Introduction

Social Cohesion is an ideal ultimate objectives to create a inclusive, and sustainable society.

‘No man is an island’ is a famous quote that most of us are very aware of, which reminds us of our own distinct and unique purpose. The truth is, no one can ever do their usual routines without interacting with someone. Each person you encounter every day, maybe someone you already knew or a total stranger, affecting your daily living even by their most straightforward actions.

Nevertheless, it is proof that as we stand on the same ground and as we share the same blue sky, we are connected. 

We can cohesively put together new ideas and aspirations by sharing a purpose with other people to achieve social goals.

What is social cohesion?

When you’re talking about how connected and united members of the society are, you’re referring to social cohesion. Social cohesion is the situation occurs when people willingly work and cooperate despite the existing differences in their demeanor, culture, and beliefs.

Imagine a boat in the midst of the sea while there is a storm ravaging them. All persons on the boat need to move and cooperate with other personnel to contain the situation to survive.

The same goes for our social interactions. Being able to put your full trust in other community members to achieve the same goal as yours pertains to social cohesion.

To be socially cohesive is to have a sense of belongingness and build good relationships with community members. It opens gateways of opportunities to society members and fosters positive social mobility towards each other’s well-being.

According to the research posted online conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the three pillars of social cohesion are social inclusion, social capital, and social mobility.

Social Inclusion

Social inclusion refers to the extent of participation of an individual in the society, especially those who are disadvantaged who need to be amplified to be heard. It is also the process of involving them in addressing certain causes within the community.

Social Capital

On the other hand, social capital is the reason behind various systems in society, economy, and politics. Citizens share values, norms, trust, which is essential in the process of social exchange.

Social Mobility

Moreover, social mobility refers to the movement of an individual’s social status in society. Its movement can either be upward and downward depending on what they are experiencing, whether they progress or diminish on the social strata.

These three pillars of social cohesion help us to identify whether a society is strongly glued and bonded.  

It starts with the citizens’ keenness to build a just society where a multitude of people is fused together to share policies that focus on the members’ equity.  

Furthermore, social cohesion binds people together and promotes trust among them, where they learn to uphold the same goals and ambition of the community.

Why is social cohesion necessary?

Understanding social cohesion is essential to address the social downsides such as social exclusion and marginalization where discrimination and inequality are still rampant in every corner of society. 

In reality, most of us think that there is always this thin greyline that separates most people from other social groups leading to poor and unstable connections within the members. This form of social relegations forbade many to participate in the community’s activities.

A cohesive society maintains a healthy and robust connection within the community, encompassing all individual citizens, regardless of their social class, to achieve the common good. The cohesive society will treat all cultures, races, sexual orientations, gender equitably.

Their main goal is to focus on their economic dynamism and business growth where no one is left behind. A cohesive society encourages everyone to participate and share in the community’s success. 

To move forward, the community should unite its citizens with stabilized policies and inclusive activities. Citizens will only sustain their competitiveness to reach their team goals within a united society.

It is also important because it eradicates social fractures and inconsistencies and connects everyone to resolve conflicts easily.

Social cohesion is a significant context that results in a long-term progression where people can live in an inclusive society with stable social policies. 

Social cohesion in business

Social cohesion in business reflects the company’s positive outcomes and the members’ engagement with the group. One must know how to work with their team cohesively to survive the stiff competition within business industries. 

One of the most important factors that a group must consider is their solidarity. Building an inclusive workplace environment where employees can freely cooperate and express their ideas and opinions motivates them to be more productive.

Members who feel that they are heard and belonging to the group boost their will to do more for the team. Empowering each member socially does not only contributes to their personal well-being but also to the company’s prosperity. 

A team is like a support system that an individual can always lean on. Solidarity among members enables them to stay motivated, especially with tight deadlines, with their willingness, passion, and overall cooperation. Working together, collaborating, and cooperation is always the key to a bountiful outcome.

A cohesive team drives each other towards each member’s betterment and works passionately, especially in crisis times.

Following the context of social cohesion, businesses are more likely to succeed in their projects if the team is interpersonally motivated and united. 

Examples of social cohesion

We often see examples of social cohesion in our everyday lives, which seems ordinary for us. One example of that is people’s resiliency whenever a crisis strikes.

True enough, there will always be someone who will not hesitate to help you when you need it the most. You might say that some of them only do that for recognition, but in real life, it is when people share the same feeling, aspiration, and goal towards their community.

Think of situations that made us socially cohesive. A crisis that hit the community particularly. 

The existence of more confounding poverty in an example, which is rampant due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unified us to recalibrate our ways. With its outbreak, we started to have a feeling of involvement.

All of us are enthusiastic about following the authorities’ minimum health standards and protocols to stop the spread of this dreaded disease. We also started to feel that helping those in need is one of our duties as human beings. We are motivated by this altruistic sensation to share our purpose with others.

In a way, these trying times unified society members worldwide, and cohesively did their part to uplift the community.

Conclusion

Social Cohesion is a vital context in the success of society. 

The success of one’s community depends on how connected the citizens are and how they are willing to participate in all the projects and activities of their area.

As members of society, we have to cooperate and share our ideas with the other members to create more ways to achieve the community’s goals.

It’s always up to us to enrich our community for the better. We must amplify not only our voices but also of those disadvantaged to be heard. In the end, cooperation and collaboration is still the key to build a strong and prosperous society.

Social Cohesion Resources

For additional information, rely on these links.

https://link.springer.com/referencework/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5

https://www.imd.org/research-knowledge/articles/com-april-2014/

https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/careers/soft-skills/team-cohesion/

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