Understanding Workplace Relatedness Support among Healthcare Professionals: A Four-Layer Model and Implications for Technology Design

TL;DR

This study explores how technology can support healthcare professionals' relatedness needs at work through a four-layer model, combining interviews and co-design workshops to generate practical design concepts for improving wellbeing.

Contribution

It introduces a novel four-layer model of workplace relatedness for healthcare professionals and proposes specific design concepts to enhance relatedness through technology.

Findings

Four-layer model of relatedness needs: Informal Interactions, Camaraderie, Community, Shared Identity

Eight design concepts for relatedness support, including Playful Encounter and Memories and Stories

Highlighting the importance of digital tools to strengthen healthcare professionals' workplace relatedness

Abstract

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) face increasing occupational stress and burnout. Supporting HCPs need for relatedness is fundamental to their psychological wellbeing and resilience. However, how technologies could support HCPs relatedness in the workplace remains less explored. This study incorporated semi-structured interviews (n = 15) and co-design workshops (n = 21) with HCPs working in the UK National Health Service (NHS), to explore their current practices and preferences for workplace relatedness support, and how technology could be utilized to benefit relatedness. Qualitative analysis yielded a four-layer model of HCPs relatedness need, which includes Informal Interactions, Camaraderie and Bond, Community and Organizational Care, and Shared Identity. Workshops generated eight design concepts (e.g., Playful Encounter, Collocated Action, and Memories and Stories) that operationalize the four relatedness need layers. We conclude by highlighting the theoretical relevance, practical design implications, and the necessity to strengthen relatedness support for HCPs in the era of digitalization and artificial intelligence.