QBE has introduced new targets that gauge a sense of belonging among its employees, which it says is a key building block of inclusion and driver of retention.

QBE will measure sense of belonging at the workplace to help create an inclusive environment across gender, ethnicity, disability status and LGBTIQ+ identification.

“Our people underpin our success and by prioritising inclusion we can build and empower a sustainable and diverse pipeline of leaders,” QBE Group Chief People Officer Amanda Hughes said.

A QBE spokesperson tells insuranceNEWS.com.au the new targets will be measured annually via employee experience surveys which will ask whether staff feel a sense of belonging at QBE. The results will be overlaid with employee identity data, allowing the insurer to gauge how diverse demographics feel across its workplace.

The first round of results will be published in QBE’s next Sustainability Report early next year.

“Our targets are aiming for a minimal variation of less than 5% between each diversity cohort so we ensure everyone is feeling that sense of inclusion no matter how they identify,” the spokesperson said.

Research indicates a high sense of belonging can halve employee turnover and boost job performance and QBE, which employs more than 11,000 in 27 countries, says it’s “not just about being represented or counted, but about feeling included, which in turn leads to employees feeling valued and respected no matter how they identify.”

Each global division will drive the new belonging targets through regional action plans which profile diverse role models and develop policies designed to engage employees and drive accountability around an inclusive culture.