It matters when employees have a strong sense of belonging, or feel like they fit at a company: They’re more engaged, innovative, and productive. To foster that kind of deep inclusion, companies often try to create a warm and welcoming culture, perhaps by supporting employee resource groups or sponsoring company events such as happy hours and team offsites. But it’s not the happy hour that inspires you at work — not really, not deeply, not in the best circumstances. What really matters is whether employees actually feel like they’re contributing to the work at hand.
