Belonging: The What, Why, and How for Working Mothers

For new mothers, feeling like you belong can be the difference between surviving or thriving in the transition back to work. In this paper, I explore belonging as a psychological construct, including how it is measured, experienced and cultivated in different contexts, and apply that to the realities of working motherhood. Mothers who successfully find belonging experience higher well-being as individuals. Organizations who are able to help new mothers find belonging positively impact the diversity of their workforces and can rectify the inequality in women’s work experiences. A sense of belonging can foster many elements of well-being. This paper not only reviews the literature on belonging, but also provides a roadmap for working mothers and those who support them at work.