Belonging Matters Everywhere

An Examination of Workplace Cultures in China, India, and Mexico

Belonging is universal, but culture shapes how it is built. In China, India, and Mexico, the strongest drivers of belonging differ sharply across markets, roles, and identities. This report shows what global leaders need to understand if they want people to feel seen, connected, supported, and proud across borders.

8.65

median belonging score in Mexico, the highest of any market in the study

78%

of LGBTQ professionals in India said it was very difficult to talk to coworkers about how COVID-19 had changed their lives

38%

Chinese professionals whose hukou did not match their residence were much less likely to trust their managers than those with a local hukou

RESEARCH REPORT

2020

WHAT WE FOUND

01

Belonging is especially strong in these growth markets

China, India, and Mexico had the highest median belonging scores of any markets CTI had studied at the time.

The research points to the importance of collectivist cultures and relationship-building, while also showing that insiders and outsiders still experience the workplace very differently.

02

Belonging is tied to outcomes companies care about

As belonging rises, so does satisfaction with advancement across all three markets.

In China, high belonging is associated with stronger loyalty. In India, with stronger employer advocacy. In Mexico, with greater intent to stay.

03

The drivers are local

What builds belonging in one market may not work in another.

In China, employees value visible support, close ties, recognition, and leaders who make time for connection.

In India, managers play a major role in advancement by promoting employees' ideas, creating visibility, and asking about career goals.

In Mexico, belonging is strongly shaped by relationships, humility, role models, recognition, and whether leaders create space for people to be heard.

04

Who feels like an outsider changes from country to country

The report examines how workplace belonging is shaped by identity and social context, including:

  • —political views and hukou status in China

  • —LGBTQ identity, disability, and religion in India

  • —LGBTQ identity, social style, gender, and parenthood in Mexico

The specific dynamics differ. The pattern is consistent: broader social hierarchies and exclusions often follow people into the workplace.

FROM THE INTERVIEWS

“Many of us moved from another city and don't have many local friends. All my team members and colleagues are like family.”

MALE PROFESSIONAL, CHINA

“We always say, ‘You should have a manager and a sponsor,’ but if you have a manager who is a sponsor, that is great.”

FEMALE PROFESSIONAL, INDIA

“How satisfied and loyal we are to the place we work is directly connected to how human the people running things are.”

AMALIA ALARCON MORRIS

THE FRAMEWORK

Four elements of belonging

CTI measures belonging through four elements. They hold across all three markets; what changes is the behavior that builds them.

Seen

My contributions, skills, perspective, and identity are recognized and valued.

Connected

I have authentic relationships and feel part of the workplace community.

Supported

I have access to people, resources, and relationships that help me succeed.

Proud

I feel aligned with the organization's values, purpose, and identity.

WHAT ORGANIZATIONS CAN DO NOW

Five moves for global employers

The full report carries the market-by-market belonging drivers, company case studies, and the Learn-Partner-Build framework.

  • Understand local history, culture, identity, hierarchy, and social norms before deciding what belonging should look like.

  • The groups most likely to feel like outsiders differ by country. Employee listening and local expertise are essential.

  • Managers matter enormously in whether employees are recognized, heard, sponsored, and able to progress.

  • Across all three markets, employees respond to leaders who model values, build connection, and make hierarchy feel less distant.

  • Learn the local context. Partner with people on the ground. Build approaches that can adapt as conditions change.

COUNTRY SNAPSHOTS

China

Belonging grows when organizations signal commitment to diversity, senior leaders make time for employees, managers help people build visibility, and colleagues form close ties.

The research also surfaces how political difference and hukou status can shape who feels trusted and included.

India

Belonging grows when organizations demonstrate ethical leadership and commitment to inclusion, managers help employees stand out and advance, and colleagues reinforce a strong sense of team.

The report also examines the experiences of LGBTQ professionals, employees with disabilities, and Muslim professionals.

Mexico

Belonging grows through role models, leaders who connect across hierarchy, managers who share credit and create space for every voice, and close colleague relationships.

The report also looks at LGBTQ identity, introversion, gender, and caregiving.

Belonging may be universal. The way it is built is local.

METHOD

A survey of 1,501 professionals across China, India, and Mexico, combined with focus groups and Insights In-Depth sessions involving more than 40 participants, plus one-on-one interviews with more than 40 people in China, India, Mexico, the UK, and the United States.

The survey was fielded in June 2020 among full-time white-collar professionals ages 21 to 65 with at least a bachelor's degree. NORC at the University of Chicago conducted the data collection, and Coqual conducted the analysis.

HOW TO CITE

Center for Talent Innovation. Belonging Matters Everywhere: An Examination of Workplace Cultures in China, India, and Mexico. Coqual Global Lab, 2020.