In today’s evolving workforce landscape, the pursuit of productivity is no longer enough. For executive leaders and decision-makers, a new business differentiator is emerging: belonging. As Singapore enters 2025, cultivating a strong sense of workplace community has become not only a talent imperative—but a strategic one.

The ROI of Belonging: A Leadership Priority

According to the 2025 Randstad Workmonitor survey, 62% of employees in Singapore would leave a job if they felt they didn’t belong—rising to 67% among Gen Z employees. This isn’t a “soft issue”—it’s a clear risk to talent continuity, especially as the labour market tightens and workforce expectations evolve.

The same survey revealed that belonging ranks above salary for many Singapore workers. A disengaged employee costs organisations significantly—in lost productivity, increased turnover, and weaker team cohesion. In contrast, organisations that actively invest in belonging report 2.3x higher employee engagement and 1.8x stronger retention.

Executive Blind Spots: Where Belonging Gets Missed

Despite numerous wellness initiatives, recent Singapore research suggests employees still feel isolated. A 2024 survey by foundit revealed that although 51% of employees are comfortable discussing mental health with HR, 56% still feel under-supported, and 37% experience frequent stress from poor workload distribution.

This points to a critical leadership blind spot: community is not created by policy alone. Belonging is relational, not procedural. The tone is set at the top—and without executive modeling, even well-intentioned programmes fall flat.

Strategic Levers for C-Suite Leaders

For leaders seeking to build a workplace where people stay, perform, and lead—belonging must move up the leadership agenda. Here’s how:

1. Hardwire Belonging into Strategic KPIs

Don’t treat belonging as a wellness metric—treat it as a performance one. Build it into employee engagement dashboards, exit interviews, and leadership performance reviews. Ask: How many team members feel safe, seen, and supported?

2. Model Relational Leadership

Leadership vulnerability signals safety. When C-level executives openly share challenges, seek feedback, and invite dissent, they create a culture where it’s safe to show up authentically—and perform without fear.

3. Invest in People Managers as Culture Carriers

Middle managers carry your strategy to the ground. Equip them not just with performance tools, but with coaching capabilities. Provide training to help them recognise burnout, build psychological safety, and foster inclusive practices.

4. Design Systems for Connection, Not Just Efficiency

Remote work and flexible hours must be balanced with intentional connection rituals. Companies like DBS and OCBC have implemented team “reset rituals” and in-person anchor days—resulting in higher engagement and cross-team cohesion.

5. Measure What Matters—and Act on It

Beyond employee satisfaction, measure feelings of inclusion, trust, and community. Use pulse surveys and listening mechanisms to detect cultural drift. But don’t stop at measurement—leaders must act visibly and swiftly.

The Bottom Line: Culture Is a Competitive Asset

Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower has projected that mental health-related productivity loss cost the economy over S$15 billion in 2024, nearly 3% of GDP. A significant driver? Workplace disengagement and isolation. (The Business Times)

Belonging is not a “nice to have.” It is a buffer against disengagement, a driver of innovation, and an anchor for loyalty. As AI and automation reshape roles, human connection becomes the most irreplaceable value proposition an employer can offer.

Lead the Shift

Boards, CEOs, and business leaders must ask: Is our culture scalable, sustainable, and resilient? Do our people feel like they belong here—not just on paper, but in practice?

At Rescapr, we work with organisations to embed care, inclusion, and psychological safety into their culture from the top down. Discover how we support executive teams in turning belonging into business advantage.