Before Your Organization's Next Connection Program: Diagnose First
Psychology Today
by Hans Rocha IJzerman Ph.D.February 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Organizations often invest in connection programs like empathy training or wellness initiatives without first identifying the root causes of disconnection among employees. This oversight leads to ineffective outcomes, wasted resources, and growing distrust between employees and leadership. The issue lies not in poor execution but in poor problem selection: many programs fail because they address symptoms rather than underlying structural, team-level, or individual challenges.
The article introduces a three-level diagnostic framework based on research by Burke and Litwin, focusing on structural, interpersonal, and individual factors. Structural issues—like workload distribution, hybrid policy design, and role clarity—can create barriers to meaningful interaction. If these conditions are not addressed first, no amount of team programming or individual support can fix the disconnect. For example, unequal access to leadership due to hybrid policies is a structural problem that requires systemic solutions.
At the interpersonal level, communication styles, team dynamics, and manager behaviors play a critical role in fostering connection. A manager who discourages employees from seeking help creates a team-level disconnection that needs tailored interventions. Finally, individual struggles—such as adapting to major life changes—affect belonging and engagement but require different approaches altogether.
The article emphasizes the importance of diagnosing before designing any intervention. Misaligned solutions can reinforce systemic issues by shifting responsibility onto individuals rather than addressing root causes. For instance, encouraging employees to build personal resilience in response to structural overload only adds pressure on those least able to handle it.
This approach matters for health because disconnection directly impacts mental and physical well-being. Organizations that skip the diagnostic step risk not only wasting resources but also harming employee health by perpetuating conditions that lead to burnout, disengagement, and high turnover. Effective connection programs must be embedded into daily work rhythms rather than added as one-off campaigns.
By prioritizing diagnosis, organizations can design interventions
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Originally published on Psychology Today on 2/24/2026