Helping Everyone Feel Seen, Heard and Valued: Why Inclusion Matters for Connection

When people feel included, they’re more likely to contribute, speak up, and collaborate. But when they don’t – when voices go unheard, achievements go unrecognised, or effort is taken for granted – it chips away at trust and belonging. Over time, this breaks down trust and connection in teams.

Inclusion isn’t just about doing the right thing for each individual (though it absolutely is), it’s also a smart business move. Inclusive teams are shown to be significantly more productive, with research indicating they can be over 35% more productive than less inclusive teams (Research and Markets, 2022).

When people feel seen, heard and valued, they show up with more energy, better ideas, and greater commitment.

Start with awareness

Even well-meaning managers can fall into habits that make some team members feel invisible. Often it comes down to unconscious bias, like:

• Proximity bias: Giving more attention or praise to people you see in-person more often, leaving remote or part-time colleagues overlooked.
  
• Authority bias: Giving more weight to ideas from senior staff, even when a more junior team member shared the same thing first – which makes them feel pretty crap.

Helping managers spot and interrupt these patterns is a great first step. Once they’re aware, they can actively create space for everyone to contribute, whether that’s inviting written input before meetings, considering when to host meetings, or making time to follow up with quieter team members.

Practise gratitude that sticks (and includes everyone)

Gratitude is one of the simplest, most powerful ways to help people feel seen and valued, but it’s most effective when it’s specific, regular, and thoughtful.

Instead of a general “great work,” try something like: “Thanks for the way you handled that client call – your calm approach really helped us move forward.”

And go beyond just thanking people for visible wins or task completion. Recognise the how, not just the what – like someone’s positive attitude, their thoughtfulness, the way they helped a colleague under pressure, or the curiosity they brought to a new challenge. These often-overlooked behaviours are what help teams thrive, and when they’re noticed, they build real belonging and demonstrate the kind of behaviours you value and want to see more of.

Make sure it’s not just private praise either. Managers can amplify recognition by sharing it in team meetings, on Slack or Teams, or by letting senior leaders know when someone’s had a real impact. Public recognition helps create a team-wide culture of appreciation and shows everyone that different kinds of contributions are valued.

Try this: “One Win, One Thank You”

End the week with a quick round where every team member shares one thing they’re proud of and one person they want to thank. It’s a small ritual that builds a bigger culture of appreciation—and helps ensure nobody’s impact goes unnoticed.

Bottom line

Inclusion doesn’t have to mean huge changes. Often, it’s about noticing who’s missing from the conversation, catching people doing things well, and taking the time to say thank you. When we build those habits, we build better teams.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash