Belonging and Engagement

Building a Workplace Where Everyone Belongs

Who We Are

The Belonging and Engagement (BE) department at Brown University Health is committed to fostering a safe and engaging environment for our employees, patients, and community members. Our goal is for everyone to feel valued, respected and empowered with belonging at the core of everything we do.

Our Commitment

Guided by our mission and the core values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence (CARE), along with our core Success Factors, we are committed to fostering equitable access to opportunities for all. At Brown University Health, we strive to create environments that honor and celebrate the diverse experiences and identities of our team members, patients, and the broader community.

Through this commitment, we empower individuals to contribute meaningfully to our collective success and to the advancement of our mission.

A Commitment to Equal Opportunity

Brown University Health and its partner hospitals are proud to be equal opportunity employers. We value and respect all individuals and are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination. We strive to create a welcoming environment where everyone is treated with dignity, fairness, and feels valued.

What We Do

The Belonging and Engagement department at Brown University Health focuses on four key areas to drive organizational excellence through belonging and engagement practices:

Advancement: Foster a supportive environment that ensures fair opportunities and positive outcomes for both employees and patients.
Community: Building strong, supportive relationships between the community and Brown University Health to improve employee and patient well-being.
Education: Expand learning opportunities to enhance awareness and encourage a mindset focused on continuous learning and personal growth.
Engagement: Build an environment of belonging that appreciates differences, builds connections across the organization, and supports common goals.

At Brown University Health, we are committed to the continuous development of our employees, fostering strong team relationships, enhancing skills, and driving success across the organization. A key part of this commitment is advancing belonging and engagement practices. As we strive to create a welcoming environment, we recognize the importance of continually deepening our understanding and application of key principles to help drive engagement and development.

The Office of Belonging and Engagement (BE) offers a range of learning opportunities designed to help all employees grow in these critical areas. Explore below to learn more about how our initiatives support this essential work.

These opportunities include:

In-person workshops: Focused on BE's core learning pathways, these workshops offer hands-on, interactive experiences.
Virtual engagement: Accessible through department and team learning requests, as well as virtual workshops centered on BE's core learning pathways.
Self-paced learning library: A collection of courses designed to be easily digestible, offering practical insights into various aspects of belonging and engagement principles.

We are dedicated to providing our employees with the tools and resources needed to grow and thrive.

The Brown University Health Belonging and Engagement Committee is a dedicated group of employees from across the health system that work to promote belonging, respect, and awareness within the organization through strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts. This committee is supported by five specialized action teams and includes members from various engagement groups within the organization. These teams are the thought and do generators tasked with identifying, implementing, and executing projects that advance belonging and engagement within the organization.

Safe and welcoming environment action team
Education and learning action team
Healthy community outcomes action team
Talent engagement action team
Rewards and recognition action team

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary, employee-led communities open to all staff members. Their purpose is to cultivate a welcoming, engaging, and high-performing workplace that aligns with the organization’s core values and strategic priorities.

ERGs play a vital role in talent attraction, professional development, and career progression by offering a platform for employees to connect, collaborate, and address topics that contribute to their personal and professional success.

These groups are driven by employees who share common experiences, backgrounds, or interests, and they serve as a source of support, mentorship, and empowerment—fostering an environment where individuals can thrive and contribute at their highest potential.

The Belonging and Engagement and Talent Acquisition teams work closely together to support a safe and welcoming environment from the beginning of a candidate’s journey. This starts by collaborating with the sourcing and recruiting team to provide training on best practices to expand the pool of candidate representation, enhance interview processes, and ensure interview panels reflect a range of perspectives and experiences.

We have designed an onboarding programs to address unique needs of new employees and incorporate mentorship and feedback opportunities to enhance engagement. Collectively, we promote communication practices that create a welcoming atmosphere for new employees when joining Brown University Health. The Belonging and Engagement and Talent Acquisition teams collaborate to identify ongoing learning opportunities that enhance awareness, foster respectful engagement, and improve the experience for candidates and new hires.