What is the B in the DEIB for?
Image description: A dark green background with a light green Venn Diagram with 3 overlapping circles: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In the intersections, it reads: workplace wellness, accommodations, and accessibility. The word "belonging" reads in the center of diagram.
As a DEIB-Disability consultant, the first question I inevitably get asked is "What's the B for?" And every time it happens, I get excited all over again to explain what Belonging has to do with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
For me, as a female, multi-disabled, leadership professional, Belonging is the crucial end goal of all the work that I do. I have been in search of Belonging as an employee my entire working life. Since I was never able to find it, I decided to partner with companies and organizations to help them create Belonging in their workplaces.
But, understanding how belonging fits into the greater DEI picture is something that requires a specific reminder: Belonging and Inclusion are not interchangeable.
Because while inclusion is being invited to the party, belonging means you feel like you are meant to be there once you arrive. True inclusion, along with apparent diversity and established equity, is just one step in the journey to the greater goal of belonging.
We already know that DEIB initiatives have an impact on organizations as a whole. We know they create higher engagement rates and longer retention rates, which lead to improved revenue streams. Additionally, we know that companies with obviously diverse leadership and executive teams often also see their profits increase. And perhaps most importantly, when Belonging is created in a workplace, it attracts more talented, highly skilled, professionals.