News Update
Eidos partner ProChange Behavior Solutions has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). The $300,000 grant will fund a project to enhance social belonging in the workplace for LGBTQ+ individuals. Eidos will collaborate closely with ProChange on the project, tentatively titled Bridges, to develop and evaluate an advanced Learning Management System and messaging program that leverages insights from behavior change science.
To ensure Bridges meets the diverse needs of LGBTQ+ workers, Eidos will join ProChange in harnessing the power of co-creation by actively involving members of the LGBTQ+ community in the design and development process. We are excited to partner with ProChange to address the challenges of workplace belonging by developing evidence-based and community-informed solutions.
The Problem
This study is poised to address a critical need in the LGBTQ+ community. Approximately 50% of LGBTQ+ workers experience some form of workplace discrimination or harassment due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. This includes being fired, being denied a promotion, having work hours cut, or experiencing verbal, physical, or sexual harassment. Considering about one-third of our lives are spent at work and that health insurance access is largely tied to employment in the U.S., workplace equity and belonging are crucial for supporting LGBTQ+ health. Being unemployed or underemployed due to lack of workplace belonging can lead to adverse mental and physical health outcomes, contributing to health disparities in the LGBTQ+ community.
Many organizations lack the necessary policies and procedures to ensure LGBTQ+ workers feel safe, connected, and included. While significant work has begun in the area of workplace belonging, including the use of equity audits by human resource departments, addressing major gaps in existing research and practice remains a pressing need.
“Marginalization and discrimination continue to negatively impact the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ people, including in the workplace. LGBTQ+ employees are more likely to experience discrimination, harassment, work-related stress, and burnout. Eidos is thrilled to be partnering with ProChange to tackle these challenges by developing evidence-based and community-informed solutions to promote workplace belonging,” said James Wolfe, Senior Innovation Manager of the Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative and University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing’s project manager for the grant.
The Solution
With this grant, ProChange will be able to leverage behavior change science to deliver personalized behavior change communications and activities aimed at increasing belonging in the workplace at the individual level. This initiative not only meets an important unmet public health need but also has the potential to revolutionize company-sponsored wellness programs. To learn more about the landscape of LGBTQ+ health and belonging, check out Eidos latest report, Better Together: LGBTQ+ Health and Social Connection, or watch our webinar Connecting Conversations: A Call to Action for Workplace Belonging.
This project is supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R43MD019197. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.