BELONGING AT WWU

Strive for a workplace culture where individuality is both noticed and valued by making your space reflect your personality and interests.  

• Arrange your office to be inviting and non-intimidating – consider seating arrangements (e.g., not just across the desk; if possible, have a small coffee table so you move away from your desk when meeting with students)
• Display small personal items (e.g., books, artwork, sports memorabilia) that reflect your interests and values—this humanizes you and makes you more approachable.
• Allow students to learn a little about you (e.g., academic journey, hobbies) to make interactions feel more relational. 

Take an active interest in your coworkers’ experiences, perspectives, and aspirations to build deeper connections. 

• Ask colleagues about their research, teaching approaches, or personal interests—not just when you need something.
• Listen fully to concerns or ideas before responding instead of immediately jumping to your own perspective.
• Ask colleagues facing challenges how you can support them rather than assuming.
• Engage with faculty outside of your immediate circle to break down silos and foster cross-departmental belonging. 

Foster an environment where employees and students feel safe to express their ideas, concerns, and feedback openly.  

• Make it explicitly clear that students can come to you for concerns, not just academic issues.
• Frame office hours as an open invitation (e.g., “office hours are a space to connect—whether about coursework, research, or just to chat”)
• Use anonymous feedback mechanisms (e.g., online forms for mid-quarter feedback) so students can share concerns without fear.
• Consider normalizing mental health conversations by integrating wellness check-ins or mentioning campus resources regularly. 

Acknowledge and appreciate contributions—big and small—to help employees feel valued and motivated. 

• Call out specific contributions students and colleagues make, rather than vague praise (e.g., “That’s great!” vs. “I appreciate the way you connected today’s topic to last week’s discussion”)
• Acknowledge small acts of growth or participation – not just top performers or vocal students.
• Use rituals of recognition, such as starting a class or meeting with shout-outs for contributions, improvements, or acts of kindness. 

Appreciation is one of the most significant factors for employee satisfaction worldwide. A simple "thank you" can go a long way. 

• Thank students and colleagues for their ideas, participation, or behind-the-scenes efforts, either verbally or in writing.
• Model gratitude by saying things like, “I really appreciate the way you...” or “Thanks for sharing that insight—it helped push the conversation forward.”
• If possible, advocate for institutional recognition of often-overlooked contributions (e.g., mentorship, ADEI work, service roles, other invisible labor). 

Assess the signage leading to your offices or that talk about the services you are involved in. Re-think waiting or community areas and think about how they might become more welcoming. 

• Make your office and classroom visibly inclusive—consider small signs, stickers, or posters that signal safety and belonging (e.g., pride flags, accessibility-friendly messaging, diverse scholar representations)
• Ensure neurodivergent-friendly elements are present—fidget toys, alternate seating options, or structured break times for longer discussion.
• Arrange classroom seating to promote interaction whenever possible and reduce hierarchical layouts where possible.
• Ensure accessibility in digital spaces (course pages, syllabi, web pages, other) with clear formatting, alt-text for images, and screen-reader-friendly documents. 

• Replace statements with questions and stay in the moment to actively hear their responses.
• Take the time to learn about their backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. 

• Seek to understand your own biases and how they might impact belonging.
  Give people permission to learn and grow from confirmation bias and stereotyping, rather than expecting perfection.
• Explore how to use bias for good. For instance, the mere-exposure effect suggests that familiarity fosters liking. If you or others struggle to relate to teammates, create more opportunities to engage with them.
• Self-assess on a regular basis: whose voices do you amplify, who do you call on in discussion? Who do you mentor or support? Which authors do you mainly reference in your work or class?
• Believe stories of personal experience with exclusion from students or colleagues first before rationalizing or explaining.
• Continue learning about bias in pedagogy, hiring, and institutional structures—actively challenge assumptions rather than assuming neutrality. 

• Create moments of intentional connection.
• Show empathy by actively listening and interpreting body language beyond words.
• Share your own learning moments or struggles to normalize that even experts are always growing.
• Frame feedback in constructive and personal ways (e.g., I see a lot of thoughtful work here. What do you think about adding X to strengthen your argument?”) 

• Encourage people to be open and honest.
• Create an environment where others feel safe to share their thoughts, challenges, and ideas.
• Admit when you don’t know something—modeling that learning is a lifelong process fosters psychological safety.
• Encourage students to share what they struggle with by first acknowledging your own challenges.
• Create class or meeting norms that value questions and uncertainties, not just polished responses.
• Show that failure is part of growth by discussing moments when you had to pivot or learn from mistakes. 

• Give colleagues the benefit of the doubt—research shows this generosity will likely be reciprocated.
• Foster an inclusive culture where everyone feels they have a role in creating belonging.
• Give students meaningful choices—whether in assignments, participation formats, or learning pathways.
• Encourage self-advocacy by asking, “What do you need to succeed in this class?” rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Use your influence to push for institutional change, whether advocating for policy shifts, funding, or inclusive practices.