foster environments where people don’t just survive—they thrive.
Expect compelling insights on the neuroscience of belonging, the business impact of neglecting these principles, and practical reflections for both leaders and employees. Whether you’re wrestling with retention, employee engagement, or simply seeking to create positive change in your workplace, this is an unmissable conversation that brings the science to life and offers actionable steps for lasting inclusion.
💬 Keywords
belonging, psychological safety, diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, workplace culture, leadership, wellbeing, neuroscience, organisational infrastructure, team dynamics, DEI frameworks, connection, contribution, comfort, fitting in, employee engagement, workplace toxicity, retention, employee motivation, performance infrastructure, middle management, ERGs (Employee Resource Groups), burnout, intersectionality, survey data, HR initiatives, structural accountability, collective behaviour
About this Episode
About The Episode:
In this episode, Andrea D. Carter, a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert, shares her deep expertise on how belonging functions as a vital infrastructure within organisations. She unpacks the distinction between DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) programmes and experiential belonging, explaining their unique roles and measurable impact on workplace culture. Listeners will gain practical insight into the five validated indicators of belonging, and leave with clear direction for fostering environments where people not only fit in but truly thrive.
Today, we'll cover:
The critical differences between DEI structural frameworks and the lived experience of belonging, and how conflating the two can undermine organisational progress.
The five core indicators of belonging—comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing—and how each specifically influences engagement and performance.
Why fitting in and belonging are not interchangeable, and how “fitting in” cultures can cause anxiety, exhaustion, and high turnover.
Practical ways to create comfort through clarity and predictability, reducing cognitive load and anxiety within teams.
The pivotal role of genuine connection and trust, moving teams away from transactional relationships toward collaborative, resilient groups.
The neuroscience underpinning recognition and contribution, and why acknowledgement motivates sustainable engagement better than traditional “engagement surveys”.
How organisations can identify and address hidden outliers in wellbeing and belonging, rather than relying on average satisfaction metrics, to prevent costly mass exits and toxic work environments.
💡 Speaker bios
Joanne Lockwood is a passionate advocate for inclusion and belonging, guiding listeners through thought-provoking conversations on her podcast, Inclusion Bites. With a commitment to societal transformation, Joanne challenges the status quo and uncovers untold stories that inspire change. She creates a welcoming space where everyone is encouraged not only to belong, but to thrive. Whether over a morning coffee or at the end of the day, Joanne invites her audience to connect, reflect, and take action together, fostering a community built on understanding and progress. Those keen to share their insights or join the conversation are welcome to reach out and become part of the journey.
💡 Speaker bios
Andrea D. Carter’s life took an unexpected turn seven years ago when she adopted her rescue dog, a unique cross—likely between a pharaoh hound and a basenji. Unlike the boisterous border collies and Australian shepherds she had grown up with, her new companion was gentle, reserved, and almost cat-like in his demeanour. His quiet presence and expressive eyes became his way of communicating, making him both intriguing and endearing. Through patience and careful attention, Andrea discovered the joys of understanding a pet who speaks volumes without ever making a sound.
❇️ Key topics and bullets
Certainly. Here’s a comprehensive sequence of the topics covered in the transcript, detailed with hierarchical structure and relevant sub-topics:
1. Introduction to the Episode and Speakers
Podcast and episode overview
Introduction of Andrea D. Carter and her expertise
Joanne Lockwood's welcome and establishing rapport
2. Icebreaker: Weather and Environment
Canadian climate and winter experiences
Comparisons of environments (UK vs Canada)
Discussions about pets as a segue into human connection
3. Belonging in the Workplace: Foundational Concepts
Andrea D. Carter’s “Belonging First” methodology
The neuroscience behind belonging
Clarification between DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) and Belonging
Definitions and distinctions
Risks of conflating DEI and Belonging
DEI as structural accountability; Belonging as lived experience
4. Five Indicators of Belonging
Comfort
Clarity and predictability
Impact of uncertainty on cognitive load and performance
Difference between “fitting in” and “belonging”
Connection
Building trust and mutual accountability
Difference between genuine connection and transactional relationships
Role of middle management in fostering connection
Contribution
Recognition, acknowledgement, and motivational psychology
Role of managers and teams in validating individual impact
Biological underpinnings (dopamine, serotonin)
Psychological Safety
Definition and significance
Relationship to speaking up, whistleblowing, and error reporting
Lessons from high-risk industries (airlines, NASA, mining)
Wellbeing
Supporting sustainable work practices
Critique of resilience initiatives without systemic change
Importance of organisational accountability as well as individual responsibility
5. Analysis of Organisational Challenges
Quiet quitting and “The Great Detachment” trend
Discrepancy between engagement surveys and real belonging
Underrepresentation and intersectionality in workplace data
Risks of focusing only on positive survey means without considering outliers
Impact of DEI rollbacks, with a focus on gender and race workforce shifts
6. The Role of Leadership and Organisational Infrastructure
Critical errors in abandoning DEI in favour of “culture”
Leadership’s role in setting conditions for belonging
Middle management pressure and influence
Common pitfalls in survey feedback and interpretation
Need for mediation analysis and meaningful measurement
7. Broader Social Context and External Pressures
Influence of global socio-political tensions on workplace dynamics
Media impact on psychological safety and collective anxieties
Individual vs. collective mindsets in societal and organisational belonging
8. Practical Applications and Self-Assessment
Tools for evaluating personal and team belonging
Importance of continuous feedback and reflective practices
Access to additional resources (Andrea D. Carter’s website, Substack, LinkedIn)
9. Closing Remarks
Joanne Lockwood's invitation to join community discussions
Emphasis on action, inclusion, and ongoing conversation
This sequence follows the episode’s logical flow, illustrating how the conversation moved from establishing rapport through in-depth theoretical exploration, practical guidance, and finally, to actionable community engagement.
The Hook
Ever felt like you’re in the room but never quite part of it? It’s not you. It’s the invisible systems shaping who gets to truly belong—and who just “fits in.” Ready to flip the script on what it takes to THRIVE, not just survive, at work?
Is your “inclusion” strategy just surface-level noise—while the REAL reason people tune out and drift away goes untouched? What if there’s a way to turn belonging into your superpower for innovation, retention + performance? Dive in… the answers aren’t what you expect.
Quiet quitting. Great detachment. Teams going through the motions. Sound familiar? Wait ‘til you discover why most culture fixes MISS the mark (and how a belonging-first mindset rewires EVERYTHING). Intrigued? You should be…
Think you’ve cracked the code on psychological safety? Guess again. What if you’re missing four critical factors silently sabotaging your team’s potential? It’s time to get uncomfortable—in all the best ways.
Fit in—Or belong? One makes you anxious, one makes you unstoppable. What would it mean for your leadership (and your life) if you could build the kind of infrastructure where EVERYONE flourishes? Spoiler: it’s more radical than you think…
🎬 Reel script
In today’s Inclusion Bites episode, we explored how belonging isn’t just a fluffy ideal—it’s measurable infrastructure that drives high-performing, resilient workplaces. Join me and neuroscience-based belonging expert Andrea D. Carter as we unpack the five indicators of belonging: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. Discover why shifting from a “fitting in” culture to true belonging is essential for innovation, engagement, and sustainable success. Ready for a workplace where everyone thrives? Tune in to Inclusion Bites and ignite real change.
🗞️ Newsletter
Inclusion Bites Newsletter: Episode 211 – Belonging as Infrastructure
Welcome back to Inclusion Bites, where bold conversations drive change and challenge norms! In our latest episode, host Joanne Lockwood welcomes Andrea D. Carter, an organisational scientist and global workplace belonging expert, to explore the transformative concept of Belonging as Infrastructure.
Key Insights from the Episode
We hear everywhere that DEI is “dead” or “dying”. But is this narrative not just risky, but fundamentally flawed? Andrea D. Carter disrupts this thinking by clarifying why DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and belonging are not interchangeable. DEI provides the structural accountability—think equitable pay audits, representation metrics, and targeted hiring practices—while belonging interrogates our experiential infrastructure. The action is not just about counting heads or ticking boxes; it’s about asking, “Can every person succeed in the systems we've built?”
The Five Indicators of Belonging
Ever wondered what it means to actually belong at work? Andrea’s belonging-first methodology sets out five scientifically validated indicators:
Comfort – More than just feeling “at home,” comfort includes clarity and predictability, eliminating the cognitive load of uncertainty and anxiety.
Connection – It isn’t just about being nice; true connection is built through trust and reciprocity, making teams resilient in the face of volatility.
Contribution – When your work is valued and acknowledged, serotonin and dopamine motivate you to excel, rather than quietly quit or disengage.
Psychological Safety – Encourages safe friction, open challenge, and honest feedback without fear of social punishment or retaliation.
Wellbeing – A partnership: wellbeing is not left to the individual alone but created and maintained by the environment and the leaders themselves.
Are you thinking about the pulse surveys your organisation conducts? As Andrea highlights, real belonging can’t be measured by a single “Do you feel you belong here?” question. Instead, granular measurement of those five indicators is how you truly uncover your organisation’s strengths and vulnerabilities.
Why Does It Matter Now?
We’re living through a time of global volatility, relentless news cycles, and increased workplace toxicity. As DEI agendas are rolled back, people—especially women and minorities—are detaching and “voting with their feet.” Is your organisation prepared for the mass exodus set to follow when the job market improves?
Practical Takeaways
Don’t conflate DEI and belonging: both are needed, but neither alone is enough.
Examine not just averages on your survey data, but also the outliers. Who feels left out? What intersections of identity are you missing?
Comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing should be built into your workplace DNA—not left to chance or the latest initiative.
Want to Experience Belonging First-Hand?
Andrea offers a free “Belonging Breakdown” self-assessment at belongingfirst.com/belonging-breakdown—see how much belonging you’re giving and receiving, whether at work or in your personal life.
Join the Conversation!
Do you have experiences, insights, or challenges you'd like to share? Reach Joanne at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk or connect with us via seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
Subscribe, share, and let’s ignite inclusion—one episode, one conversation, one bite at a time.
#InclusionBites #BelongingAsInfrastructure #PositivePeopleExperiences
Keep challenging the status quo. See you on the next bite!
🧵 Tweet thread
🧵1/ What if “belonging” was as essential to an organisation as its IT systems, policies, or payroll? On #InclusionBites, Joanne Lockwood and Andrea D. Carter unravel why “Belonging as Infrastructure” is the change HR and leaders need to make – not just a “nice to have”. Let’s dive in…👇
2/ Forget the “DEI is dead” headlines. Andrea D. Carter breaks down why Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) frameworks are about structural accountability, metrics, and closing systemic gaps. You can’t fudge the fundamentals: “Are our structures equitable?” That’s DEI. #DEI #Accountability
3/ Belonging is NOT interchangeable with inclusion or diversity. It’s experiential infrastructure—measured by 5 indicators:
Comfort
Connection
Contribution
Psychological Safety
Wellbeing
Not fluffy. Systemic. #BelongingFirst #Neuroscience
4/ Why does “comfort” matter? It’s not about avoiding conflict—it’s about clarity and predictability. Picture joining a meeting with zero context. You’re scanning the room, feeling on edge, thinking “What am I even doing here?” That’s wasted cognitive energy.
5/ Real belonging means everyone gets to thrive. If your workplace is built on “fitting in”, you’re forcing people to adapt to the unspoken rules—usually those with the most power. Hello, anxiety, goodbye innovation. #RegulateDontAlienate
6/ “Connection” isn’t just camaraderie; it’s psychological trust. Reciprocity, not transaction. Teams with true connection have each other’s backs in tough times—they pick up the slack, shout each other out, and innovate together.
7/ “Contribution”: If you’re slogging away on projects with zero recognition—or worse, you’re dismissed—motivation tanks. Dopamine & serotonin in the bin. Acknowledged contributions keep people energised and committed.
8/ Psychological safety isn’t a tick-box. When people can’t speak up, you’re on a fast track to costly errors and talent drain. As Andrea D. Carter points out, you don’t get psychological safety unless comfort & connection are in place first.
9/ Wellbeing is resilience in action. Too many companies slap on meditations and mental health apps while maintaining burnout cultures. You can’t yoga your way out of a system that exhausts you 24/7. It’s 50/50: employer sets conditions; employees flourish.
10/ Here’s the sting: engagement surveys only show who’s busy—not who will stay, or who’s thriving. Most organisations measure the average, ignoring the outliers—the people most at risk of burning out or leaving.
11/ “Belonging as Infrastructure” means building it into every process—hiring, meetings, project wrap-ups, and leader behaviours. Initiatives are not infrastructure! Fix the system; don’t just add more programmes.
12/ As the world faces polarisation, war, and volatility, our brains bring this emotional load to work. TRUE change means leaders build collective resilience and mutual belonging—starting with themselves.
13/ 📢 Hungry for more bold conversations? Tune into Inclusion Bites and join Joanne Lockwood in disrupting the status quo of workplace culture. Because change isn’t an initiative—it’s the infrastructure we choose every day. #InclusionBites #Belonging
🔗 Share your own experiences. How does your workplace build (or break) belonging? Let’s start a real conversation.
Guest's content for their marketing
Reflecting on My Inclusion Bites Podcast Conversation: Belonging as a Catalyst for Organisational Success
I am delighted to share reflections from my recent appearance on the Inclusion Bites Podcast, hosted by the inspiring Joanne Lockwood. As a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert, organisational scientist, and founder of the Belonging First methodology, I had the privilege to discuss some of the most crucial drivers of belonging as infrastructure within organisations.
The Conversation: Beyond Surface-Level Inclusion
During my conversation with Joanne, we moved beyond the often-discussed topic of diversity and inclusion and focused on what it tangibly means to create belonging in the workplace. Together, we tackled questions many leaders and HR professionals are asking: What does it mean to truly belong? And why is it that so many organisations conflate DEI initiatives with the lived experience of belonging?
I explained that while DEI (or IDEA, as it’s referred to in Canada, including Accessibility) focuses on structural accountability frameworks—tracking pay equity, audit hiring processes, and monitoring promotion velocity—belonging is fundamentally experiential. It is not something that can be rolled into culture programmes in the hope it will simply ‘happen’. Rather, it is built intentionally, through a measurable infrastructure supporting five validated indicators: Comfort, Connection, Contribution, Psychological Safety, and Wellbeing.
Five Indicators of Belonging: From Research to Action
Our discussion delved into the five indicators we validated through the largest global mining study, encompassing more than 3,500 participants. I shared with listeners how true belonging differs from simply being included—it is about being equipped to succeed and thrive within the systems organisations have created.
Comfort: Not the fluffy absence of friction, but the presence of clarity and predictability, so our brains are regulated instead of constantly on alert.
Connection: Moving away from transactional relationships to genuine bonds built on trust, which are essential during times of organisational friction.
Contribution: Ensuring effort is valued and acknowledged, so both dopamine and serotonin drive ongoing motivation.
Psychological Safety: Fostering spaces where feedback is welcome and curiosity trumps defensiveness, making it safe to learn and speak up.
Wellbeing: Embedding the renewal and resilience of staff into the environment, not merely as an individual responsibility, but as a shared, systemic priority.
These indicators are not simply academic—they are borne out in workplace data from more than 150,000 employees, across eight industries globally. The evidence is clear: when belonging is in place, organisations mobilise faster, innovate more readily, and retain their talent longer.
Addressing Today’s Challenges
Joanne and I also discussed how these concepts are particularly salient under the pressures affecting many businesses today—economic volatility, the rollback of DEI, employee detachment, and the rising tide of workplace toxicity. As I articulated, disengagement is not a passion problem, but an infrastructure issue, and the means to address it lies in building robust belonging frameworks, not adding another ‘initiative’ to employees’ workloads.
Applying Belonging: Tools for Individuals and Leaders
I was also pleased to offer listeners a practical evaluation tool via the Belonging Breakdown, where anyone can reflect on the belonging they give and receive—whether with themselves, a colleague, or a workplace at large. Creating a culture of mutual accountability and self-awareness is vital at every level, from the front line to the C-suite.
Continuing the Conversation
Being a guest on the Inclusion Bites Podcast offered a platform to champion the reality that belonging isn’t a ‘nice to have’—it’s an organisational imperative, rooted in science and measurable results. If you found these insights compelling, I invite you to read more of my deep-dives and data-driven commentary via Substack (Andrea D. Carter) or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Thank you to Joanne Lockwood for orchestrating such an engaging and thoughtful discussion, and to all those passionate about transforming the workplace experience for the better.
Together, we can ensure belonging isn’t just talked about, but felt, measured, and woven into the very infrastructure of our organisations.
— Andrea D. Carter
Pain Points and Challenges
Certainly. The episode "Belonging as Infrastructure" on Inclusion Bites, featuring Andrea D. Carter and Joanne Lockwood, delves into actionable insights around belonging in the workplace while highlighting a set of crucial pain points and challenges. Below is a focused list, each paired with content aimed at addressing these pressing issues:
Pain Points & Targeted Solutions
1. Conflation of DEI and Belonging Initiatives
Challenge: Organisations are blurring the lines between DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) structural frameworks and Belonging, treating them as interchangeable concepts rather than recognising their distinct roles.
Addressing It: Educate leadership on the complementary but separate functions of DEI (structural accountability—measures, audits, representation) and Belonging (experiential infrastructure—how people feel, connect, and perform). Advocate for integrated strategies where both are structurally and experientially prioritised, ensuring neither becomes a tick-box exercise nor is abandoned.
2. Erosion of DEI Accountability Frameworks
Challenge: With media narratives like “DEI is dead,” organisations are rolling DEI principles under ambiguous 'culture' or 'belonging' umbrellas, risking regulatory rollback and stunted systemic change.
Addressing It: Reinforce the necessity of transparent accountability, data-driven reporting (on pay equity, hiring, promotion velocity, etc.), and regular audits. Implement monitoring mechanisms to prevent dilution, with leadership incentivised to sustain DEI infrastructure alongside culture work.
3. Belonging as a One-Sided Effort (‘Fitting In’ Culture)
Challenge: Many workplaces default to a 'fitting in' paradigm, placing the burden entirely on individuals from underrepresented groups to adapt, rather than co-creating inclusive environments.
Addressing It: Frame belonging as a ‘50/50’ responsibility—organisational systems must facilitate predictability, clarity, and psychological safety, not just expect individual resilience. Train managers to recognise and dismantle subtle ‘insider-outsider’ cultures, and establish clear protocols and onboarding that share social rules explicitly.
4. Tokenistic Engagement and Engagement Survey Gaps
Challenge: Traditional engagement surveys focus on averages or the majority voice, masking issues experienced by outlier or underrepresented employees and failing to measure true belonging indicators.
Addressing It: Move beyond annual, one-dimensional surveys to regular pulse checks, qualitative interviews, and stratified data analytics that highlight both mean averages and outliers. Use tools that assess comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing distinctly, so nuanced gaps are revealed and addressed.
5. Burnout and the Great Detachment
Challenge: Employees (especially in ERGs and marginalised groups) are exhausted by additional emotional labour with little structural support, leading to disengagement, quiet quitting, and increased attrition.
Addressing It: Shift from initiative-overload (one-off events, ‘perks’ like yoga apps) to embedding resilience and wellbeing within role design, workload planning, and the company’s operational core. Celebrate and reward invisible labour and ensure wellbeing strategies are co-created with those most affected by burnout.
6. Psychological Safety as a Partial Focus
Challenge: Organisations invest heavily in psychological safety yet treat it as a stand-alone solution, not realising it’s only one of multiple pillars required for genuine belonging.
Addressing It: Broaden training and interventions to encompass comfort (predictability, clarity), connection (trust, reciprocity), and recognition (visible contribution) as prerequisites for psychological safety. Document and track instances where team members speak up, how feedback is handled, and close the loop by acting on suggestions raised.
7. Leadership Loneliness and Self-Belonging Deficits
Challenge: Leaders often lack their own sense of belonging, contributing to defensive behaviours, resistance to feedback, and impaired relational safety for their teams.
Addressing It: Support leaders with peer networks, coaching, and self-assessment tools that help them build their self-belonging and emotional regulation. Encourage leader vulnerability and create space for upward feedback.
8. Inadequate Data Analysis—Overlooking Intersectional Outliers
Challenge: Traditional reporting ignores intersectional insights, focusing only on majority identities or roles, and thus overlooking where the deepest sense of exclusion resides.
Addressing It: Employ mediation and multiplicative analysis techniques (as per Andrea D. Carter’s research) to surface gaps between the ‘average’ and identity-based outliers, ensuring intersectionality is at the core of organisational metrics and solutions.
Each of these suggestions translates directly into policy changes, people practices, and leadership models that proactively tackle the challenges identified in the conversation. By moving from surface-level actions to structural and relational change, organisations can build environments where everyone can experience both equity and genuine belonging—treating ‘belonging’ not as a buzzword, but as a practical infrastructure that sustains high performance and positive people experiences.
Questions Asked that were insightful
Absolutely—this episode of Inclusion Bites with Andrea D. Carter and Joanne Lockwood is rich with insightful exchanges that would make an engaging and informative FAQ series. Here are some of the standout questions that elicited thought-provoking or nuanced responses, ideal for shaping into audience-facing FAQs:
1. What is ‘belonging’ in the workplace, and how does it differ from DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)?
Joanne Lockwood directly asked Andrea D. Carter to define "belonging" and its role distinct from, but complementary to, DEI initiatives. Andrea D. Carter's response clearly differentiated structural accountability (DEI) from experiential infrastructure (belonging), detailing the dangers of conflating the two and outlining the specific indicators that underpin belonging.
2. What are the five key indicators of belonging, and why are they important?
The exchange logically progressed to an in-depth explanation of the five indicators: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. Andrea D. Carter expounded on each, using practical examples from workplace life, such as meetings, performance, and dynamics, illustrating why each matters for organisational culture and employee experience.
3. Can you be ‘included’ but not experience a sense of belonging?
This question, prompted by Joanne Lockwood, led to the unpacking of the common misconception that inclusion automatically guarantees belonging. Andrea D. Carter explained the fundamental differences between being present or "invited in" and feeling truly able to thrive.
4. Why do so many workplace engagement initiatives and ‘engagement surveys’ fail to deliver real change?
Andrea D. Carter addressed this with data-driven insights, noting that engagement surveys often only reveal who is busy, not who intends to stay or feels valued. She highlighted “the Great Detachment” and explored why infrastructure (not initiatives or programmes alone) actually drive sustainable engagement and retention.
5. How can psychological safety be built, and why is it not enough on its own?
A critical question led to a robust discussion around why psychological safety, though vitally important, is only one component of belonging. Practical examples were used to show how without comfort and connection, genuine voice and challenge can’t flourish.
6. Does external volatility—such as societal and global tension—spill over into the workplace, impacting belonging?
Joanne Lockwood posed a timely question about the influence of external global events. Andrea D. Carter reflected on the neuroscience of emotional contagion, media influence, and how these stressors cannot simply be compartmentalised by workers or leaders.
7. Why do so many ERG (Employee Resource Group) leaders and HR professionals experience burnout?
A question about initiative fatigue prompted a substantial discussion on the structural failings behind current approaches, emphasising the difference between genuine infrastructure and a series of disconnected programmes.
8. How can organisations measure who feels they belong—and who is at risk? Why don’t mean averages tell the whole story?
This more technical query surfaced insights about data analysis in inclusion work. Andrea D. Carter gave practical examples of why focusing on outliers and intersectionality is crucial, rather than being satisfied with positive averages or NPS scores.
These exchanges could be adapted into an ongoing FAQ section for Inclusion Bites listeners, each offering practical, actionable answers grounded in lived experience, neuroscience, and organisational data. They would serve not only to clarify core concepts, but also to challenge surface-level understandings with deeper, science-based explanations.
Blog article based on the episode
Belonging as Infrastructure: Why Comfort, Connection and Contribution Matter More Than Ever
How often have you walked into a meeting, sensed tension in the air, and wondered, “Do I actually belong here?” It’s not just nerves; it’s neuroscience. The Inclusion Bites Podcast’s episode "Belonging as Infrastructure" puts belonging under the microscope, exposing how our workplaces, and the systems within them, shape our very sense of purpose and connection. In this episode, host Joanne Lockwood speaks with Andrea D. Carter—neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert and organisational scientist—whose insights shatter old tropes about diversity, inclusion, and the subtle yet seismic forces driving employee engagement.
The Problem: When DEI Gets Conflated with Belonging
We live in an era of deep workplace uncertainty. Debates about the relevance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) swirl in boardrooms and newsfeeds. Some claim “DEI is dead,” and organisations rush to replace it with a vague culture of “belonging.” But, as Andrea D. Carter insists, treating DEI as equal to belonging is both “dangerous and harmful.” DEI frameworks hold organisations structurally accountable—think audited hiring processes, pay equity, and promotion velocity. By contrast, belonging is experiential, built on five validated indicators: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and well-being.
In other words, you can have DEI policies on paper and still leave people feeling anxious, excluded, and unseen. Conversely, you might have a cheery, “inclusive” culture where the groundwork of equity and accountability is missing.
The Science of Belonging: Five Indicators That Matter
Drawing from data involving over 3,500 mining industry participants in a global study (Andrea D. Carter, [09:13]), we uncover five crucial metrics for fostering true belonging:
Comfort: Not warm fuzziness, but rather clarity and predictability. When employees know the purpose of a meeting, the expected outcomes, and their role within it, anxiety drops and cognitive energy is redirected to solving real problems. How often are people exhausted from scanning for “unspoken rules” rather than engaging with actual work?
Connection: Reciprocated relationships build trust—not merely transactional exchanges. Teams thrive when individuals know their voices matter and can safely ask for help, confident the group has their back. It’s about trust, not just politeness.
Contribution: Employees need visible acknowledgement that their work matters. A simple “you’ve helped us make a great decision” from a manager releases dopamine and serotonin in the brain, fuelling engagement and resilience. Neglect this, and you risk detaching your best performers—what Andrea D. Carter describes as the “Great Detachment.”
Psychological Safety: This often gets lip service, but it’s only one-fifth of the belonging equation. Genuine psychological safety means team members can challenge, try, admit mistakes, and raise concerns without fear. The cost of its absence? Flawed plans advance unchallenged, innovation dries up, and silence prevails.
Well-being: Well-being isn’t just lunchtime yoga or mindfulness apps. If a workplace expects employees to self-renew amidst toxicity, it’s missing the infrastructure for genuine well-being. Belonging is “50/50”—leaders must set the conditions so people can unplug, recover, and bring their best selves to work.
The Impact: The Cost of Ignoring Belonging
Failing to address these five indicators is more than a morale issue. The statistics shared are sobering. In North America, 91,000 women exited the workforce in one month alone, and 304,000 Black women lost their jobs during a recent DEI rollback (Andrea D. Carter, [29:13]). Toxicity in workplaces surged from 66% to 80% in just one year. The hidden costs? Billions lost in GDP, innovation throttled, and a workforce teetering on the precipice of disengagement and quiet quitting.
Actionable Strategies: Building Belonging by Design
So, what can leaders and organisations do to put "Belonging as Infrastructure" into practice?
Start With Clarity and Predictability
Every meeting should begin by establishing why you’re there, what’s expected, and the role each participant plays.
Leaders must set clear boundaries and expectations, particularly around workload and urgent communications—even something as simple as scheduling emails during working hours unless there’s a true emergency.
Measure What Matters
Move beyond the “Do you feel you belong here?” survey question. True measurement means tracking comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and well-being.
Analyse outliers and underrepresented voices, not just mean averages or Net Promoter Scores. Find out who isn’t thriving, and why.
Acknowledge and Empower
Regularly recognise individual contributions at project wrap-ups or team meetings.
Cultivate trust by publicly crediting those who move initiatives forward. Remember: quiet dedication needs as much notice as overt achievement.
Design for Reciprocity, Not Just Initiatives
Shift from one-off engagement activities or pulse surveys to genuine infrastructure—ongoing two-way feedback, support for employee resource groups (ERGs), and leadership development aimed at creating mutual accountability.
Build Well-being into Culture
Encourage full unplugging during evenings, holidays, and weekends. Leaders should model these boundaries themselves.
Proactively check the pulse on stress, burnout, and work-life balance, then act on findings.
Your Role: Cultivating Self-Belonging
It’s not just about how organisations treat employees—the journey starts with the self. As Andrea D. Carter explains, belonging is as much a measure of self-relationship as of team environment. What do you need in order to thrive at work? Do you feel psychologically safe? Does your contribution matter?
In a world shaped by volatility, political divisiveness, and media designed for outrage, our need for belonging grows ever more acute. Workplaces that fail to build this infrastructure risk not only disengagement, but also losing the very people required to succeed—as soon as markets shift, mass exodus becomes reality.
Call to Action: Bring Belonging to Life
Inspired by Andrea D. Carter and this episode’s “Belonging as Infrastructure,” the time for passive reflection is over. Take stock—both individually and organisationally—of the conditions you create and the experience you enable. Set new standards for clarity, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and well-being. Don’t wait for the next wave of disengagement, detachment, or exodus. Measure, acknowledge, and act.
Ready to take your belonging pulse? Visit Andrea D. Carter’s assessment at belongingfirst.com/belongingbreakdown and see for yourself what you’re giving and receiving. Subscribe to the Inclusion Bites Podcast at SEE Change Happen, and enter the conversation. Reach out to Joanne Lockwood at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk to share your story or join the next episode.
Let’s disrupt the norms, challenge complacency, and build belonging—not just as a feel-good ideal, but as a measurable, practical infrastructure. Because when people truly belong, they don’t just show up—they thrive.
The standout line from this episode
The standout line from this episode comes from Andrea D. Carter:
"Fitting in is a hundred percent on the person, 0% on you, and belonging is 50, 50."
❓ Questions
Certainly! Here are 10 discussion questions inspired by this episode of Inclusion Bites, "Belonging as Infrastructure" featuring Andrea D. Carter and Joanne Lockwood:
How does Andrea D. Carter distinguish between DEI (or IDEA) and belonging, and why does she caution against organisations conflating the two?
What are the five validated indicators of belonging introduced by Andrea D. Carter, and how do they interact to create a measurable infrastructure for workplace performance?
Why does Andrea D. Carter argue that both DEI frameworks and belonging infrastructures are necessary but insufficient alone for organisational success?
In what ways does ‘fitting in’ differ from ‘belonging’, and what are the implications of this difference for both individuals and organisations?
How does the neuroscience behind comfort and psychological safety support or challenge traditional models of workplace culture and communication?
With the rise in workplace toxicity and high-profile trends such as “quiet quitting” and “the Great Detachment," what does Andrea D. Carter say about the effectiveness of engagement surveys, and what alternatives does she propose?
How does Andrea D. Carter suggest leaders can practically create environments of mutual comfort, connection, and contribution, particularly during periods of volatility or change?
What role does measurement play in identifying gaps in belonging and inclusion, and how important is it to look beyond mean averages to focus on outliers within organisational data?
How does the personal regulation (or dysregulation) of leaders affect their teams’ sense of belonging, and what are the broader repercussions for organisational culture?
In the context of current global volatility, Joanne Lockwood and Andrea D. Carter discuss the interplay between societal anxiety and workplace experience. How might organisations respond to external pressures to preserve or enhance belonging internally?
These questions invite deep engagement with the episode’s themes, encouraging listeners to consider both practical applications and the broader significance of belonging as infrastructure within organisations and society.
FAQs from the Episode
FAQ: Belonging as Infrastructure — Insights from Inclusion Bites Podcast Episode 211
1. What is meant by “Belonging as Infrastructure”?
“Belonging as Infrastructure” reframes belonging from a vague feeling to a measurable, actionable organisational framework. According to Andrea D. Carter, belonging is not just about being invited or included; it’s about creating the right conditions—predictability, clarity, and mutual accountability—that allow individuals to thrive and deliver their best work, both as themselves and within the collective. Infrastructure indicates an intentional strategy, not a by-product or afterthought in workplace culture.
2. How does belonging differ from DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)?
While DEI (or IDEA in Canada, which includes Accessibility) concerns structural frameworks, representation, pay equity, and accountability, belonging is about lived experience and performance in those structures. DEI asks, “Are our systems fair?”; belonging asks, “Can people meaningfully succeed in the systems we’ve built?” They are linked but distinct—one focuses on structural accountability, the other on the experiential outcome (Andrea D. Carter).
3. What are the five measurable indicators of belonging?
Andrea D. Carter has validated five core indicators of belonging:
Comfort: Presence of clarity and predictability that help individuals regulate and perform rather than operate from anxiety or uncertainty.
Connection: The depth of trust-based relationships, as opposed to purely transactional interactions.
Contribution: How acknowledged, valued, and enabled people feel regarding their input and influence.
Psychological Safety: The freedom to speak, challenge, and admit mistakes without fear of social punishment.
Wellbeing: Organisational structures that support full personal renewal and resilience, not just individual coping mechanisms.
4. Is it possible to create belonging without robust DEI frameworks?
No. Andrea D. Carter emphasises that you cannot achieve true belonging without dismantling systemic and structural barriers. Likewise, DEI initiatives are unlikely to succeed unless employees genuinely feel they belong. Both must be developed together to enable environments where diversity thrives and is retained.
5. Why do people leave organisations, even if DEI is in place?
When the infrastructure of belonging is lacking—when individuals feel unseen, unvalued, or are expected to “fit in” rather than belong—motivation and engagement wane. Quiet quitting, high turnover among marginalised groups, and disengagement are the symptoms of these gaps. Survey data cited in the episode shows alarming levels of workplace toxicity and withdrawal among those who do not experience belonging.
6. Isn't “fitting in” the same as belonging?
No. “Fitting in” means individuals must adapt, decode unspoken rules, and shape-shift into existing norms, often at the expense of their authentic selves. Belonging, on the other hand, is reciprocal (50/50) and ensures everyone shares responsibility for creating a culture where all can contribute and thrive (Andrea D. Carter).
7. What role do leaders and middle managers play in building belonging?
Leaders are crucial. Managers either regulate (create safety and clarity) or dysregulate (cause stress and confusion) their teams. Connection, genuine relationship-building, and showing that every voice and contribution matters underpin effective leadership. Middle managers, in particular, can be the difference between transactional environments and high-trust, high-performance teams.
8. How can psychological safety be fostered in practice?
Psychological safety is more than a declaration in a company meeting. It requires demonstrably safe spaces where feedback is welcomed, challenges are responded to with curiosity, and follow-up occurs. A psychologically safe culture means no one is penalised for speaking up, and feedback loops are closed and acknowledged.
9. What does organisational support for wellbeing look like?
Wellbeing means not leaving recovery and resilience up to individuals—”Here’s a meditation app, now perform better!” Instead, policies should enable true ‘off’ time, manageable workloads, boundaries around communication outside work hours, and acceptance of life’s demands. The workplace must actively support renewal, not undermine it.
10. How can organisations measure belonging?
Belonging can be measured via surveys that specifically address the five key indicators (comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing), and through advanced analysis that compares averages with outlier experiences—especially those of underrepresented or marginalised groups. It’s essential to go beyond aggregate scores to understand who is thriving and who is being failed by current structures.
11. Why do most engagement or pulse surveys miss the point?
Traditional engagement surveys often measure who’s busy, not who’s thriving or planning to stay. They miss root causes by focusing on averages, whereas the real story lies in understanding outlier and underrepresented experiences. Belonging-focused metrics offer deeper, actionable insight.
12. Where can I learn more or access belonging self-assessments?
Andrea D. Carter recommends visiting belongingfirst.com/belongingbreakdown for a simple self-assessment, following her work on Substack, or connecting via LinkedIn for ongoing insights.
For more conversations that disrupt the status quo and ignite inclusion, subscribe to Inclusion Bites at seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen or contact the host, Joanne Lockwood, at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk.
Tell me more about the guest and their views
The guest for this episode of Inclusion Bites is Andrea D. Carter. She’s introduced as a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert, organisational scientist, and founder of the Belonging First methodology. Her expertise lies in translating complex data into stories and insights leaders can act on, focusing on the measurable facets of belonging within organisations.
Core Views and Approach:
Andrea D. Carter is clear that belonging in the workplace is not a soft, fluffy concept, but a critical infrastructure. She distinguishes belonging from DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), highlighting that while DEI is focused on structural accountability (like equity audits, representation, and systemic barriers), belonging is about experiential infrastructure—what people actually feel and receive within a team or organisation.
Her five validated indicators of belonging are:
Comfort (clarity and predictability)
Connection (trust and bond within teams)
Contribution (being valued and acknowledged for input)
Psychological Safety (freedom from social reprisal when speaking out)
Wellbeing (being resilient, supported, and not burnt out)
She argues these must be measured, not just assumed, and both DEI and belonging need to work in tandem—one cannot succeed without the other.
Nuanced Insights:
Andrea D. Carter criticises organisations that conflate or substitute DEI with belonging, noting this is a “critical error.” She explains that DEI creates the conditions for equality, whilst belonging answers whether people can succeed within those structures.
She draws on neuroscience and large-scale empirical studies—like a mining industry survey with 3,500 participants—to validate her indicators, leaning on brain science to justify why clarity, trust, and recognition drive performance, retention, and innovation.
She’s deeply aware of current workforce challenges. Issues like “quiet quitting” and what she calls the “Great Detachment” are rooted in a lack of belonging—a direct result of workplaces failing to engage, recognise, and support employees properly.
She is critical of typical engagement surveys, which tend to focus on averages and ignore the outliers—those individuals who aren’t thriving. She stresses the importance of mediation analysis, intersectional data, and understanding not just who’s “busy,” but who genuinely feels part of the team.
Broader Perspective:
Andrea D. Carter extends her viewpoint beyond organisational boundaries, noting that global volatility, media-triggered anxieties, and societal divisiveness seep into workplace dynamics. She holds that the brain does not compartmentalise stress from the outside world, meaning that tensions from society inevitably affect team cohesion, psychological safety, and ultimately how individuals experience belonging.
She champions the idea that belonging is a shared responsibility (“50/50”—both the individual and the system must create it). Leaders must be intentional about setting clear, predictable conditions, valuing contribution, and fostering genuine connection if organisations are to thrive rather than fracture.
In Summary:
Andrea D. Carter offers a rigorous, data-driven, and human-centric approach to inclusion, pressing for a measurable, actionable, and science-backed framework for belonging. Her views challenge traditional norms, urging leaders to look beyond surface-level engagement and towards real, systemic change in workplace culture.
Ideas for Future Training and Workshops based on this Episode
Certainly! Drawing from the themes, insights, and practical frameworks discussed by Andrea D. Carter and Joanne Lockwood in this episode of Inclusion Bites, here are future-facing training and workshop ideas for organisations seeking to deepen their understanding of belonging as infrastructure:
1. Building Belonging as Workplace Infrastructure
Focus: Translating the “Belonging First” methodology into operational culture strategies.
Content:
Unpacking the difference between DEI as structural accountability and belonging as lived experience.
Exploring the five measurable indicators of belonging: Comfort, Connection, Contribution, Psychological Safety, and Wellbeing.
Interactive case studies on integrating belonging into everyday processes (e.g. onboarding, meetings, team reviews).
2. From Fitting In to Real Belonging: Practices for Leaders
Focus: Equipping managers and leaders with the tools to move teams from a “fitting in” paradigm to true belonging.
Content:
Understanding implicit signals of inclusion/exclusion.
How to create environments of clarity and predictability.
Role play scenarios on micro-moments of exclusion and positive intervention.
3. The Science of Belonging: Neurological and Organisational Insights
Focus: Deep dive into the neuroscience behind belonging, connecting data to people’s real workplace experiences.
Content:
How neurobiological responses influence engagement, anxiety, and motivation.
The impact of uncertainty and comfort on cognitive load and performance.
Activities connecting brain science to culture change initiatives.
4. Practically Measuring Belonging: Data, Mediation, and Outliers
Focus: How to go beyond the averages in engagement and culture surveys to uncover and address outliers.
Content:
Setting up new measurement frameworks that capture both majority and minority experience.
Action planning based on mediated analysis rather than mean scores.
Exercises on using qualitative feedback for deeper understanding.
5. Wellbeing and Resilience as Collective, Not Individual, Endeavours
Focus: Moving beyond “self-care” to address how workplace structures support (or undermine) employee resilience and wellbeing.
Content:
What true 50/50 accountability looks like for wellbeing.
The limits of resilience training without organisational change.
Organisation-wide strategies for sustainable workloads, rest cycles, and realistic expectations.
6. Psychological Safety: More Than Just a Tick Box
Focus: Embedding psychological safety into everyday team and leadership behaviours.
Content:
Identifying and breaking defensive patterns in feedback loops.
How to go beyond “open-door” policies and foster true voice for all.
Case studies: Root causes of silence and self-censorship.
7. ERG Sustainability and Infrastructure: Harnessing Lived Experience
Focus: Moving from initiative-based DEI work to infrastructure that truly leverages ERG voices and impact.
Content:
Examining sources of ERG leader exhaustion and what infrastructure really means for sustainability.
Closing the “feedback-to-action” loop: ensuring ERG input leads to organisational change.
Facilitated discussion circles and feedback mapping sessions.
8. Belonging & Intersectionality: Identifying Untapped Potential and Risks
Focus: Understanding and mapping intersectional identities, and how they affect both belonging and business outcomes.
Content:
Tools for identifying intersectional under-representation.
Group exercises: examining whose voices are missing (and why) in teams and processes.
Action-oriented breakout sessions on closing intersectional belonging gaps.
9. Transformational Conversations: Moving from Defence to Curiosity
Focus: Fostering a culture where leadership’s response to feedback is curiosity, not defensiveness.
Content:
Workshops on self-regulation for leaders.
Live debrief and coaching on leading with “tell me more”.
Peer coaching circles for practising open, non-defensive feedback.
10. Beyond Initiatives: Designing Belonging-First Strategies for the Future
Focus: Strategic planning labs for senior leaders and HR on evolving from traditional initiatives to embedded infrastructure for inclusion and belonging.
Content:
Working sessions to map current culture gaps against belonging indicators.
Co-creation of metrics and success indicators aligned with organisational values.
Integration with DEI accountability frameworks for holistic, sustainable change.
These workshops and trainings would act as a catalyst, not just to spark increased awareness, but provide practical, evidence-based tools for embedding belonging as infrastructure—precisely as articulated in this episode.
For further inspiration or facilitation, you can connect with Joanne Lockwood directly at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk or explore https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
🪡 Threads by Instagram
Belonging isn’t just a nice feeling; it’s measurable. Andrea D. Carter explains that belonging relies on comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. Only when these are present can we truly thrive at work.
Inclusion goes beyond the tick box. Joanne Lockwood and Andrea D. Carter unpick why feeling included isn’t enough—people need to feel visible and valued. Are your teams structured for true belonging, or just fitting in?
Structural DEI and lived belonging serve different roles. One shapes policy and accountability, the other impacts daily experience. Organisations need both to innovate and ensure everyone succeeds together.
Turnover, detachment, and burnout often signal a lack of belonging infrastructure. When people matter, when their contributions are acknowledged, motivation soars. Are you building infrastructure, or initiatives?
Leadership is lonely if you can’t belong to yourself first. Andrea D. Carter says belonging isn’t just about others—it starts with clarity, comfort, and connection to yourself, then radiates out into your team.
Leadership Insights - YouTube Short Video Script on Common Problems for Leaders to Address
Leadership Insights Channel: Why Your Team Feels Unseen—And What to Do About It
Are you noticing your team’s motivation is slipping, or that innovation feels stagnant? Here’s a common leadership pitfall: creating an environment where people are present, but don’t truly feel that they belong.
Often, leaders believe inclusion is enough—but inclusion alone doesn’t guarantee that people feel valued or empowered. If your team delivers great work, but their efforts go unnoticed or unacknowledged, you risk high turnover, “quiet quitting,” and lost productivity.
So, what can you do?
Acknowledge Contribution – Regularly recognise the tangible impact each team member brings. A simple “Your input helped us decide X” or “This project only succeeded because of your effort” directly tells staff they matter. Science shows acknowledgement boosts motivation.
Create Clarity and Predictability – Begin meetings by outlining the objective, participants’ roles, and how their input shapes outcomes. This reduces anxiety and enables everyone to focus their energy on problem-solving—not second-guessing expectations.
Build Psychological Safety – When team members raise concerns or fresh ideas, respond with curiosity, not defensiveness. Always close the feedback loop, showing you’re listening and action is underway—even if solutions aren’t immediate.
When you consistently practice these behaviours, you foster real belonging—a workplace where people perform at their best, stay engaged, and want to contribute. Start today: transform “just inclusion” into lasting belonging, and watch your team thrive.
SEO Optimised Titles
Five Essential Indicators of Workplace Belonging Backed by Mining Industry Data | Andrea @ Belonging First
14% Rise in Workplace Toxicity and How Belonging Infrastructure Redefines Success | Andrea @ Belonging First
Quiet Quitting, The Great Detachment and the Science of Employee Retention | Andrea @ Belonging First
Email Newsletter about this Podcast Episode
Subject: Belonging as Infrastructure – How to Build Real Inclusion (Not Just Tick Boxes!) 🏗️✨
Hello Inclusion Bites Family,
Fancy diving into one of our most powerful episodes yet? Pull up a chair, put the kettle on, and settle in, because this week on Inclusion Bites, we’re getting right to the heart of what it means to truly belong—at work, in life, and everywhere in between.
This week’s guest, Andrea D. Carter, is a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert (yes, that is a thing and yes, she’s brilliant!). Joined by our fearless host Joanne Lockwood, they unpack why “belonging” isn’t a fluffy buzzword but an essential, measurable foundation for modern organisations.
Five Game-Changing Insights You’ll Take Away
1. The Five Indicators of Belonging:
It’s not just a feeling—belonging can be measured! Andrea D. Carter breaks down the five core pillars: Comfort, Connection, Contribution, Psychological Safety, and Wellbeing.
2. DEI ≠ Belonging (And Why Both Matter):
Too many organisations are rolling DEI into “culture” work and missing the point. You’ll discover how structural frameworks and lived experience MUST work together for real progress.
3. Why Comfort Is More Than Fluff:
Comfort doesn’t mean “easy”—it’s about creating clarity and predictability, so people’s brains aren’t stuck in survival mode. No more energy wasted on anxiety about unspoken rules!
4. The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong:
From quiet quitting to “the Great Detachment”, you’ll hear about the genuine risks facing organisations that ignore belonging—and why high engagement scores might be hiding harsh realities.
5. How To Start Measuring (and Growing) Belonging Right Now:
You’ll find practical tools and steps, from meeting structures to honest acknowledgement, that help deliver genuine value for every team member.
Did You Know?
The largest ever mining industry study on belonging—fully 3,500 participants—validated the five belonging indicators Andrea D. Carter uses today. Who knew that such a “tough” sector would lead the way in understanding how people can truly thrive at work?
Ready to Dig Deeper?
Don’t just take our word for it—listen to the episode here or share your own insights with Joanne Lockwood at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk. Want to check your own “belonging metrics”? Andrea D. Carter has a simple self-assessment tool at belongingfirst.com/belongingbreakdown—give it a go and see where you stand!
Let’s Finish Strong
You’re part of a community that isn’t afraid to ask tough questions and push for real change. Belonging isn’t just nice to have—it’s infrastructure. Let’s keep building workplaces (and lives) where everyone can thrive, not just survive.
Catch every revelation, realness, and plenty of joy in this episode—and please do share it with your network. The journey to genuine inclusion is one we travel together, one bold conversation at a time.
Stay curious, stay connected,
The Inclusion Bites Team
Ready for more? Subscribe, listen, and amplify change with us: Inclusion Bites Podcast – Listen Now
Potted Summary
Episode Introduction
This episode of Inclusion Bites sees Joanne Lockwood joined by Andrea D. Carter, a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert, to dissect the vital distinction between DEI and belonging. Unpacking five measurable indicators of belonging, they explore how infrastructure, not initiatives, shapes engagement and performance. Through lively conversation, listeners gain actionable, science-backed strategies to build workplaces where people genuinely thrive together, not simply fit in.
In this conversation we discuss
👉 DEI vs. Belonging
👉 Five Belonging Indicators
👉 Organisational Impact
Here are a few of our favourite quotable moments
“Belonging actually asks the question, can people succeed in the systems we’ve built?” – Andrea D. Carter
“Fitting in is 100% on the person, 0% on you, and belonging is 50/50.” – Andrea D. Carter
“Initiatives aren’t infrastructure.” – Andrea D. Carter
Summary
Delve into this dynamic episode to discover how clear belonging infrastructure—not just well-meaning initiatives—redefines inclusion and drives performance. If you’re ready to move beyond surface-level action and build authentic, measurable belonging in your workplace, this episode is essential listening. Let Inclusion Bites provoke, inspire, and empower your inclusion journey. Listen now at https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
LinkedIn Poll
LinkedIn Poll Framing & Context
In episode 211 of Inclusion Bites, Belonging as Infrastructure, Andrea D. Carter and Joanne Lockwood unpack the difference between DEI frameworks and the lived infrastructure of belonging within organisations. They highlight five core elements—comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing—as essential for genuine belonging. Too often, organisations conflate inclusion and belonging without building the necessary environment for everyone to thrive.
Poll Question
Which aspect of workplace belonging do you feel needs the greatest focus in your organisation right now?
🛋️ Comfort & Clarity
🤝 Trust & Connection
🏆 Recognition & Value
🧠 Psychological Safety
#BelongingAtWork #InclusionBites #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeExperience
Why Vote?
Your insight can reveal the current belonging gaps that matter most, helping leaders and peers prioritise meaningful change. Together, let’s spark more inclusive actions!
Highlight the Importance of this topic on LinkedIn
Just finished listening to the latest Inclusion Bites episode, "Belonging as Infrastructure" with Andrea D. Carter and Joanne Lockwood — an absolute must-listen for every HR and EDI professional. 🎧🌍
Why is this discussion essential to our work?
🧠 Andrea D. Carter reframes belonging as a measurable infrastructure, not just a ‘nice to have’. The five validated indicators — comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing — are game changers for creating inclusive, high-performing organisations.
⚡ The episode highlights that DEI and belonging are NOT interchangeable! DEI is about structural accountability; belonging is about lived experience and performance. Both are essential, and conflating them does a real disservice to employee experience and business outcomes.
👀 As we grapple with the “Great Detachment”, increasing toxicity, and declining engagement, it’s never been more urgent to build environments where people do more than fit in — they actually thrive.
🔍 The call to move beyond initiative overload and towards lasting, data-led infrastructure for belonging was a wake-up call. If you’re still relying only on engagement scores and ignoring the outliers, you’re missing the real story.
💡 Leaders at every level need to ask — are we creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and able to perform? Are we building a culture that is resilient enough for today’s volatility?
If you care about attracting, retaining, and empowering the best talent, this conversation isn’t optional — it's strategic.
#Belonging #InclusionBites #HR #EDI #Leadership #CultureChange #ListenNow
Listen here: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen
@tag relevant colleagues!
L&D Insights
Certainly! Here’s a focused expert summary tailored for Senior Leaders, HR, and EDI professionals, highlighting critical "aha moments," actionable insights, and what professionals should be doing differently after listening to Inclusion Bites – "Belonging as Infrastructure" with Andrea D. Carter and Joanne Lockwood:
Key Insights for Senior Leaders, HR & EDI Professionals
🌐 1. Belonging Is Not DEI – It’s Experiential Infrastructure
There is a critical distinction between DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) and Belonging. Andrea D. Carter highlights that DEI is primarily about structural accountability—ensuring policies, representation, and fairness. In contrast, Belonging is measured through lived, daily experiences and five core indicators: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing.
Aha! Many organisations conflate DEI and Belonging—rolling them into one initiative—when in fact, they serve different, complementary purposes. Treating belonging as a vague "culture piece" while abandoning systemic accountability is a critical error.
🧠 2. Measure What Matters (and What’s Often Overlooked)
Traditional engagement surveys fail to capture whether employees truly belong—they indicate busyness, not genuine inclusion or retention risk. The episode urges measuring the gaps and outliers, not just the averages. Who are you failing, and why? The quiet 16% may signal the seeds of disengagement or “the great detachment.”
Aha! Comparing the mean with outlier data surfaces intersectional risks and retention challenges that are otherwise masked. This moves beyond the comfort of high NPS scores to address underlying fractures in culture.
❤️ 3. The Five Indicators of Belonging – A Playbook for Results
Comfort: Clarity and predictability reduce anxiety; comfort isn’t about staying in the “fluffy” or easy, it’s about regulating the work environment so brains are ready for collaboration and innovation.
Connection: True trust and support networks, not just transactional relationships.
Contribution: Everyone needs to know their effort has impact. Lack of acknowledgment leads to disengagement and ultimately attrition.
Psychological Safety: Beyond buzzwords, this is about being able to challenge and contribute without fear—lean into curiosity, not defensiveness.
Wellbeing: Resilience is co-created. Throwing apps at burnout is futile without addressing the culture causing it.
Aha! All five indicators must be intentionally systematised—DEI “accountability” and wellbeing “initiatives” alone won’t deliver innovation or retention without this holistic infrastructure.
🔥 4. “Fitting In” Isn’t “Belonging”; It's Expensive
Cultures that prize ‘fitting in’ ask only the individual to adapt, absorbing all the risk of belonging. The result is heightened anxiety, excessive cognitive load, and performance drag, particularly on those from marginalised groups.
Aha! If your environment rewards ‘fitting in’ over ‘belonging’, you are failing those whose perspectives and innovation potential you claim to want.
👥 5. Leadership is 50:50—It's a Shared Responsibility
Belonging isn’t a one-way street. It’s not just on the marginalised or underrepresented to adapt. Leaders must “go first,” proactively creating clarity and infrastructure that supports diverse experience—especially in middle management, where the tension points are greatest.
What Should Leaders & HR Pros Do Differently?
Separate Belonging from DEI
Audit your language, frameworks, and people metrics. Don’t roll DEI into “culture” at the expense of accountability.Diagnose—Don’t Generalise
Use mediated/outlier analysis to regularly identify who isn’t thriving and why, particularly through an intersectional lens. Avoid masking issues behind mean averages.Systematise the Five Indicators
Design policy, leadership development, and daily routines around comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. Make them measurable and visible.Do Real-Time, Not Annual, Engagement
Layer pulse surveys and 1:1s with proper infrastructure to inform adaptive leadership—not just annual rear-view stats.Challenge ‘Fitting In’ Mentality
Embed a shared responsibility for belonging at all levels. Redesign performance reviews, onboarding, and meetings to balance power and reduce invisible “fitting in” pressures.Model Wellbeing as Infrastructure
Make resilience a shared, structural goal—not something employees must handle solo with “self-care extras.” Explicitly set expectations that enable recovery, not just “push-through.”
“Aha” Moments Uncovered:
Rolling DEI into “culture” while abandoning accountability increases risk and disengagement.
Belonging is both measurable and actionable—don’t treat it as abstract or intangible.
The presence of comfort, connection, and support is as important (if not more so) than psychological safety alone.
Leadership self-awareness and honest data interpretation are critical—defensiveness signals a fragile or failing belonging infrastructure.
The cost of ignoring the 14% disengaged is attrition and lost innovation, not just “detractor” scores.
Engage, Share, and Embed!
#InclusionBites #BelongingNotBuzzword #EDI360 #MeasureWhatMatters #CultureByDesign
This is not just another call for “culture change”—it’s a challenge to build real, structural belonging. Let’s turn these insights into action! 🚀
Shorts Video Script
Social Media Video Title:
Belonging at Work: Unlocking Human Performance 🚀 #CultureChange
Hashtags:
#BelongingMatters
#InclusiveCulture
#Leadership101
#WorkplaceWellbeing
#RealInclusion
[Text on screen: “Belonging isn’t Buzzword Bingo. It’s Infrastructure. 🏗️”]
Ever felt like you’re doing all the right things for inclusion at work, but people still don’t thrive? Here’s the truth: Belonging isn’t just about waving the DEI banner or rolling out the next big initiative. It’s about building a human infrastructure, and it all starts with five non-negotiable indicators.
[Text on screen: “Comfort: It’s Not ‘Fluffy’, It’s Foundational. 🛋️”]
Comfort isn’t about being cosy all day. It’s about having clarity and predictability. When you know why you’re in the room, what your input means, and what matters, you use brain power for innovation—not survival.
[Text on screen: “Connection: Trust Over Transaction. 🤝”]
True connection means you’re not just a cog in a machine. When teams trust, they help each other, ask for support, and aren’t just playing it safe. Teams built on trust bounce back, collaborate, and win, together.
[Text on screen: “Contribution: You Matter. Your Work Matters. 🎯”]
Ever had your effort ignored or dismissed? It’s deflating. But when your contribution is acknowledged, your brain lights up—literally. Meaningful recognition is rocket fuel for motivation and helps people stay engaged, even in tough times.
[Text on screen: “Psychological Safety: Speak Up. Be Heard. 🗣️”]
It’s not enough to say, “We value feedback”. People need proof they can be honest without repercussions. If there’s fear when raising difficult topics, innovation will die. Create spaces where curiosity trumps defensiveness—every time.
[Text on screen: “Wellbeing: Resilience is Collective. 🌱”]
You can’t yoga your way out of a toxic culture. Wellbeing is 50/50: yes, take care of yourself—but your organisation must shape an environment where recovery and renewal are possible and expected, not a heroic afterthought.
If you want to futureproof your workplace, stop chasing engagement as a vanity metric. Instead, look at the gaps, especially for outliers and underrepresented voices. Belonging isn’t the soft stuff; it’s the strategy for teams to not just survive, but excel.
Thanks for watching! Remember, together we can make a difference. Stay connected, stay inclusive! See you next time. ✨
Glossary of Terms and Phrases
## Specialist Concepts and Phrases from "Belonging as Infrastructure"
1. **Belonging as Infrastructure**
- Refers to belonging not as a feeling or a soft initiative, but as a structural and measurable component of organisational culture, underpinning how people succeed and thrive collectively at work.
2. **DEI/IDEA Rollback**
- The trend or movement in which organisations reduce, dilute, or abandon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies or, as in Canada, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA). The episode highlights the dangers of conflating or sidelining these frameworks.
3. **Structural Accountability Frameworks**
- Systems within organisations for ensuring accountability in representation, pay equity, hiring, promotions, and the removal of systemic barriers, typically via DEI/IDEA processes.
4. **Experiential Infrastructure**
- The foundational, lived-experience-based systems (here, belonging frameworks) that underpin how people function, feel, and succeed within organisations, distinct from policy or compliance structures.
5. **Fitting In Culture**
- An environment in which individuals must adapt entirely to prevailing norms or expectations, masking their authentic selves and often feeling anxious or excluded—highlighted as the opposite of belonging.
6. **Five Indicators of Belonging**
- **Comfort:** The presence of clarity and predictability in an environment, reducing cognitive load and anxiety, and allowing individuals to focus on contribution and innovation.
- **Connection:** Reciprocal trust and genuine relationships that go beyond transactional interactions.
- **Contribution:** The value and impact of a person's work being acknowledged and having an influence on outcomes.
- **Psychological Safety:** The ability to speak up, share ideas, admit mistakes, and challenge the status quo without fear of retribution or negative consequence.
- **Wellbeing:** The structure within the organisation that supports resilience, renewal, and sustainable performance without burning people out.
7. **Cognitive Load of Uncertainty**
- The mental effort required to interpret ambiguous or unclear situations, often causing stress and exhaustion unrelated to actual work tasks.
8. **Psychological Safety (as Fraction of Belonging)**
- While often the main focus in organisations, psychological safety is explicitly described as only one-fifth of the belonging equation, necessitating a broader approach than is typically adopted.
9. **Great Detachment**
- The broad disengagement and withdrawal from meaningful contribution and connection at work, going beyond ‘quiet quitting’ to include those psychologically or emotionally checking out due to lack of belonging or recognition.
10. **Mediation and Multiplicative Analysis**
- Advanced data analysis methods referenced in measuring workplace belonging, which go beyond averages to explore the gaps between dominant groups and outliers/underrepresented identities.
11. **Intersectional Beings**
- The recognition that each person’s identity is multi-layered (e.g., gender, ethnicity, background) and these layers affect their experience of inclusion and belonging, often overlooked in standard measurement.
12. **Performance Infrastructure**
- The combined organisational systems and behaviours that do not simply deliver outcomes but strengthen the ability to thrive under volatility, change, and challenge, grounded in belonging practices.
13. **ERG (Employee Resource Groups) Burnout**
- Refers to the exhaustion experienced by staff leading or heavily involved in ERGs, especially when their efforts are unsupported by wider structural change.
14. **Initiative-based Role**
- The tendency of HR or D&I work to consist of a stream of programmes or activities, rather than a strategic, infrastructure-focused approach with sustained impact.
15. **Self-Relation in Belonging**
- The extension of belonging theory to the individual—how leaders or employees regulate their own sense of belonging, comfort, and contribution before sharing it with others.
16. **Regulate/Dysregulate the Room**
- Leaders’ capability (or lack thereof) to either help teams feel stable, clear, and included (regulate) or anxious, threatened, and confused (dysregulate) by their presence and behaviour.
17. **Outlier Analysis**
- Focusing organisational improvement on those who report the lowest sense of belonging, rather than being satisfied with the average or majority opinion.
18. **Quiet Quitting vs Mass Exodus**
- ‘Quiet quitting’ is present, but the concept of ‘mass exodus’ is emphasised as a looming threat when market conditions change and those who have lacked belonging leave en masse.
19. **Volatility and Friction as Strengthening Forces**
- The idea that when belonging infrastructure is robust, organisational volatility and interpersonal friction can strengthen teams, rather than break them.
20. **Comfort, Clarity, Predictability**
- Central to the neuroscience of psychological regulation, these underpin genuine comfort—setting organisation apart from ill-defined or vague ‘niceness.’
These concepts reflect the depth and sophistication of the conversation, advancing the discourse around inclusion and belonging beyond common terminology.SEO Optimised YouTube Content
Focus Keyword: Belonging as Infrastructure
Title
Belonging as Infrastructure: The Blueprint for Positive People Experiences & Culture Change | #InclusionBitesPodcast
Tags
Tags: Belonging as Infrastructure, Positive People Experiences, Culture Change, Inclusion Bites, organisational culture, employee wellbeing, DEI, psychological safety, Andrea D. Carter, Joanne Lockwood, leadership, workplace inclusion, engagement, equity, diversity, culture strategy, HR best practice, team performance, neuroscience in the workplace, workplace transformation, fitting in vs belonging, workplace wellbeing, culture shift, leadership development, inclusive leadership, corporate culture
Killer Quote
Killer Quote: "Belonging actually asks the question, can people succeed in the systems we've built?" – Andrea D. Carter
Hashtags
Hashtags: #BelongingAsInfrastructure, #PositivePeopleExperiences, #CultureChange, #InclusionBitesPodcast, #InclusionMatters, #DiversityAndInclusion, #WorkplaceWellbeing, #Leadership, #EmployeeEngagement, #NeuroLeadership, #DEI, #PsychologicalSafety, #OrganisationalCulture, #TeamBelonging, #InclusionJourney, #WorkplaceInnovation, #InclusiveLeadership, #CultureStrategy, #SEEChangeHappen, #JoanneLockwood
Why Listen
Are you ready to ignite a genuine Culture Change within your organisation and elevate the power of Positive People Experiences? In this electrifying episode of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, I, Joanne Lockwood, sit down with the extraordinary Andrea D. Carter—an internationally recognised workplace belonging expert and organisational scientist. Together, we cut through the noise and get to the very heart of what it means to make belonging more than a buzzword: we examine it as essential infrastructure.
The conversation tackles the very real concern many organisations face today: the transition from “diversity and inclusion” as performative actions into a foundation of true belonging and culture transformation. Andrea unveils why it is crucial to demystify and separate DEI from belonging—explaining how the two, although mutually reinforcing, serve distinctly different roles. DEI provides the necessary structural accountability, ensuring your workplace reflects fairness and representation. However, belonging is the transformative force that creates Positive People Experiences, reshaping employee engagement and team cohesion at every level.
This episode goes well beyond theory. Andrea shares deep insights from her landmark research—including a 3,500-strong mining industry survey—where she distilled five validated indicators of belonging: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. We explore each indicator with relatable stories and real-life examples, highlighting how leaders can become catalysts for regulation or, conversely, drive anxiety through unpredictability. Together, we interrogate the dangers of “fitting in” cultures, exposing how they erode motivation and make employees mere survivalists in their workplace, rather than thriving contributors.
You’ll hear hard-hitting facts about workplace toxicity, quiet quitting, and what Andrea has powerfully named the “Great Detachment,” which is reshaping the way employees engage with their organisations. We don’t shy away from the stark statistics—such as the overwhelming number of women and underrepresented groups quietly exiting, their value and voices fading from industries at enormous economic cost.
But it's not all doom and gloom. This episode is packed with actionable insights. We illuminate why Positive People Experiences hinge on mutual accountability—the 50/50 nature of belonging—where leaders and teams co-create environments in which everyone can succeed. Discover the science behind why acknowledged contributions release dopamine, how a lack of feedback switches off serotonin (and with it, motivation), and why psychological safety is not a box to tick, but a dynamic, lived experience.
Culture Change comes alive in our discussion, as we move from abstract concepts into everyday realities. You’ll gain fresh understanding of why “infrastructure” matters so much more than endless initiatives. We show HR professionals, leaders, and DEI champions how to move past the fatigue and frustration of endless programmes and step into building something resilient, measurable, and truly transformative.
Andrea’s empirical approach—leveraging mediation analysis and spotlighting the outliers, not merely the averages—reminds us that true belonging isn’t simply about majority comfort, but ensuring every single person is equipped to thrive. This focus on Positive People Experiences transforms not only workplaces but can ignite shifts in schools, communities, and personal relationships.
If you want to understand how to create an environment where people don’t just “fit in” but belong—where culture isn’t left to chance and where every voice counts—then this episode is your blueprint. Together, we’ll unpack how workplaces can weather change, retain their best people, and emerge more innovative and united than ever.
Closing Summary and Call to Action
To everyone who has tuned in, here’s your comprehensive guide to take forward and action the essential learning from “Belonging as Infrastructure”:
Key Learning Points
Differentiate DEI and Belonging:
Realise that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are crucial frameworks for accountability and structure, measuring representation and equitable practice.
Belonging, by contrast, is an “experiential infrastructure” focusing on how people feel, connect, and contribute—manifested through measurable indicators.
Avoid conflating the two: abandoning DEI in favour of “belonging-only” culture is a strategic error.
Adopt the Five Indicators of Belonging:
Comfort: Set clear expectations, roles, and decision-making criteria to reduce anxiety and cognitive overload. Predictability and transparency are vital—employees perform best when they know the rules of engagement.
Connection: Move beyond transaction to authentic relationships. Nurture trust, mutual accountability, and open bonds, allowing teammates to seek or offer help without fear.
Contribution: Acknowledge effort to release dopamine and serotonin; unrecognised contribution breeds demotivation and fuels the “Great Detachment.” Actively appreciate input and create regular opportunities for visible recognition.
Psychological Safety: Prioritise curiosity, respect, and open dialogue over defensiveness. Demonstrate that speaking up is not just tolerated but welcomed, and close the feedback loop after concerns are raised.
Wellbeing: Champion balanced workloads, respect personal time, and dismantle “always-on” expectations. Shared responsibility for wellbeing means leaders must create, not just expect resilience.
Create Mutual Accountability (the 50/50 Rule):
Belonging is never a solo act. Leaders and individuals alike co-create the infrastructure of Positive People Experiences.
Essential to High Performance: When comfort, connection, and contribution are co-built, teams become resilient, innovative, and more likely to succeed together.
Measure What Matters:
Move beyond mean averages. Use mediation and multiplicative analysis to identify and understand the “outliers”—those not represented in the average experience.
If you’re in HR or leadership, build feedback and data flows that illuminate underrepresented narratives. Address them directly to reduce disengagement and turnover.
Be Wary of Fitting-In Cultures:
Environments which demand new hires adapt 100% to existing norms—without reciprocation—breed anxiety, exclusion, and high replacement costs.
True belonging is co-created. It welcomes diversity of thought, identity, and experience, valuing everyone as they are.
Reject Culture-by-Initiative:
Initiatives without infrastructure are “band-aids”, not solutions. Agencies must build lasting frameworks—rooted in belonging—that outlast individual projects or fads.
Proactively support and reward ERGs and employee volunteers; avoid burning out champions through tokenism or relying solely on their goodwill.
Model Self-Belonging:
Leaders: Reflect on your own sense of belonging, comfort, and contribution. If you are feeling isolated, your team will pick up on this—belonging must flow from the top.
Use tools such as https://belongingfirst.com/belonging-breakdown for self- and team-assessment.
Contextualise Workplace within Global Tension:
Recognise that workplace anxiety is amplified by broader social, political, and media volatility. People do not compartmentalise these influences—your infrastructure must buffer against them.
Actionable Steps
Start integrating the five belonging indicators in every team meeting, one-to-ones, and debriefs.
Scrutinise your engagement surveys—drill into the data beyond the averages. Who are you failing, and what can you do to change this?
After your next meeting, try employing “closing the loop” feedback: acknowledge who contributed and how, identify unresolved issues, and invite further input.
Audit your communication practices, especially around after-hours messaging and urgent demands. Are you modelling wellbeing?
Leaders: take a moment to assess your own belongingness. Where are your gaps? Share this reflection with your peers and invite candid discussion.
If you’re managing ERGs or similar, shift from “what new initiative can we run?” to “how do we embed what already works into our infrastructure?”
Amplify and champion Positive People Experiences in your communications—celebrate stories, not just results.
Share learnings from this episode internally, and encourage others to join the Inclusion Bites community.
Now is the moment to pivot from fleeting gestures to resilient culture architecture. The blueprint for Positive People Experiences starts here. You have the tools, insight, and inspiration to instigate true Culture Change—let’s build workplaces where everyone belongs and thrives.
Outro
Thank you for tuning in to the Inclusion Bites Podcast and diving deep with us into the architecture of belonging, Positive People Experiences, and transformative Culture Change. If this episode resonated with you, help fuel the movement by liking this video, subscribing to the channel, and sharing this conversation with your network.
Want to listen to more?
Visit our home: SEE Change Happen
Catch up on all episodes: The Inclusion Bites Podcast
Stay connected, stay informed, and most importantly—be part of the change. If you’ve got storeys, thoughts, or would like to appear on the show, you can always reach me directly at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk.
Stay curious, stay kind, and stay inclusive - Joanne Lockwood
Root Cause Analyst - Why!
Certainly. Applying structured root cause analysis to the content of this Inclusion Bites Podcast episode, particularly on the theme of “Belonging as Infrastructure”, reveals several key problems. Below, I’ll define the critical issues, apply the ‘Five Whys’ technique, and then summarise root causes and potential interventions.
Key Problem 1: Employees do not experience authentic belonging at work, leading to disengagement, quiet quitting, or attrition.
Why 1:
Why do employees not experience authentic belonging?
Because the organisational environment often confuses or conflates “DEI” (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) frameworks with belonging initiatives (Andrea D. Carter: [00:07:10]–00:10:29)).
Why 2:
Why does this conflation occur?
Because organisations tend to roll DEI language into broader culture or “belonging” strategies without understanding or measuring the distinct experiential indicators of belonging ([Andrea D. Carter: [00:10:29]–[00:10:53]).
Why 3:
Why do organisations fail to differentiate and measure these indicators?
Because they rely on initiatives or engagement surveys that measure activity/input (e.g., event attendance, pulse scores) rather than output/outcomes such as comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and well-being (Andrea D. Carter: [00:27:05]–[00:28:17]; [00:58:01]–[00:59:02]).
Why 4:
Why do they rely on input-based initiatives and aggregate data?
Because it’s easier and more familiar to box-tick compliance, and there’s a lack of sophisticated infrastructure and analytical capacity to assess intersectional, nuanced employee experiences and outliers (Andrea D. Carter: [00:46:16]–[00:47:11]).
Why 5:
Why is there a lack of analytical capacity and infrastructure for belonging?
Because belonging as infrastructure is not prioritised in leadership and HR strategy—the focus remains on top-down, one-size-fits-all measures, with insufficient investment in targeted, actionable insight and structural change (Andrea D. Carter: [00:59:18]–[01:00:52]).
Summary:
The root cause is a systemic failure to recognise and operationalise “belonging” as an infrastructure distinct from DEI/accountability frameworks. Leadership defaults to episodic initiatives, aggregate engagement metrics, and compliance rather than embedding measurable, lived-experience indicators of belonging into everyday organisational life.
Suggested Solutions:
Explicit Differentiation of DEI and Belonging:
Educate leadership on the difference between DEI (structural/accountability) and belonging (experiential/infrastructure output). Make both explicit in communications and KPIs.
Assess & Measure the Five Indicators:
Embed ongoing measurement of the five validated indicators: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and well-being at team and individual level, with an intersectional lens (Andrea D. Carter: [00:10:29]–[00:16:49]).
Interrogate Outlier Experiences:
Go beyond mean scores in surveys; investigate outliers and underrepresented groups whose experiences are masked by averages. Use mediation analysis to spot early signs of disenfranchisement (Andrea D. Carter: [00:47:16]–[00:48:59]).
Build Belonging Infrastructure:
Abandon initiative overload and instead design sustainable policies, manager education, and accountability mechanisms that codify and reward belonging behaviours (clarity, predictability, feedback).
Prioritise Mutual Accountability:
Promote “50/50” models where individuals and the organisation co-create belonging, moving away from “fitting in” cultures burdening the individual (Andrea D. Carter: [00:16:05]–[00:16:49]).
Invest in Analytical Capability:
Equip HR and leadership with skills and tools to disaggregate, interpret, and act upon nuanced belonging data—shifting resources away from generic engagement/initiative cycles.
By addressing belonging as an organisational infrastructure—rather than a convenient add-on—genuine inclusion, retention, and high performance can be realised. This is not just about compliance; it’s about transforming the employee experience from the ground up.
Canva Slider Checklist
Episode Carousel
Slide 1:
🤔 Can you truly belong at work, or are you just ‘fitting in’?
Slide 2:
Most organisations talk about DEI, but is it enough? According to Andrea D. Carter, real belonging goes beyond policy—it’s about your LIVED experience within workplace infrastructure.
Slide 3:
Andrea D. Carter breaks it down: Belonging is measured through five indicators—comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. Anything missing in your work life yet?
Slide 4:
Why does it matter? Without belonging, even the high performers disengage, innovation stalls, and turnover soars. Organisations aren’t just losing employees—they’re losing impact. Ready for the data?
Slide 5:
🎧 Hungry for practical insights on cultivating real belonging? Tune in to this episode of Inclusion Bites Podcast, “Belonging as Infrastructure,” with Andrea D. Carter and Joanne Lockwood.
👉 Listen now! seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen
6 major topics
Belonging as Infrastructure: Six Key Conversations That Reshaped My Perspective
Meta Description: Uncover the essence of workplace belonging as infrastructure—Joanne Lockwood and Andrea D. Carter discuss the five pillars that make belonging measurable, from comfort to wellbeing, and challenge the status quo on DEI frameworks.
When I sat down to chat with Andrea D. Carter, I knew we’d be diving deep into the architecture of workplace belonging, but I couldn’t have anticipated just how revelatory the conversation would be. We explored what it truly means to foster cultures where people not only feel included but tangibly belong—cultures where infrastructure and lived experience align. The central theme that emerged was “Belonging as Infrastructure,” a phrase that encapsulates not only the emotional but also the practical scaffolding required for organisations to thrive. Here’s what resonated most profoundly and the intriguing questions we unravelled together.
Demystifying Belonging: Beyond the Inclusion Check-Box
Right from the start, Andrea D. Carter challenged the common notion that DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) is synonymous with belonging. She called out the misconception that merging DEI language into so-called “belonging initiatives” is enough. Instead, she differentiated DEI as the necessary structural accountability—those hard numbers and systemic checks that address who is represented and who advances—while belonging is about creating “experiential infrastructure” that enables everyone to thrive.
What I found particularly fascinating was the caution Andrea D. Carter articulated about organisations rolling back DEI in favour of belonging. Can you build belonging if the foundational structures are inequitable? Her answer: absolutely not. This set the stage for a rich exploration of how the mechanics of belonging and DEI must work in tandem—never as replacements for one another.
The Five Pillars: Measuring Belonging as Infrastructure
We then ventured into the five indicators Andrea D. Carter identified as making belonging measurable: Comfort, Connection, Contribution, Psychological Safety, and Wellbeing. With refreshing clarity, she dissected each pillar’s unique value.
Comfort isn’t about softening the environment but about clarity and predictability, eliminating the exhausting ambiguity that can drain creativity and focus. I was struck by her anecdote—how many of us have left meetings not from overwork but sheer cognitive fatigue, all because we’re unclear about our roles or expectations?
Curiously, Andrea D. Carter pointed out that comfort is the antidote to fitting in cultures, which demand adaptation solely from the underrepresented, resulting in wasted talent and missed opportunity.
From Fitting In to True Connection
As we peeled back the layers further, Andrea D. Carter drew the distinction between genuine connection and mere politeness. Teams operating transactionally, she explained, may appear cohesive but often lack the trust that spurs authentic collaboration and innovation.
I couldn’t help but reflect—how often do we note performance but ignore the presence or absence of trust? Can leaders step beyond task management to facilitate true connection? The answer, according to Andrea D. Carter, lies in shifting from seeing employees as role-fillers to whole people, with needs, struggles and strengths. That nuance made me ponder the invisible work of fostering trust, especially for middle managers, squeezed between strategy and execution.
The Untapped Power of Contribution
We talked about the motivational engine—what keeps people engaged beyond the transactional. Andrea D. Carter explained, with a blend of neuroscience and plain good sense, how contribution, recognition, and meaningful feedback trigger dopamine and serotonin, anchoring people’s desire to stay and perform.
I found myself thinking: Are we as leaders truly acknowledging the “why you matter” for each person, or do we assume that gratitude is implied? Andrea D. Carter’s blunt insight: “If contribution is ignored or dismissed, even high performers will quietly disengage,” a warning to any organisation gambling with retention.
Psychological Safety: The Pillar That’s Not Enough Alone
Psychological safety, she argued, is necessary but insufficient if divorced from comfort and connection. Together, we delved into how fear of social punishment hinders people from surfacing innovative ideas or voicing foreseeable risks. Industries with high physical safety risks, such as mining and aviation, demonstrate the costs of failing to heed the psychological element.
What intrigued me here was the realisation that we can spend millions on psychological safety initiatives, yet still miss the mark without integrating them into the broader belonging infrastructure. Is psychological safety only present when we are truly able to say, “Tell me more” without defensiveness as leaders? As we discussed, the answer is a resounding yes—but only when supported by the preceding pillars.
Wellbeing and Resilience: The Missing Infrastructure
Finally, we came to perhaps the most topical pillar of all: wellbeing. Andrea D. Carter termed it the “renewal” piece, critical for resilience. The deluge of wellbeing programmes, she noted, often miss the mark because they externalise responsibility—urging individuals to “self-care” their way out of unsustainable demands, rather than organisations addressing the root causes of burnout.
A point of curiosity: Are you, as a leader or an HR professional, truly structuring work to permit genuine renewal? Or are you, like so many, inadvertently setting exhaustion as the norm? If you’ve ever wondered why resilience training alone isn’t working, this may well be the missing link.
From Data Points to Lived Experience: Measuring What Matters
My conversation with Andrea D. Carter reinforced that belonging as infrastructure is not a fluffy aspiration, but a measurable, actionable framework that should underpin inclusive cultures. The real takeaway? We must move beyond averages, NPS scores and tick-box exercises, and start measuring the right gaps—between comfort and anxiety, trust and isolation, engagement and detachment.
The question I’m left with for you—one that continues to challenge my own thinking—is this: Are you creating the infrastructure where everyone can truly belong, not just be present? The path lies in reimagining belonging as a rigorous, measurable, and lived aspect of organisational culture.
Curious to explore your own sense of belonging? Visit belongingfirst.com for your own belonging breakdown, or join me at SEE Change Happen as we continue to kindle conversations that drive real change. For thoughts, stories, or to share how you’re building your own infrastructure of belonging, you can always email me at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk.
Primary keyword: belonging as infrastructure
Related terms: workplace belonging, inclusion, organisational culture, DEI frameworks, psychological safety, wellbeing
TikTok Summary
Ready to disrupt the status quo? 🎙️ In this episode of Inclusion Bites, Joanne Lockwood welcomes Andrea D. Carter, a trailblazer in workplace belonging, to unpack how belonging can be built as infrastructure — not just a buzzword! Discover what keeps people thriving at work: clarity, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. Are you just “fitting in” or truly belonging?
Tune in for bold insights, real talk, and practical strategies to spark change in your organisation and beyond. 🚀✨
👉 Listen to the full episode here: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen
#InclusionBites #Belonging #Inclusion #DEI #Podcast #Leadership #SeeChangeHappen
Slogans and Image Prompts
Certainly! Below are slogans, soundbites, and potential hashtags lifted directly from the episode, each paired with a detailed AI image generation prompt. These ideas have been chosen for their resonance, clarity, and memorability—perfect for merchandise such as mugs, T-shirts, stickers, or social. Where appropriate, I’ve included concise hashtags for additional impact.
1. Slogan:
"Belonging as Infrastructure"
Image Prompt:
A contemporary office building, half transparent, revealing interlocking gears and neural pathways in vibrant colours forming the structure’s beams and floors. Diverse silhouettes (varied gender, age, and ethnicity) support one another as part of the foundation, blending into pillars labelled with the five indicators: Comfort, Connection, Contribution, Psychological Safety, Wellbeing. Sunlight filters through, evoking a hopeful, progressive organisational culture.
#BelongingAsInfrastructure
2. Quote:
"Comfort, Connection, Contribution, Psychological Safety, Wellbeing—The Five Pillars of Belonging"
Image Prompt:
Five architectural columns, each inscribed with one of the words—Comfort, Connection, Contribution, Psychological Safety, Wellbeing. The columns hold up a thriving, green rooftop garden office where a diverse group of people collaborate happily around a table. Art style: minimalist line with splash watercolour highlights.
#FivePillarsOfBelonging
3. Soundbite:
"You can be included, but not feel belonging."
Image Prompt:
A puzzle with a single, glossy, brightly coloured piece held near but not fitted into the whole. Around it, grey puzzle pieces assembled into a circle. The central piece radiates a gentle glow, while shadowed hands gesture welcomingly from the perimeter.
#BeyondInclusion
4. Slogan:
"Fitting in is the opposite of Belonging"
Image Prompt:
A stylised illustration split in two: one side, a grey, anxious figure attempts to morph into a wall of identical people; the other side, the same character stands confidently in a group, each person unique, all warmly connected by glowing thread-like lines. Pop-art palette.
#ChooseBelonging
5. Quote:
"It's not just about being nice, it's about building trust through reciprocity."
Image Prompt:
Two hands, different skin tones, clasping in a firm, warm handshake. In the background, stylised trust signals—interlinked chain links, open hearts, and green check marks—circle gently as an aura, while beneath, the phrase is elegantly scripted.
#TrustThroughReciprocity
6. Soundbite:
"Initiatives aren't infrastructure."
Image Prompt:
A bustling office with scattered post-it notes and documents (representing initiatives) blowing away like leaves in the wind, whilst a foundation of engraved stone remains, bearing the word “Infrastructure” steady below. A figure stands on the foundation, arms open to new ideas.
#BuildTheBase
7. Quote:
"Regulate the Room or Dysregulate the Room—Leadership is a Choice."
Image Prompt:
Split portrait of a leader: one side the background is calm, blue, with people engaged and smiling; the other side chaotic red, with anxious or disengaged figures. The central figure stands at a literal switch labelled “Regulate/Dysregulate”.
#LeadershipChoice
8. Soundbite:
"Everyone succeeds when everyone belongs."
Image Prompt:
A ring of diverse people holding hands, standing on a glowing earth. Each figure radiates colourful energy outward, overlapping with others, creating an iridescent spectrum in the centre. Bright, sunny background.
#ThriveTogether
9. Quote:
"Belonging is 50/50—we create it together."
Image Prompt:
Two hands, different sizes and skin tones, reaching towards each other, halfway overlapped. Between them, puzzle pieces and sprouting leaves blossom, symbolising mutual growth and co-creation.
#BelongingIsShared
10. Hashtag/Soundbite:
#ComfortConnectionContribution
Image Prompt:
Three interlocked circles, each showing a simple but meaningful symbol: a cushion (comfort), a heart (connection), a hand offering a star (contribution). Bold, contemporary iconography suitable for enamel pins or stickers.
These quotes and prompts will both inspire and reinforce the episode’s core message, while allowing for striking visual and tactile merchandise. Each phrase has been carefully selected to ensure it’s not only meaningful but also highly memorable and marketable.
Inclusion Bites Spotlight
This month in our Inclusion Bits Spotlight, we shine a light on “Belonging as Infrastructure”, featuring Andrea D. Carter on The Inclusion Bites Podcast. As a renowned neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert and founder of the Belonging First methodology, Andrea’s ground-breaking research takes us deep into the anatomy of belonging—advancing the conversation far beyond traditional DEI frameworks.
In her discussion with host Joanne Lockwood, Andrea challenges the conflation of DEI with belonging, arguing instead that belonging is a distinct, measurable, and experiential infrastructure. Her insights reveal how belonging is not a matter of surface-level inclusion, but a structural approach that ensures individuals don’t simply “fit in”, but truly thrive. Grounded in robust data, including one of the largest mining sector studies ever conducted, Andrea unpacks five core indicators—comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing—that collectively underpin high-performing, resilient organisations.
Andrea brings to the fore the necessity for clarity, predictability, and mutual accountability in teams. She emphasises that comfort is not about softness, but about preparing the brain to navigate friction and challenge; that connection relies on genuine trust rather than mere transaction; and that contribution is validated by recognition, igniting motivation and purpose. She does not shy away from the current tensions in global DEI narratives, instead offering a practical blueprint to leaders eager to retain talent and build agile, inclusive cultures in the face of volatility.
The episode tackles real-world obstacles; from toxic workplace environments to the “quiet quitting” phenomenon, highlighting how the absence of belonging saps engagement, productivity, and innovation across all levels. With strategic guidance for measuring belonging and acting upon the outliers—those whose voices too often go unnoticed—Andrea and Joanne open a path towards infrastructure that sustains, renews, and supports every individual.
Join us this month as we explore why belonging is not a fluffy ideal but a strategic imperative—one requiring investment, accountability, and action. This is a must-listen for anyone passionate about moving beyond compliance and towards the transformative potential of truly inclusive workplaces.
Listen to the full episode and elevate the discussion in your organisation: Inclusion Bites — Belonging as Infrastructure
YouTube Description
YouTube Description
Is your organisation still confusing “fitting in” with true belonging? It’s time to confront the uncomfortable truth: inclusion initiatives alone aren’t enough to ignite meaningful cultural change. In this unmissable episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, “Belonging as Infrastructure”, host Joanne Lockwood is joined by neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert Andrea D. Carter, to dismantle the myth that DEI and belonging are interchangeable—and to guide you towards actionable transformation.
Discover why so many workplace cultures are stuck in cycles of disengagement, “quiet quitting”, and rising toxicity despite well-intentioned diversity programmes. Andrea D. Carter breaks down the five measurable indicators of belonging—Comfort, Connection, Contribution, Psychological Safety, and Wellbeing—backed by robust neuroscience and the world’s largest studies in high-pressure sectors. Learn how most organisations are missing the mark by substituting belonging for structural accountability, and the hidden cost to morale, motivation, and performance.
You’ll walk away understanding:
Why belonging is not a “nice-to-have” but essential operational infrastructure.
The damaging impact of unclear expectations, poor acknowledgement, and the illusion of “average” survey scores.
How to move from surface-level engagement to sustained cultural change, using belonging as a measurable performance driver.
Simple, evidence-based actions to create mutual accountability and foster “output, not just input”.
Listen now to shift your perspective on what true inclusion means and start building the infrastructure where everyone can thrive—not just survive.
Take Action:
Assess your team’s real sense of belonging using the five indicators.
Challenge current DEI frameworks—are you measuring outcomes or ticking boxes?
Begin daily practices that prioritise comfort, connection, and feedback.
Subscribe for more bold conversations that spark change.
#BelongingAsInfrastructure #InclusionBites #InclusiveLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #DEI #PsychologicalSafety #EmployeeEngagement #CultureChange #MutualAccountability #SEEChangeHappen
—
Dive deeper and join the movement for real inclusion: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen
For insights and to connect: jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk
10 Question Quiz
Multiple Choice Quiz: "Belonging as Infrastructure" – Inclusion Bites Podcast
1. What is the main aim of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, as articulated by Joanne Lockwood?
a) To provide technical HR guidance
b) To offer surface-level networking opportunities
c) To inspire action through real conversations and drive societal transformation
d) To replace all existing DEI strategies
2. According to Joanne Lockwood, what is the significance of being “part of the conversation”?
a) It is optional and has no impact.
b) It’s only for invited experts.
c) It encourages audience engagement and input on inclusion topics.
d) It is necessary for promotional purposes.
3. Joanne Lockwood describes DEI as:
a) The same as belonging
b) An input which sets up the structures for inclusion
c) Entirely obsolete in today’s workplaces
d) Irrelevant to workplace culture
4. What challenge does Joanne Lockwood raise regarding workplace surveys and their effectiveness?
a) They always tell the whole story
b) They only measure technical skills
c) They are limited in time and do not necessarily reflect lived experience
d) They always produce anonymous results
5. When discussing animal and child behaviour, Joanne Lockwood equates caring for a puppy to what essential workplace element?
a) Innovation
b) Leadership development and the importance of environment
c) Profit maximisation
d) Manual supervision
6. Which analogy does Joanne Lockwood use to highlight the problem of neglecting individual differences in comfort within an organisation?
a) Everyone feels the same way in all meetings
b) Each person has a “different temperature gauge” for comfort
c) Comfort does not matter if inclusion exists
d) Only managers need comfort for success
7. Joanne Lockwood highlights the risk of what occurring when employees feel their contributions go unacknowledged?
a) Employees will work harder
b) Employees will quietly leave or disengage (“quiet quitting”)
c) Employees become more loyal
d) Employees always complain publicly
8. According to Joanne Lockwood, focusing on only the average in survey data leads to what risk?
a) Identifying all the problems
b) Failing certain individuals (“every person who’s not happy is a person that we’re failing”)
c) Always achieving higher performance
d) Making diversity redundant
9. What cultural pattern does Joanne Lockwood critique when leaders become defensive during survey debriefs?
a) Collective responsibility
b) Fitting in culture and blame
c) Celebration of diversity
d) Psychological safety being robust
10. Joanne Lockwood identifies what external factor as heightening anxiety and tension, and mapping onto workplace belonging?
a) Corporate bonuses
b) Remote working
c) Global media, political tension, and societal events
d) Increased physical activity
Answer Key and Rationale
c) To inspire action through real conversations and drive societal transformation
Rationale: The introduction focuses on sparking change, challenging norms, and inspiring action through meaningful conversations.c) It encourages audience engagement and input on inclusion topics.
Rationale: Joanne Lockwood invites listeners to participate, making them part of the inclusion dialogue.b) An input which sets up the structures for inclusion
Rationale: Joanne Lockwood frames DEI as the input, whereas belonging is the output—the lived experience and environment created.c) They are limited in time and do not necessarily reflect lived experience
Rationale: The host notes surveys are “only valid for the 20 minutes that you complete,” highlighting their temporal and experiential limits.b) Leadership development and the importance of environment
Rationale: Joanne Lockwood draws analogies between raising a puppy, parenting, and creating a constructive environment as fundamental to leadership.b) Each person has a “different temperature gauge” for comfort
Rationale: The individuality of comfort levels and their contextual differences is explicitly drawn out by the host.b) Employees will quietly leave or disengage (“quiet quitting”)
Rationale: Joanne Lockwood mentions “quiet quitting” and disengagement when people don’t feel seen or valued.b) Failing certain individuals (“every person who’s not happy is a person that we’re failing”)
Rationale: The risk described by the host is ignoring the dissatisfied outliers by only celebrating the happy majority.b) Fitting in culture and blame
Rationale: Joanne Lockwood identifies that defensive leaders perpetuate fitting in and blame, rather than fostering curiosity and belonging.c) Global media, political tension, and societal events
Rationale: The host explicitly connects media, political, and global anxiety as feeding into workplace tension and a sense of disconnection.
Summary Paragraph
The episode, as led by Joanne Lockwood, emphasises that Inclusion Bites exists to spark genuine transformation by inviting authentic conversations and actions that cultivate belonging. Being part of ongoing dialogues is seen as fundamental, as true inclusion requires active engagement and the dismantling of passivity. Joanne Lockwood frames DEI as the necessary structural input, but argues that lived belonging is the experiential output we must all strive for. A critical view is taken of workplace surveys, which only provide a fleeting snapshot and risk concealing the realities of those who feel excluded or overlooked. Addressing the nuances of people’s needs—such as recognising each person’s unique ‘temperature gauge’ for comfort—and acknowledging all contributions are vital to avoid disengagement and the rise of quiet quitting. The discussion warns against focusing only on averages in engagement data, as this leaves those on the margins unsupported and reinforces a culture of simply fitting in, which often leads to blame when results are questioned. Compounding these organisational issues, Joanne Lockwood ties in the impact of socio-political pressures and media-fuelled anxiety, arguing these forces increase overall workplace tension and make the infrastructure of belonging more crucial than ever.
Rhyme Scheme and Rhythm Podcast Poetry
Belonging Built in Every Beam
In winter’s hush or workplaces bright,
Where voices linger, out of sight,
What makes a person truly stay?
Not just the task, or wage, or pay.
Beyond the welcome or the door,
Lies something deeper at the core:
A framework built, not left to chance,
Belonging’s bold, persistent dance.
First—comfort, not a fleeting ease,
But clarity that aims to please;
Predictability, not simply “nice”,
A steady hand when work’s a heist.
And next, connection, genuine ties,
Not feigning care with hollow guise;
Instead, a bond that trusts through fire,
So every member can aspire.
To contribute and feel your worth,
Not overlooked or cast to earth,
But valued for your view and might,
A spark that makes the future bright.
Psych safety, where it’s safe to speak,
To raise a doubt, show you’re unique;
Free from the threat of scorn or blame,
Innovation, not just acclaim.
At last, well-being claims its place,
Not yoga mats or hurried pace,
But culture letting us refill,
Rest, renew—that’s vital still.
So if you wish for teams that thrive,
Let friction teach, let trust revive;
Turn data into living art,
And build belonging from the start.
A call to those who seek to find
A deeper thread in work entwined:
For further thoughts and voices true,
Subscribe and share—this pod’s for you.
With thanks to Andrea D. Carter for a fascinating podcast episode
Key Learnings
Key Learning and Takeaway
The central insight from this episode, "Belonging as Infrastructure," is that true belonging in the workplace is not a by-product of DEI initiatives or simple inclusion efforts. Through Andrea D. Carter's Belonging First methodology, we learn that belonging is an intentional, measurable infrastructure with five critical indicators: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. These elements collectively create environments where people don’t just fit in—they thrive, perform, and deliver innovation. Organisations often conflate belonging and DEI, but without both, neither equitable structure nor optimal human experience can be achieved.
Point #1: Belonging vs. DEI—Know the Difference
Andrea D. Carter stresses that DEI frameworks are structural—they’re about accountability, representation, policies, and fixing systemic gaps. Belonging, however, is experiential infrastructure—it’s felt, lived, and measured through daily interactions and team dynamics ([00:08:06–00:10:29]). Successful organisations need both elements, not only to attract diverse talent but also to ensure they can flourish.
Point #2: The Five Pillars of Belonging
Belonging isn’t a tick-box ideal; it’s measured by five validated indicators: comfort (clarity and predictability), connection (bond and trust), contribution (feeling valued), psychological safety (freedom to speak up), and wellbeing (sustainable resilience). These domains fuel genuine engagement and performance, and their absence explains phenomena like quiet quitting and organisational “detachment” ([00:10:29–00:36:01]).
Point #3: Measurement Matters—Averages Hide Outliers
Current workplace surveys focus on averages and “happiness scores”, masking outliers who feel marginalised. Andrea D. Carter highlights the importance of measuring gaps between the average and underrepresented groups, employing mediation analyses to truly understand who is thriving—and who’s not. It’s the experience of those at the margins, not the centre, that flags systemic belonging issues ([00:46:16–00:49:57]).
Point #4: Belonging is 50:50—A Shared Responsibility
Belonging is co-constructed: it’s 50% on the individual and 50% on the environment or leader. Unlike “fitting in,” which is all on the newcomer, managers and organisations must actively set the conditions for comfort, clarity, and reciprocal accountability. Initiatives and surface gestures are not enough—sustainable infrastructure, mutual engagement, and genuine acknowledgment drive lasting cultures of belonging ([00:16:03–00:18:19], [00:58:01–01:00:52]).
In summary, this episode makes it clear: Belonging is not a luxury—it's critical infrastructure for people and organisations to succeed together.
Book Outline
Book Outline: Transforming “Belonging as Infrastructure” into a Structured Publication
Title Suggestions
Belonging as Infrastructure: The Practical Science of Inclusive Cultures
The Belonging First Methodology: Moving Beyond Inclusion to Measurable Impact
Experiencing Belonging: Infrastructure, Indicators, and Real Change at Work
Beyond DEI: Building Cultures Where People Truly Thrive
The Infrastructure of Belonging: From Neuroscience to Organisational Success
Outline
Introduction: Why Belonging, Why Now?
Setting the Stage
Importance of belonging in today’s volatile workplace climate.
Clarifying the difference (and connection) between DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) and Belonging.
Personal Inspiration
The journey from organisational science and neuroscience to tangible workplace transformation.
A Call for Change
Challenging the narrative that “DEI is dead”—initiating a new conversation.
Chapter 1: Rethinking Workplace Inclusion—From DEI to Belonging
Subheadings & Key Points
The Limits of DEI as Sole Strategy
Structural vs. Experiential Infrastructure
Why Conflating DEI and Belonging is Harmful
Accountability vs. Experience: What Truly Drives Performance?
Example/Quote:
“DEI is structural accountability frameworks... Belonging is actually an experiential infrastructure.”
Chapter 2: Defining Belonging—The Neuroscience Lens
Subheadings & Key Points
Belonging as Output: Measuring More Than Representation
The Five Validated Indicators of Workplace Belonging
The Dangers of ‘Fitting In’ vs. Creating True Belonging
Real-Life Example:
Lessons from a major mining study and how these indicators were validated across 3,500+ participants.
Suggested Visual Aids:
Diagram: DEI (Input) vs. Belonging (Output)—The Organisational Cycle
Table: The Five Indicators of Belonging
Chapter 3: Comfort—The Foundation of Thriving Teams
Subheadings & Key Points
The Science of Comfort: Clarity, Predictability, and Brain Regulation
Hidden Costs of Cognitive Load and Uncertainty
From Threat Mode to Peak Performance
Quote:
“You’re not exhausted from doing the work. You’re exhausted from the cognitive load of uncertainty.”
Interactive Element:
Team Reflection: Audit a typical meeting for clarity and comfort.
Chapter 4: Connection—How Trust Transforms Groups
Subheadings & Key Points
Building Bonds vs. Transactions at Work
Middle Management and the Power of Connection
The Chemical Story: Oxytocin and Trust on Teams
Example:
Contrast between teams that are polite but guarded vs. teams willing to admit mistakes and ask for help.
Exercise:
Identify at least one way to increase reciprocal trust in your team.
Chapter 5: Contribution—Motivation, Recognition, and Retention
Subheadings & Key Points
Moving from Invisible Effort to Visible Impact
Recognition as a Neurochemical Event: Dopamine and Serotonin
The Risks of Dismissal and the Rise of Quiet Quitting
Example:
Case studies on the cost of not acknowledging team contributions—impact on morale and retention.
Chapter 6: Psychological Safety—The Bedrock for Speaking Up
Subheadings & Key Points
Beyond Training: Making Psychological Safety Real
The Domino Effect of Managerial Defensiveness
Industry Case Studies: From NASA to Aviation
Suggested Visual Aid:
Flowchart: How Feedback Culture Impacts Organisational Learning
Reflection Prompts:
When have you stayed silent out of fear of reprisal? What could have been different?
Chapter 7: Wellbeing—Sustaining Performance and Preventing Burnout
Subheadings & Key Points
Fitting In vs. Shared Responsibility for Wellbeing
Why Initiatives (Apps, Yoga, Bonuses) Alone Don’t Work
Organisational Practices That Undermine Wellbeing
The Cost of Always-On Culture
Anecdote:
The experience of being contacted for non-urgent work matters while hospitalised.
Action Step:
Audit organisational norms: When do they support, and when do they undermine, real wellbeing?
Chapter 8: Measuring Belonging—From Data to Action
Subheadings & Key Points
Beyond Engagement Surveys: The Need for Real Metrics
Multiplicative and Mediation Analysis—Understanding Outliers
The Importance of Intersectionality in Measurement
Example/Quote:
“Most people assume it’s about A, B, and C employees, but the environment can turn A’s into C’s.”
Suggested Visual Aid:
Chart: Engagement vs. Belonging Scores—Spotting the Gaps
Chapter 9: Addressing Organisational Toxicity
Subheadings & Key Points
The Rise of Detachment: Globally Falling Engagement and Retention
Critical Case Studies: ERGs, Burnout, and Structural Inefficiencies
Turning Pain Points into Opportunities for Belonging
Chapter 10: The Wider World—Belonging Amidst Global Volatility
Subheadings & Key Points
Societal Tensions and Their Work Implications
The Inconvenience of Belonging: Working Through Friction Not Avoiding It
Individualism vs. Collective Thinking
Lessons from Global Events and Leadership
Chapter 11: Individual and Collective Belongingness
Subheadings & Key Points
Self-Belonging as a Precondition for Leading Others
The 50/50 Responsibility Model
Applying the Indicators to Teams, Organisations, and the Individual
Exercises:
The Belonging Audit: What Do You Give? What Do You Receive?
Conclusion: Belonging as the Infrastructure of Success
Recap of Key Insights and the Five Indicators
Practical Roadmap for Leaders and Teams
The Non-Negotiable Nature of True Belonging in Today’s World
Call to Action
Self-assessment: Use tools such as the “Belonging Breakdown” to analyse and improve your own environment.
Organisational Commitment: Shift from initiative-chasing to systemic belonging.
Continue the Conversation: Engage with ongoing research and connect with communities advancing belonging at workplace and beyond.
Refinement & Feedback
Suggest establishing an expert panel or beta reader group for iterative feedback on outline and chapter drafts.
Include checkpoints for ensuring intersectional perspectives are woven throughout.
Supplementary Content Suggestions
Images/Charts/Diagrams:
Belonging vs. Fitting In Infographic
Flowcharts of Comfort and Connection in Action
Data Visualisations of Survey Results and Outlier Trends
Interactive Elements:
Chapter-end reflection questions
Action steps for team implementation
Short self-evaluations/workbook sections
Research Inserts & “Did You Know?” Boxes:
Summarised findings from belonging studies (mining, aviation, consultancies)
Global statistics on engagement, retention, and gender/racial breakdowns
Chapter Summaries (Brief)
Introduction: Outlines the necessity of belonging as the new foundation for thriving workplaces and wider change.
Ch. 1: Critiques the limits of DEI and highlights the need for an experiential belonging infrastructure.
Ch. 2: Presents the neuroscience underpinning belonging and the five key indicators validated by research.
Ch. 3-7: Unpacks each indicator—comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing—with actionable examples.
Ch. 8: Advocates for robust, intersectional measurement methodologies and highlights statistical pitfalls.
Ch. 9: Frames current issues of disengagement and toxic cultures as opportunities for systemic change.
Ch. 10: Connects national and global volatility to workplace challenges, showing why belonging matters now more than ever.
Ch. 11: Concludes with the personal and relational dimensions of belonging, empowering reader action.
Conclusion: Leaves the reader with a synthesis and a challenge to create real, lasting change.
This outline transforms the podcast's insights into a compelling, structured, and audience-focused book that balances personal narrative with actionable frameworks, real-life examples, research grounding, and practical guidance—ensuring the original voice and depth are powerfully retained.
Maxims to live by…
Maxims for Belonging as Infrastructure
Create Clarity and Predictability
Set clear expectations, goals, and communication channels. People need to know why they are present, what’s expected, and how their contributions will shape the outcome.Seek to Regulate, Not Dysregulate
Be mindful of your impact. Either regulate those around you or cause unnecessary anxiety. Strive always for calm and coherence.Value Friction, Not Just Comfort
Understand that discomfort and challenge are necessary for growth. True belonging is not the absence of conflict but the presence of trust and willingness to work through it.Fitting In Is Not Belonging
Do not force yourself or others to merely adapt and blend in. Belonging is co-created and requires reciprocal effort.Recognise the Power Dynamic
Acknowledge that the perception of comfort and safety often hinges on those with the most influence. Use power responsibly and inclusively.Build Connection Before Transaction
Develop genuine interpersonal bonds rather than focusing solely on transactional relationships. Trust flourishes in authentic connection.Acknowledge Contribution Explicitly
Ensure everyone’s work is seen and appreciated. Motivation is fuelled by recognising value, not by silent acceptance or dismissal.Address Structural and Experiential Barriers
Belonging and diversity aren’t interchangeable—structural fairness and lived experiences must both be tackled for inclusive cultures to thrive.Foster Psychological Safety
Invite challenge and diverse perspectives without fear of social or professional punishment. Respond to concerns with curiosity, not defensiveness.Normalise Vulnerability and Asking for Help
Create environments where requesting or offering assistance is a sign of collective strength, not weakness.Prioritise Wellbeing Equitably
Wellbeing isn’t an individual’s responsibility alone. Design systems that enable resilience and renewal, not burnout.Model Detachment from Toxicity, Not Engagement
Recognise when environments become unmanageable and advocate for systemic change or disengagement from harmful practices.Use Data Wisely and Probe Deeper
Look beyond averages in surveys—focus on outliers and intersectional identities to discover where exclusion persists. Numbers are a tool to uncover truths, not to mask them.Hold Mutual Accountability
Belonging is a shared endeavour: everyone is responsible for both giving and receiving it within a collective.Honour Difference and Intersectionality
Understand that comfort, safety, and inclusion feel different for everyone. Attend to the nuances of identity and lived experience at all times.Respond to Feedback with Action, Not Excuses
Treat feedback, whether from surveys or conversations, as catalysts for growth rather than threats to be rationalised away.Cultivate Environments Where People Stay Because They Belong, Not Simply Because They Endure
Don’t rely on scarcity or disengagement to retain talent; create spaces people truly wish to be part of.Recognise That the Workplace Is Not Separate from the World
Global tensions, media, and political climates affect safety, wellbeing, and collective behaviour in all organisational spaces.Invest in Infrastructure, Not Just Initiatives
Move beyond ‘programme after programme’. Sustainable belonging is built through systemic architecture, not isolated projects.Lead by Going First
Set the example in comfort, clarity, and inclusion. You cannot ask others to belong if you do not model and invite that behaviour yourself.
Live these maxims, and you will create not only thriving workplaces and communities, but also a foundation for genuine and resilient belonging.
Extended YouTube Description
Inclusion Bites Podcast #211 — Belonging as Infrastructure | Workplace Belonging & DEI Explained
Unlock the neuroscience behind belonging in the workplace with Joanne Lockwood and Andrea D. Carter in this power-packed episode of Inclusion Bites. Ideal for HR leaders, Diversity & Inclusion practitioners, and anyone striving to transform organisational culture, this session demystifies how belonging acts as essential infrastructure, distinct from DEI, and measurable through concrete indicators.
⏰ Timestamps for Easy Navigation
00:01:14 Introduction to "Belonging as Infrastructure"
00:01:25 Meet Andrea D. Carter: Neuroscience Workplace Belonging Expert
00:07:04 Defining Belonging vs DEI: Core Differences
00:09:45 Five Validated Indicators of Belonging
00:12:35 Clarity, Predictability & Comfort in Meetings
00:16:05 Mutual Accountability: Creating Team Success
00:19:31 Connection & Trust: From Transactional to Supportive Teams
00:22:14 Contribution: Motivation, Acknowledgement & Retention
00:31:05 Psychological Safety: From Threat to Exploration
00:36:01 Wellbeing: Resilience Beyond Yoga & Calm Apps
00:59:38 The Need for Belonging Infrastructure: Beyond Initiatives
01:05:07 Quick Self-Assessment: Belonging Breakdown Tool
📖 Episode Overview & Key Takeaways
In this robust discussion, hosted by Joanne Lockwood, Andrea D. Carter introduces her neuroscience-based “Belonging First Methodology”, detailing why belonging is not just a DEI buzzword but a critical, measurable element of high-performing workplace culture.
Learn:
The distinction between diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) and belonging, and why conflating them leads to failed culture strategies.
Five empirically validated belonging indicators: Comfort (clarity & predictability), Connection (trust & support), Contribution (value & motivation), Psychological Safety (freedom to speak up), and Wellbeing (resilience).
How organisations can measure belonging—not just engagement or inclusion—and use real data (not guesswork!) to spot where culture is breaking down.
Practical examples and real-world statistics, including the impact of DEI rollbacks, quiet quitting trends, and why initiatives aren’t infrastructure.
Actionable steps for leaders to regulate environments, set the right conditions for teams, and prevent costly attrition.
How belonging infrastructure benefits everyone, from frontline staff to executives, empowering you to create workplaces where people thrive.
Why Watch?
If you want strategies to boost employee satisfaction, retention, innovation, and psychological safety (and aren’t satisfied with “one-size-fits-all” annual engagement surveys), this episode offers real solutions you can implement today. Direct insights from lived experience and organisational science.
🎯 Take Action!
Subscribe for more insights: Transform how you approach inclusion—new episodes weekly.
Visit our website: For tools, downloads, and more expert interviews, explore https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
Try the Belonging Breakdown Tool: Assess your own workplace belonging at belongingfirst.com/belonging-breakdown.
Watch another episode: Deepen your understanding of culture transformation—check out our “Psychological Safety in Teams” episode next.
#️⃣ Suggested Hashtags:
#InclusionBites #WorkplaceBelonging #DEI #OrganisationalCulture #PsychologicalSafety #EmployeeEngagement #Leadership #HRStrategy #PositivePeopleExperiences #CultureChange #Wellbeing
How These Insights Benefit You
For HR teams and culture shapers, this episode equips you with evidence-based methods to measure belonging, pinpoint hidden sources of toxicity, and design action plans that work for every layer of your organisation. Whether solving daily challenges or setting long-term strategy, mastering belonging infrastructure delivers competitive advantage—and keeps your best talent truly engaged.
Join the conversation. Listen, reflect, and inspire change—one bold conversation at a time.
Substack Post
Belonging as Infrastructure: Laying the Foundations for Cultures That Thrive
How often do we ask ourselves—what does it truly mean for people to belong at work? In the ever-evolving world of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), many of us grapple with surface-level initiatives or fleeting programmes, only to discover that a genuine sense of belonging remains just out of reach. This challenge sits at the heart of so much organisational frustration, disengagement, and even turnover.
In this latest Inclusion Bites Podcast episode, I’m thrilled to invite you to reflect with me as I sit down with the brilliant Andrea D. Carter, a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert and organisational scientist. Andrea brings a rare clarity and depth, laying bare why belonging isn’t just a buzzword or a “nice-to-have”—it’s essential infrastructure for cultures that endure and prosper.
Why We Need to Re-imagine Belonging
DEI is under scrutiny—often wrongly maligned as “dead” or watered down into generic culture initiatives. This week’s episode, “Belonging as Infrastructure,” gets straight to the root of this confusion. I invited Andrea onto the show not only for her expertise but because of her ability to translate science and data into lived, actionable strategies. Together, we explore how belonging is distinct from DEI—it’s about experience, not just representation or compliance.
We also confront a critical misunderstanding at the moment: many organisations, in response to turbulent global trends, are rolling DEI under broader “culture” or “belonging” umbrellas. Yet, as Andrea demonstrates, these are not interchangeable terms. Belonging, she argues, must be built as a measurable and practical infrastructure—one that shapes everything from workplace performance to wellbeing and, ultimately, retention.
Our conversation is a treasure trove for:
HR professionals battling disengagement and quiet quitting,
Diversity & Inclusion leaders seeking a new lens amid “DEI fatigue,”
Talent and Recruitment teams aiming to boost retention authentically,
Organisational and Learning & Development leads eager to move from initiative overload to sustainable culture transformation.
Deep Dives with Andrea D. Carter
Andrea’s “Belonging First” methodology is a revelation—a framework validated in some of the world’s toughest industries (mining, anyone?) and proven across geographies. We unpack the five key indicators of belonging, gained from rigorous research with thousands of employees. The conversation moves well beyond platitudes, providing tangible ways to build cultures where people don’t just show up, but show up as their best.
Her warmth and honesty shine as we even share some light-hearted stories about dogs and non-verbal communication—reminding us that belonging starts with the smallest acts of being truly seen and understood.
Building Belonging: The Essential Ingredients
These are my top actionable takeaways from this eye-opening conversation. What could you implement in your team or workplace, starting today?
1. Move Past “Fitting In”—Make Comfort a Design Principle
Too many workplaces subtly reward “fitting in” over genuine belonging. Andrea describes this as the exhausting, draining work of constantly adapting to other people’s norms, expectations, and unwritten rules. Instead, workplaces thrive where comfort is engineered in: clarity about roles, psychological predictability in meetings, and an ethos where people can trust the agenda as much as their own expertise.
“Clarity and predictability don’t mean eliminating all friction,” Andrea notes. “They mean people can use their energy for performance, not for anxiety or threat scanning.”
2. Build Connection and Reciprocity—It’s Not About Being “Nice”
We talk at length about the difference between transactional teams (all ‘quid pro quo’) and those built on real trust. Connection is about more than civility; it’s about reciprocity. Can your people ask for help without fear? Do you regularly acknowledge each other’s contributions, not just outcomes, but also unique perspectives? That’s where the “glue” of belonging comes from.
3. Make Contribution Visible and Valued
Nothing drains motivation like feeling invisible. Andrea explores, through the lens of neuroscience (with her signature ability to bring complex ideas to life), why public acknowledgement and visibility ignite dopamine and serotonin. If you’re not consistently recognising the impact of everyone’s work, you risk quiet quitting—or worse, the “Great Detachment,” where your best quietly walk away in search of somewhere they truly matter.
4. Don’t Play Psychological Safety Lip Service
Psychological safety has become this decade’s HR mantra, but as Andrea explains, it’s just one plank. Safety is the outcome of environments where comfort, connection, and real input are present. How do your leaders respond to challenge? Can people raise concerns without reprimand or cold shouldering? If not, it’s impossible to get the best, most creative contributions from your team.
5. Embed Wellbeing into How Work Gets Done
Is your approach to “wellbeing” still stuck at offering meditation apps and yoga credits? As Andrea says, “If you’re not designing work that supports resilience, you’re just asking your people to burn out and then come back the same.” Real wellbeing is about regenerating energy and not burning the candle at both ends just to look busy. It’s a 50/50 promise—leadership sets the terms, but both sides must invest.
Watch: A Taste of the Conversation
To give you a flavour of our dynamic and insightful exchange, here’s a one-minute highlight captured in our 9:16 audiogram.
In this excerpt, you’ll glimpse Andrea breaking down the misconception that belonging is a fluffy benefit—it’s about the operational structure, recharged motivation, and higher performance tied directly to the lived experience of work.
Listen to the Full Episode
I warmly invite you to tune in for the whole discussion—there’s so much more to unpack, including stories, stats, and strategies you won’t find in textbooks.
🎧 Listen to “Belonging as Infrastructure” now
If you find this episode valuable, please share it with a colleague or your entire team. The ripple effect of these ideas is strongest when we foster dialogue—within HR circles, at line management level, and across entire organisations.
Pause and Consider...
In a world squeezed by uncertainty and noise, how are you and your organisation going beyond buzzwords to lay the real foundations of belonging? What small shift could you make, today, to ensure everyone feels seen, heard, and able to give their best—always?
I’d love to hear how these conversations are fuelling your journey, and as ever, stay connected via email, LinkedIn, or the Inclusion Bites community. Let’s spark the change, one conversation—and one infrastructure brick—at a time.
Until next time,
Joanne Lockwood
Host of the Inclusion Bites Podcast
The Inclusive Culture Expert at SEE Change Happen
You can always explore more inspiring episodes and connect with other changemakers at seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
1st Person Narrative Content
Belonging Isn’t Just a Feeling—It’s the Engine Room for Thriving Cultures
“We’re not just talking about the fluffy stuff—belonging is hard infrastructure. It’s the difference between being awake in a workplace and being alive.”
That’s what I found myself saying repeatedly as I reflected on my recent, in-depth conversation with Joanne Lockwood, host of the Inclusion Bites Podcast. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from building measurable, neuroscience-driven belonging strategies, it’s that no matter how advanced your systems become, human beings crave something fundamentally simple: to matter. Yet the route to that is anything but straightforward.
Belonging is often dismissed as a nice-to-have or relegated to HR initiatives. It’s misunderstood as being synonymous with inclusion, or worse, left in the shadow of diversity metrics and engagement surveys. The truth is—belonging is what enables individuals to perform, innovate, and stay. Without it, even the best minds will default to survival mode, and every productivity hack collapses. This matters to me not just as a researcher and founder, but as someone who has scaled organisations and learnt—sometimes painfully—that culture is a real asset only when it’s built to last.
I recently joined Joanne Lockwood on her outstanding platform, Inclusion Bites—a home for bold, challenging conversation on what it truly takes to disrupt norms and build positive people experiences. Joanne Lockwood, founder of SEE Change Happen, is a relentless advocate for inclusion with a strategic mind for enabling transformative shifts in workplace culture and leadership. She brings both empathy and rigour to her interviews, holding a reputation for cutting through noise and uncovering what drives true change. "More than [INSERT_VIEW_COUNT] people have already watched our interview on YouTube, with many more tuning in via Spotify and Apple Podcasts."
If this conversation sparks something for you—questions, pushback, agreement—I invite you to share in the comments below. I read every one, and together we learn more.
The Dangerous Myth: Belonging and DEI Are the Same
Amid today’s rapid-fire headlines pronouncing DEI “dead,” I can’t shake a sense of personal urgency. The current climate is awash with misconceptions. Organisations think they’re moving beyond diversity and inclusion—rolling DEI into culture and belonging—but what they’re often doing is conflating fundamentally different ideas. That’s not just inadequate; it can be harmful.
Here’s what I explained to Joanne Lockwood: DEI is about accountability. It’s structural. It’s the ethical and operational commitment—are our frameworks just, is our representation sufficient, are we removing systemic bias? DEI (or IDEA, with accessibility added) is about the input: hiring, pay equity, promotion velocity, representation. It’s quantifiable, trackable, and audit-driven.
Belonging, though, is the output. It’s experiential, and it’s measurable with a different lens. It asks: “Can people succeed in the systems we have built?” That’s not the same question as, “Did we invite them in?” In fact, you cannot achieve true belonging without DEI, and you cannot realise DEI outcomes without belonging. They are intertwined, but never interchangeable.
When Joanne Lockwood interjected that “you can be included but not feel belonging,” I agreed immediately. It’s the starkest distinction—one that’s easily ignored in the rush to hit diversity targets and tick boxes.
The Five Building Blocks of Belonging Infrastructure
I’ve spent years mapping belonging from a neuroscience perspective, and the work led to five validated indicators—each critical, none optional. Our large-scale study in the mining sector offered the rigor: 3,500 participants, 11 TSX-listed organisations. Across industries now, these five define whether a workplace is merely functional or has the conditions for excellence:
Comfort (Clarity and Predictability)
Connection (Trust and Reciprocity)
Contribution (Recognition and Influence)
Psychological Safety
Wellbeing (Resilience and Renewal)
Let me walk you through why these matter—with stories from both my experience and Joanne Lockwood’s probing insight.
Comfort: Beyond Fluff—Engineering Emotional Regulation
People hear “comfort” and think beanbags and casual dress codes. But comfort is about regulated brains, not soft furnishings. When you step into a meeting and don’t know why you’re there, what’s expected, or if you should speak—the ambiguity isn’t cosmetic, it’s a threat. The brain is thrown into anxiety, spending energy scanning for cues, figuring out unspoken rules.
As Joanne Lockwood remarked, the word to focus on is “anxiety.” Incoherent meetings, unclear objectives—these aren’t minor annoyances; they erode cognitive performance and energy for real work.
Every new joiner, every ‘bad hire,’ every disengaged team member: before blaming competence, look at your comfort infrastructure. Is there clarity, predictability, and transparent language that enables self-regulation? Comfort isn’t about removing conflict or challenge—it’s setting the expectation and boundaries so brains can operate in creative, not defensive, mode.
Connection: From Transaction to Trust—How Teams Actually Thrive
You can “get along” with colleagues and still lack genuine trust. Many teams are polite, transactional—“I’ll do this if you do that”—but don’t foster any real connection. No one asks for help, in case it seems weak; no one offers it, in case it’s unwelcome.
What I’ve seen, and what Joanne Lockwood observed in her own teams, is that performance only soars when people know someone has their back. For middle managers especially—compressed between the demands of leadership and their teams—connection is the lifeline. Without it, especially in today’s volatile environments, teams retreat to individual performances and guarded interaction.
Connection triggers oxytocin, the feeling of being “in it together.” Building this is not optional, nor purely “nice”—it’s the basis for navigating conflict and friction together, with trust, not isolation.
Contribution: Dopamine, Serotonin, and the Science of Motivation
We’ve all poured ourselves into a project and received…nothing. No feedback, no recognition, no impact. Worse—the work is ignored or dismissed. In those moments, belonging is severed. I’ve lived through this, as has Joanne Lockwood in her own career.
When contribution is recognised—when it is acknowledged as valuable and influential—the brain rewards us with dopamine and serotonin. It’s not about blanket praise but about specificity. Leaders must connect outcomes to individual impact. If you want more engagement, start here. If people know they matter, they stay; if not, they quietly quit or vote with their feet.
Retention plummets not due to lack of talent, but because contribution goes unrecognised. Engagement surveys only show you who is busy, not who will remain committed. It’s a critical distinction missed by too many executive teams.
Psychological Safety: The Permission to Challenge and Speak Truth
Millions are spent annually on psychological safety workshops. Yet, it’s only one-fifth of the equation. If people don’t feel they can challenge, question, or admit failure without social punishment, innovation dies. Physical safety in the mining industry, or the turnaround in aviation and NASA—these come only after psychological safety is embedded.
But here’s the pattern: If comfort and connection aren’t present, psychological safety is impossible. No amount of policy or training overrides this foundational need. When people self-censor, it’s not from apathy—it’s protective behaviour against historic defensiveness. “Tell me more—what am I missing?” is the question leaders need to ask, with genuine curiosity, to shift the dial.
Wellbeing: Renewing Ourselves and Each Other
Wellbeing is not something you can hand off to a Calm app, or patch with a yoga subscription. “Go fix yourself and return to the stress—nothing here is changing,” is the explicit message when organisations mistake personal renewal for infrastructure. True resilience requires the organisation to share the responsibility—it's never 100% on the individual.
I’ve had the experience—consulting in a hospital bed, being chased for a non-urgent PDF by a leader unconcerned with the reality of my situation. It wasn’t just inconsiderate; it betrayed the absence of wellbeing infrastructure and proved that, when wellbeing fails, humanity breaks.
The best teams know when to push, but also when to renew. Setting clear boundaries, respecting time-off, and modelling unplugging doesn’t reduce productivity—it preserves it.
Why Engagement Surveys and Initiatives Fall Short
Too many organisations celebrate their “mean” scores—happily reporting that 86% of staff are engaged, while ignoring the outliers. Every disengaged individual is a signal of system failure, not an inconvenience. The real insight comes from mediation analysis—uncovering the gap between the average and the underrepresented, understanding identity intersections, and tracking shifts.
Joanne Lockwood and I agreed: Sampling only the “satisfied majority” masks structural cracks. Toxic cultures sweep these under the rug, rationalising with excuses about market conditions, stress, or “family business legacy.” The truth: One A-player will become a C-player if hygiene issues aren’t fixed. Throwing “motivation” at the problem never addresses its root.
Leaders frequently mitigate and rationalise survey data, using it as a tool to defend rather than learn. This is a fitting-in culture—passing defensiveness up the hierarchy rather than facing the discomfort of truth.
And surveys? They’re valid for precisely the 20 minutes they’re completed. Historic data lags. What matters is the infrastructure for ongoing, real-time feedback, truly confidential and proactive.
Why DEI Rollback Is Creating the ‘Great Detachment’
Recently, the trend towards DEI rollback is generating what I call the Great Detachment. Globally, statistics about workforce disengagement, quiet quitting, and forced exit costs are alarming. Toxicity isn’t just a side effect—it’s a systemic crisis. In North America, for instance, the exodus of women from the workforce is matched by a drop in workplace satisfaction and engagement across the board.
It’s not enough to blame market volatility. When belonging crumbles—when people’s contribution is overlooked, safety is compromised, renewal is absent—organisations will lose their best people as soon as the market recovers.
Infrastructure matters. If we’re only throwing initiatives at people—mentorship, engagement, ERGs—without genuinely restructuring environments for belonging, nothing will move the needle. The future belongs to those who institutionalise belonging as essential as strategy and finance.
Friction Is Not the Enemy: The Inconvenience of Progress
Belonging often demands the hard work of sitting in discomfort. Individual perspectives must rub up against collective interests—there will be conflict, and that’s natural. Whether navigating the workplace, scaling a company, or engaging across global tensions, progress never comes from avoiding friction.
As I shared with Joanne Lockwood, we must flip the narrative: “Am I winning?” isn’t the question. It’s “Are we winning, and how do we win together?” This shift is not convenient. It means leaders must continually challenge themselves and their cultures to engage, rather than retreat when discomfort arises.
This isn’t just about structures—it’s about self. The indicators of belonging measure how we show up for ourselves, for one another, for the wider team. Culture begins inside; it’s reflected outwards.
The Loop: Reintegrate, Rebuild, and Choose Belonging
Reflecting on my journey, what stays with me is the relentless, inconvenient necessity of belonging—but also its transformative power. We’re living in a world of polarisation, high anxiety, and rhetorical division. The workplace isn’t immune. Our brains cannot compartmentalise; we bring it all with us, and how we process it “at work” echoes how we relate to ourselves and our communities.
Executives, founders, managers—listen closely: Real change is not born from surface-level engagement or endless initiatives. It is engineered through discomfort, transparency, and shared accountability. The hard infrastructure of belonging, with its five pillars, offers a blueprint. Measure it, build it, and the rest—quality, speed, engagement, innovation—will follow.
If you’re ready to move past the myth and embrace belonging as infrastructure, let’s keep the conversation alive. The future is inconvenient—but it’s also where we thrive.
If this journey through belonging, friction, and infrastructure stirs something in you, I encourage you to engage below. Every story expands our understanding, and every question sharpens our resolve. The journey’s not easy, but it’s the only way forward.
Song Lyrics from Episode
[Title
Belonging as Infrastructure]
Synopsis
Episode 211 — Drawn from “Belonging as Infrastructure” with [Andrea D. Carter and Joanne Lockwood, this song dissects the nuances between fitting in and true belonging in the workplace and beyond. Through grounded narrative and compassionate truth, it journeys from isolation and fragmented trust toward collective comfort and renewal. Warm indie pop with acoustic accents, it empowers listeners to bridge the gap — together.]
[Vibe
Acoustic guitar leads; soft indie pop/country fusion with atmospheric pads. Steady, uplifting percussion. Female lead vocal; subtle harmonies. Instrumental builds from verse to chorus, with gentle keys in bridge and final chorus. Fade out with ambient guitar swells.]
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I walked these halls in borrowed skin,
Scanning the rules I never learned.
Eyes searching faces for a compass,
Trying to read the lines, not get burned.
[Verse 2]
Cold mornings, masked in layers,
Chasing sunlight on office floors.
We talk in circles, trade what’s safe,
Holding back half our hopes, keeping score.
[Pre-Chorus]
What makes the ground stop shaking,
What brings relief to restless minds?
We’re more than cogs in stories told —
Are you seeing me, or just my outline?
[Chorus]
Build me comfort, build connection,
Let my voice be more than noise.
Now the walls are opening,
We can breathe, we are more.
Hold the anchor, lift the standard —
Belonging is the core.
[Verse 3]
Silent victories, tired dreaming,
Late night emails, a world on hold.
All that’s missing: truth between us —
To feel unhidden, to be consoled.
[Instrumental Section]
[Warm guitar arpeggios, mellow pad swells, soft percussion carries over, gentle melodic keys enter]
[Bridge]
It’s not on me alone —
We’re fifty-fifty, not all-or-none.
Structure gives us space to thrive;
We regulate, renew, overcome.
[Final Chorus (Lifted)]
Build me comfort, build connection,
Let my voice be more than noise.
Here with courage, here with feeling,
We can breathe, we are more.
Hold the anchor, lift each other —
Belonging is the core.
[Instrumental outro, gentle fade out]
[Guitar and keys echo the chorus theme. Whispered vocal harmonies, lifting and fading. Soft percussion gradually melts away, leaving atmospheric pads and warm acoustic resonance.]
[Artistic Direction:
Direct and honest language. No sugar-coating, but compassionate. Acoustic-driven with indie-country colour. Emotional but not sentimental. Female vocals warmly lead; harmonise in chorus and fade out. Instrumental sections highlight reflection and renewal. The bridge offers both resolve and invitation. Fade out gently to feel open-ended yet hopeful.]
Hubspot Import format
211,Belonging as Infrastructure,"Mon, 17 Jun 2024 07:30:00 +0000",https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen/belonging-as-infrastructure/,,,audio/mpeg,01:07:25,Joanne Lockwood,Andrea D. Carter,"Andrea D. Carter unpacks the neuroscience of belonging, decoding how comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing form the bedrock of cultures that retain, motivate, and sustain — with nuanced strategies to measure and embed true workplace belonging.","In this compelling episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, host Joanne Lockwood welcomes neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert and organisational scientist Andrea D. Carter. Together, they deconstruct why belonging is not merely a facet of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), but an operational infrastructure in its own right—one that can and must be rigorously measured. Andrea articulates the five validated pillars of belonging: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing, explaining with vivid workplace, management, and leadership scenarios how each indicator supports optimal cognitive and emotional functioning.
The conversation foregrounds the essential difference between DEI as a system of structural accountability and belonging as lived experience, challenging the myth that these terms are interchangeable. Andrea reveals the nuanced dangers of superficial culture “initiatives” that ignore underlying workplace infrastructure, exposing how poor belonging depletes motivation, drives staff attrition, and compounds the epidemic of quiet quitting, disengagement, and toxicity.
Drawing on psychological science, large-scale international data, and lived experience, Joanne and Andrea explore why mutual accountability, clarity, and predictability enable teams to innovate, trust, and persist—even under mounting global volatility, political unrest, and relentless workplace demands. From high-stakes DEI rollback studies and the impact on underrepresented groups to the burnout and fragility arising from treating ERGs as tick-box exercises, they analyse why an intersectional, neuroscience-informed approach builds cultures where everyone can succeed.
This episode offers listeners an in-depth, practical framework to critically evaluate and build environments that challenge “fitting in” and inspire authentic, sustainable belonging—for both self and system. As ever, Inclusion Bites is a call to action: to shift from performative inclusion to genuine engagement and collective thriving in work and beyond.",,https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen/belonging-as-infrastructure/?podlove_transcript=webvtt,andrea@belongingfirst.com,Workplace Culture & Systems,"Belonging, Psychological Safety, Community & Connection, Change & Transformation, Confidence & Self-worth, Resilience",Leadership & Power, Mental Health & Wellbeing,"Culture Change & Belonging, Wellbeing & Resilience, Inclusive Leadership","E211 – Belonging as Infrastructure (Mon, 17 Jun 2024)",https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen/belonging-as-infrastructure/,"E211 – Belonging as Infrastructure | Andrea D. Carter unpacks the neuroscience of belonging, decoding how comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing form the bedrock of cultures that retain, motivate, and sustain — with nuanced strategies to measure and embed true workplace belonging. | In this compelling episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, host Joanne Lockwood welcomes neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert and organisational scientist Andrea D. Carter. Together, they deconstruct why belonging is not merely a facet of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), but an operational infrastructure in its own right—one that can and must be rigorously measured. Andrea articulates the five validated pillars of belonging: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing, explaining with vivid workplace, management, and leadership scenarios how each indicator supports optimal cognitive and emotional functioning.
The conversation foregrounds the essential difference between DEI as a system of structural accountability and belonging as lived experience, challenging the myth that these terms are interchangeable. Andrea reveals the nuanced dangers of superficial culture “initiatives” that ignore underlying workplace infrastructure, exposing how poor belonging depletes motivation, drives staff attrition, and compounds the epidemic of quiet quitting, disengagement, and toxicity.
Drawing on psychological science, large-scale international data, and lived experience, Joanne and Andrea explore why mutual accountability, clarity, and predictability enable teams to innovate, trust, and persist—even under mounting global volatility, political unrest, and relentless workplace demands. From high-stakes DEI rollback studies and the impact on underrepresented groups to the burnout and fragility arising from treating ERGs as tick-box exercises, they analyse why an intersectional, neuroscience-informed approach builds cultures where everyone can succeed.
This episode offers listeners an in-depth, practical framework to critically evaluate and build environments that challenge “fitting in” and inspire authentic, sustainable belonging—for both self and system. As ever, Inclusion Bites is a call to action: to shift from performative inclusion to genuine engagement and collective thriving in work and beyond. | Transcript: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen/belonging-as-infrastructure/?podlove_transcript=webvtt",https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen/belonging-as-infrastructure/?podlove_transcript=webvtt
Hubspot Import format
Episode,Title,Published (pubDate),Link,MP3 URL,Podfollow Link,MP3 Length (bytes),MP3 MIME,Duration (itunes:duration),Hosts,Guests,Subtitle (itunes:subtitle),Summary (itunes:summary),Chapters URL,Transcript URLs,GUID,Guest Email(s),Primary Topic,Secondary Topic,Intersection Themes,Newsletter Segment(s),IB Episode Line,IB Episode Link,IB Summary Line,IB Transcript URL,
211,Belonging as Infrastructure,,, ,,,Joanne Lockwood,Andrea D. Carter,"How can organisations transform belonging into a practical, measurable strategy that empowers everyone to thrive?","In this episode, Andrea D. Carter, a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert, joins host Joanne Lockwood to explore the concept of 'belonging as infrastructure.' The conversation distinguishes between DEI structures and the lived, measurable experience of belonging in modern workplaces. Carter details the five indicators of belonging—comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing—discussing how each is vital for performance, engagement, and cultural resilience. The discussion covers challenges such as DEI rollbacks, the limitations of engagement surveys, ERG burnout, and the importance of infrastructure over mere initiatives. Real-world examples, including impacts of leadership behaviours, systemic power dynamics, and intersecting identities, underpin the critical need to address both policy and practice. Listeners will gain both conceptual frameworks and actionable insights to support measurable, human-centred belonging at every level.","",,,Workplace Culture & Systems,"Belonging,Psychological Safety,Community & Connection,Change & Transformation,Resilience",Leadership & Power,Mental Health & Wellbeing,"Culture Change & Belonging,Inclusive Leadership,Wellbeing & Resilience","E211 – Belonging as Infrastructure",,"'E211 – Belonging as Infrastructure | How can organisations transform belonging into a practical, measurable strategy that empowers everyone to thrive? | In this episode, Andrea D. Carter, a neuroscience-based workplace belonging expert, joins host Joanne Lockwood to explore the concept of 'belonging as infrastructure.' The conversation distinguishes between DEI structures and the lived, measurable experience of belonging in modern workplaces. Carter details the five indicators of belonging—comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing—discussing how each is vital for performance, engagement, and cultural resilience. The discussion covers challenges such as DEI rollbacks, the limitations of engagement surveys, ERG burnout, and the importance of infrastructure over mere initiatives. Real-world examples, including impacts of leadership behaviours, systemic power dynamics, and intersecting identities, underpin the critical need to address both policy and practice. Listeners will gain both conceptual frameworks and actionable insights to support measurable, human-centred belonging at every level.'",
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