“A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” — African Proverb
The African village teaches a profound lesson about human nature: inclusion is not a luxury; it is survival. When individuals feel ignored, undervalued, or alienated, they do not disappear quietly. Instead, they find ways, sometimes disruptive, to assert their presence and demand their dignity. This truth is playing out daily in organisations, often in ways leaders are too busy or too detached to notice.
In today’s workplace, employee disengagement is one of the most costly and underestimated risks. Disengaged employees may not openly rebel, but their silent withdrawal, reduced productivity, muted creativity, weakened loyalty, cripples organisations from within. Like the neglected child in the proverb, disengaged employees will find ways to “burn” through absenteeism, passive resistance, or quiet resignation.
The challenge for leadership is not merely to motivate employees but to embrace them, to create workplaces where people feel seen, valued, and connected to something larger than themselves. Belonging is not sentimental. It is strategic. Companies that foster a sense of belonging see higher retention rates, stronger collaboration, and greater discretionary effort from their teams.
The urgency is greater in today’s Nigerian workplace. Economic pressures, social upheavals, and remote work trends have fragmented many traditional bonds between employee and employer. Without proactive action, distance grows: physically, emotionally, and culturally.
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Creating a culture of belonging starts with leadership visibility. Employees must know not only that the CEO’s office exists but also that leadership understands their daily realities. Regular town halls, leadership walks, open-door policies, and storytelling from the top humanise authority and build emotional bridges.
Second, organisations must invest in psychological safety. Employees must feel free to express concerns, propose ideas, or admit mistakes without fear of embarrassment or retaliation. In high-trust environments, belonging flourishes. In fear-driven ones, disengagement spreads silently.
Third, diversity must be paired with inclusion. Hiring for demographic diversity is a start, but true inclusion demands that every employee feel they have a voice and influence. This means challenging cliques, unconscious biases, and insider-outsider dynamics that erode team cohesion.
Fourth, HR policies must go beyond compliance to compassion. Performance management, leave policies, grievance redressal, and career development programs must be designed with empathy, not bureaucracy. When policies respect the human realities of illness, caregiving, career setbacks, and personal ambition, employees respond with loyalty and effort.
Fifth, well-being must be non-negotiable. Organisations cannot expect high performance from burnt-out, stressed-out, or ignored employees. Wellness programs, mental health support, workload balance initiatives, and recognition programs, signal that the organisation sees employees as whole people, not merely productivity units.
Technology can also serve belonging if used wisely. Collaboration tools, internal social networks, and feedback apps can help connect distributed teams. However, digital engagement must be genuine, not performative. Employees quickly detect when online town halls are mere box-ticking exercises.
“The challenge for leadership is not merely to motivate employees but to embrace them, to create workplaces where people feel seen, valued, and connected to something larger than themselves.”
Importantly, managers are the frontline of belonging. An inclusive manager who checks in sincerely, listens attentively, and advocates for their team does more to drive engagement than any corporate campaign. Conversely, one toxic manager can undo months of good work. Manager training on emotional intelligence, inclusive leadership, and coaching conversations is therefore a critical investment.
Exit interviews offer another window into belonging, or its absence. Patterns in why employees leave often point back to cultural fractures: feeling unseen, unvalued, or stagnated. But exit data must be analysed with humility, not defensiveness, if it is to serve as a tool for organisational healing.
Organisations that get belonging right are not only rewarded internally; they are noticed externally. Employer branding today is shaped by employee testimonials, Glassdoor reviews, LinkedIn posts, and whisper networks. A reputation for care, inclusion, and fairness is a strategic asset in the war for talent.
Global examples show the dividends of investing in belonging. Companies like Salesforce, Microsoft, and Accenture have built internal cultures where employee voice, wellbeing, and career development are integral to strategy, not side programs. In return, they enjoy stronger loyalty, greater innovation, and reputational resilience.
In Nigeria, some companies are making promising strides. Firms in the fintech, oil and gas, and telecommunications sectors are introducing mental health days, flexible work arrangements, and inclusive leadership initiatives. These efforts must be scaled and sustained.
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The African proverb offers a final caution. Disengagement is not passive. When employees feel ignored, they act out not always visibly, but in ways that sap organisational vitality. Absenteeism, gossip, risk-taking shortcuts, and disengagement cost companies far more than investment in a culture of care would have.
Leaders must remember: Employees are not asking for perfection. They are asking to be seen, respected, and supported. They want to know that their work matters and that they matter.
In an increasingly competitive and unpredictable market, the companies that win will not merely have the best strategies or the flashiest technology. They will have the deepest roots of loyalty, trust, and belonging.
Because in the end, a village that embraces its children does not burn; it thrives.
Dr. Olufemi Ogunlowo is CEO of Strategic Outsourcing Limited and writes on organisational health, employee well-being, and workplace transformation for BusinessDay.
