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Belonging at Work

Belonging is more than inclusion—it’s about creating workplaces where people feel valued, heard, and empowered to be their authentic selves.

Veronica Heaven, a leader inCorporate Responsibility, DEI, and Sustainability, joined me on The Business Elevation Show to explore why belonging is central to workplace culture.

We discussed what belonging truly means, why it matters, and how businesses can go beyond tokenism to drive real change.

We also talked through misconceptions, ways to measure belonging, and examples of companies fostering inclusive environments.

With hybrid work now the norm, we examined how businesses can maintain a sense of connection across different work settings.

As Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the City of London Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs and founder of Brief Cases, Veronica has led initiatives that connect business, education, and communities.

Recognised with the Freedom of the City of London, Fellowship at the Royal Society of Arts, and the Inspirational Women Award, she brings deep expertise in ethical and inclusive business practices.

Here are some insights from the interview you need to know:

Emotions Drive Business Performance Description: Leaders’ emotional states are contagious and directly impact workplace performance and team dynamics.
Childhood Shapes Emotional Patterns Description: Early life experiences create emotional patterns and limiting beliefs that affect adult behaviour and decision-making.
Integration of Mind and Heart Description: Combining emotional intelligence with cognitive thinking leads to better leadership and decision-making outcomes.
Physical Release of Emotions Description: Using physical activities to release negative emotions can help rewire emotional patterns and reduce reactivity.
Emotions Impact Company Culture Description: Organisational culture improves when employees are allowed to acknowledge and process their emotions properly.
Anger as Transformation Tool Description: Properly channeled anger can be a positive force for change and personal growth.
Brain Integration Creates Power Description: Integrating emotional and cognitive parts of the brain leads to more effective leadership and decision-making.
Emotional Set Point Matters Description: Leaders must manage their emotional baseline to positively influence workplace dynamics and team performance.
Workplace Emotional Safety Description: Creating safe spaces for emotional expression improves company culture and employee engagement.
Emotions Drive Company Value Description: Companies that address emotional intelligence and employee well-being see increased financial performance.

If you’re working towards doing good things, then actually more good things keep on happening in that direction
– Veronica Heaven

Take a listen to this episode for a thought-provoking discussion on why belonging is essential for building thriving, equitable workplaces.

You can listen to this Business Elevation Show interview with Veronica Heaven & Chris Cooper here. Alternatively on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Tunein, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio (latter US only).

More about Veronica Heaven:

Veronica Heaven, founder and CEO of The Heaven Company specialises in Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability. She has extensive experience across various sectors helping clients to formulate strategy, effectively implement it and measure progress aligned with business goals.

Veronica is a Non-Executive Director focusing on regulatory change readiness, diversity, equality and inclusion, net-zero strategies and responsible procurement.

Veronica is also founder of Brief Cases, an outreach programme linking business and education, with up to 1,000 students participating each year. As Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the City of London Company of Entrepreneurs, she is a recognised leader in promoting ethical business practices.

Veronica is a respected speaker and author, her upcoming book, “The Sustainability Playbook”, is scheduled for release in 2025.Veronica’s work has earned her the Freedom of the City of London, Fellowship at the Royal Society of Arts, and recognition in various awards, including the Inspirational Women Award.