The Importance of Finding A Tribe in the Workplace

Several studies indicate a direct relationship between an employee’s “fit” and, for incoming employees, the risk of rapid turnover. Commonly called “finding your tribe,” it holds significance for existing employees as well, because it drives employee engagement and organizational commitment. Companies notice that when an employee feels that the “fit” is just not right, turnover increases and productivity decreases.

David G. Allen, Ph.D., has researched social psychology for many years and is a SIOP Fellow. In addition to being a professor at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, he was recently named the Luther A. Henderson University Chair in Leadership Management and Leadership Department for the university’s Neeley School of Business. 

Allen recently shared insight into the importance of finding your tribe in the workplace. 

“When I hear the phrase ‘find your tribe,’ I think of it in three parts,” he said. “I think it's really shorthand for all three of these: the importance of relationships, how an employee fits into a team, and inclusion.”

Research is readily available about the first and second tenets. The third piece, inclusion, which covers the concept of helping people feel a sense of belonging or inclusion in an organization, is perhaps less known. Its effect, however, is tangible. 

“With newcomers, if they don't feel like they're a good fit, they're more likely to leave or to leave sooner,” he said. “With ongoing employees, similarly, they're less engaged and less embedded in the organization.” 
 
Turnover and retention, in turn, have direct effects on a company’s productivity. 

Resolving this issue is more deliberate and more complex than it might seem. During the job hunt, “make your fit there be a priority,” Allen said. A team that works cohesively can achieve great things and even exceed the goals set by company leadership. By contrast, spending a third of life surrounded by people who are not like-minded is awkward and uncomfortable.  

If job-hunting is arduous, enduring a subsequent too-soon job hunt, when the poor fit becomes apparent, is even more arduous.

Allen suggested taking some steps to ensure that that does not happen. In addition to prioritizing a good fit, once employed, employees should be sure to seek relationships in the workplace.  

“For some people, that's easy,” he said, “but others may think if they keep their heads down and do a good job, it will ‘just happen.’"  

It will not “just happen.”

Although doing a good job certainly matters, an employee also needs to be willing to share authentic interests. “This creates a space where other people are willing to share their authentic interests,” Allen said. 

Leadership can help by fostering a community where inclusion is emphasized, and, therefore, where tribes are found.