Belonging As Infrastructure

In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood speaks with Andrea D. Carter about belonging as infrastructure and why it must be treated as more than a feel-good concept. The conversation draws a clear distinction between DEI as an accountability framework and belonging as the lived experience that enables people to thrive at work.

Andrea explains her five indicators of belonging: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. She explores how clarity, predictability, trust, acknowledgement, speaking up, and sustainable working conditions all shape whether people can do their best work. The discussion also challenges “fitting in” cultures, highlights the limitations of engagement surveys, and stresses the importance of looking beyond averages to understand who is being left out.

The episode closes on the idea that belonging is measurable, actionable, and inseparable from organisational performance. Joanne and Andrea argue that leaders who want better retention, innovation, and trust need to build the conditions for belonging rather than rely on initiatives alone.