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

2026-02-06

AI Summary

This study addresses the insufficient support for belongingness among healthcare professionals amidst high occupational stress and the unclear role of technology in fulfilling this need. Through semi-structured interviews with 15 NHS staff members in the UK and a co-design workshop involving 21 participants, the research develops a four-layer model of belongingness needs—encompassing informal interactions, collegial bonds, organizational care, and shared identity—and derives eight actionable design concepts, such as “serendipitous encounters,” “co-located actions,” and “memories and stories.” The resulting framework offers both theoretical grounding and practical guidance for designing technologies that foster belonging in digitally mediated healthcare workplaces.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Game Design — Virtual Humans, NPCs and Autonomous Characters
• Application Domains: Humanities & Computational Social Science
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Social Cognition And Interaction

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health
• Social Networks and Social Media: Socio-technical web-based systems
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy

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.

Problem

• relatedness
• healthcare professionals
• workplace support
• occupational stress
• technology design

Innovation

• relatedness support
• four-layer model
• co-design
• healthcare professionals
• technology design