Bridges: a digital intervention to increase workplace belonging - belonging is an integral part of the human experience and a paramount human need and motivation

A robust sense of belonging can serve to improve mental and physical health, as well as resilience. Thwarted belonging- the antithesis of belonging-and the feelings/experiences IT foments (e.g., alienation, rejection, social isolation, loneliness, and marginality) are often antecedents to poor mental and physical health outcomes. Individuals who possess marginalized identities-such as members of the lgbtq+ community who possess marginalized sexual and gender identities-encounter high rates of discrimination and stigma, which account for experiences of thwarted belonging and disparities in health and well-being. In an increasingly polarized world, workplaces serve as important sources of belonging for their employees; however, members of the lgbtq+ community continue to experience thwarted belonging as many organizations lack the policies and procedures necessary to make lgbtq+ workers feel safe, connected, and included. As a result of organizational cultures often being founded on heteronormative and cisnormative assumptions, lgbtq+ individuals are forced to confront dominant workplace cultures that are unwelcoming. The transformation of the workplace, as precipitated by the covid-19 pandemic, further hinders lgbtq+ workers' pursuit of belonging in the workplace in that IT has led to an increase in burnout and, often, a reduction in the possibilities for work-based social connections. While interventions to promote workplace belonging among lgbtq+ workers would address an important unmet public health need, existing solutions consist of a number of gaps that limit effectiveness and applicability to lgbtq+ workers. The proposed research will employ a participatory design approach to create and examine the acceptability and preliminary effects of bridges: an advanced learning management system and messaging program that will leverage insights from behavior change science to address thwarted belongingness among lgbtq+ workers. Bridges will use proven approaches to behavior change tailoring to increase belongingness through delivering interactive behavior change communications and activities, providing a platform to facilitate sharing of personalized stories and opportunities to engage in ongoing discussions and self-appraisal, and providing actionable tips for addressing belonging within the workplace. The design and development of bridges will be informed by extensive and ongoing end-user input from 12 lgbtq+ worker advisors. One hundred and twenty-nine lgbtq+ workers will be recruited for a 30-day pilot test. Phase i milestones will include: 1) feasibility as evidenced by continued receipt of text messages for the 30-day pilot period and one or more interactions with the online tools by at least 75% of study participants; 2) acceptability of the program, as evidenced by obtaining a minimum rating over 69 on the system usability scale and 75% endorsement that users would recommend to a colleague; and 3) preliminary efficacy as evidenced by improved professional fulfillment.