Leveraging Technology to Enhance Workability in the Healthcare and Welfare Sector: A Participatory Living Lab Approach

Leveraging Technology to Enhance Workability in the Healthcare and Welfare Sector: A Participatory Living Lab Approach | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Leveraging Technology to Enhance Workability in the Healthcare and Welfare Sector: A Participatory Living Lab Approach Femke Drijkoningen, Vicky Van der Auwera, Leen Broeckx, Ingrid Adriaensen, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7508877/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Demographic shifts, an ageing population, increasing chronic illnesses, and other societal challenges are placing growing pressure on the healthcare and welfare sectors in Flanders, Belgium. These trends, compounded by a shortage of qualified personnel, intensify emotional and physical strain, reduce job satisfaction, and threaten the sustainability of care work. As care becomes increasingly complex and interdisciplinary, there is a pressing need for innovative, technology-driven solutions to support workability. Methods This study employed a participatory Living Lab methodology to explore how technology can enhance work conditions across five care sectors: elderly care, disability care, youth care, childcare, and social enterprises for supported employment. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining semi-structured interviews ( n = 38), co-creation workshops ( n = 52), and an online survey ( n = 526). The iterative research design allowed for continuous feedback and refinement of identified needs and technological opportunities. Results Key challenges across sectors include high workload, emotional and physical strain, and administrative burden. Participants identified six relevant categories of care technologies: assistive, ergonomic, activating, relaxing, administrative, and educational tools. These technologies were seen as promising in alleviating strain, improving work organization, and enhancing job satisfaction. Survey results indicated that 79% of respondents were open to adopting technology, contingent upon adequate training, ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and managerial support. Barriers such as time constraints, resistance to change, and limited resources were also noted. Conclusions Tailored technological interventions have strong potential to improve workability in the healthcare and welfare sectors by addressing sector-specific challenges. A collaborative, bottom-up approach involving frontline care workers is essential for successful integration and sustained use of these technologies. Future efforts will focus on the development and evaluation of pilot projects to validate these solutions in practice. Healthcare welfare elderly care disability care youth care childcare technology innovation workability living lab methodology Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 26 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 09 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 07 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 03 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 02 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Sep, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 26 Sep, 2025 Editor invited by journal 07 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 03 Sep, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 03 Sep, 2025 First submitted to journal 01 Sep, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7508877","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":509491350,"identity":"0c0acef3-565e-4fdb-b1f8-f0c9fbe3e260","order_by":0,"name":"Femke 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Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Healthcare, welfare, elderly care, disability care, youth care, childcare, technology, innovation, workability, living lab methodology","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7508877/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7508877/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDemographic shifts, an ageing population, increasing chronic illnesses, and other societal challenges are placing growing pressure on the healthcare and welfare sectors in Flanders, Belgium. These trends, compounded by a shortage of qualified personnel, intensify emotional and physical strain, reduce job satisfaction, and threaten the sustainability of care work. As care becomes increasingly complex and interdisciplinary, there is a pressing need for innovative, technology-driven solutions to support workability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study employed a participatory Living Lab methodology to explore how technology can enhance work conditions across five care sectors: elderly care, disability care, youth care, childcare, and social enterprises for supported employment. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining semi-structured interviews (\u003cem\u003en\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;38), co-creation workshops (\u003cem\u003en\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;52), and an online survey (\u003cem\u003en\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;526). The iterative research design allowed for continuous feedback and refinement of identified needs and technological opportunities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eKey challenges across sectors include high workload, emotional and physical strain, and administrative burden. Participants identified six relevant categories of care technologies: assistive, ergonomic, activating, relaxing, administrative, and educational tools. These technologies were seen as promising in alleviating strain, improving work organization, and enhancing job satisfaction. Survey results indicated that 79% of respondents were open to adopting technology, contingent upon adequate training, ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and managerial support. Barriers such as time constraints, resistance to change, and limited resources were also noted.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusions\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTailored technological interventions have strong potential to improve workability in the healthcare and welfare sectors by addressing sector-specific challenges. A collaborative, bottom-up approach involving frontline care workers is essential for successful integration and sustained use of these technologies. Future efforts will focus on the development and evaluation of pilot projects to validate these solutions in practice.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Leveraging Technology to Enhance Workability in the Healthcare and Welfare Sector: A Participatory Living Lab Approach","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-04 13:32:23","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7508877/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-26T17:33:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-09T14:09:55+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-07T13:27:44+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"30174349768613294329415486404229314988","date":"2025-10-03T07:39:32+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"280244284310668226535942087040994291317","date":"2025-10-02T09:28:12+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"51641929382322237982998019617206188994","date":"2025-10-01T11:10:23+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"309638388903458318821889575277323878679","date":"2025-09-29T11:55:54+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"246470415238229210244629552201972652216","date":"2025-09-29T08:13:30+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-09-26T08:17:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-09-07T19:02:49+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-09-03T07:00:48+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-09-03T06:59:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Health Services Research","date":"2025-09-01T13:12:51+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-health-services-research","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"bhsr","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Health Services Research](http://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/BHSR/default.aspx","title":"BMC Health Services Research","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"9b1e9aa3-706c-48bc-985e-01d33de7a6ec","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 4th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-09-26T08:23:35+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-04 13:32:23","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7508877","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7508877","identity":"rs-7508877","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}