Occupational Stress in Social Services: a Comparison of Social Workers and Home Help Staff

Correspondence to Jennifer Bradley, School of Health Sciences, University College Salford, Frederick Road, Salford M6 6PU. Summary An investigation of occupational stress among professional andsupport staff within a social services department in north-westEngland was carried out, with the aim of optimizing the useof resources in the planning of stress management interventions.A two-phased research design was used to collect qualitative(by interview) and quantitative data (by questionnaire). Theresults reported here are based on data from 63 social workersand 74 home helps, who were involved in ‘front-line’work with clients. Sources of stress, measures of individualwell-being, job satisfaction, rganizational commitment and absenteeismdata are described. Comparisons with other occupational groupsare included.     

Stress: the perceptions of social work lectures in Britain

Summary Stress has been a focus of attention for several years amongvarious professional groups, including social work. However,only limited attention has been given to stress experiencedby academics and even less to social work lecturers. This paperexamines job satisfaction, felt pressure and stress amongstsocial work lecturers in the United Kingdom. It looks at demands,supports and constraints, psychological well-being, the impactof the department and the institution, and changes that mightalleviate stress. The results obtained are compared, where possible,with studies of social workers and, in particular, academicsin general. A 60-item postal questionnaire was sent to all social work lecturersin the United Kingdom; 322 responses were received. Respondentsenjoyed undertaking a wide variety of tasks and apparently receivedvarying amounts of support from their managers. The social worklecturers experienced high levels of job satisfaction and stressscores were similar to those of the general United Kingdom population.But a significant proportion - one quarter - of social worklecturers were suffering from borderline levels of anxiety anddepression. Overall, social work lecturers' responses were morefavourable than the responses of other academics and socialworkers. In common with other research on stress, this studysuggests that pressure and stress should not be seen primarilyas individual problems, but as a product of interactions atteam, department and institutional levels, and at the home/workinterface.     

Job satisfaction and retention of social workers in public agencies, non-profit agencies, and private practice: the impact of workplace conditions and motivators

The authors examine a selected array of agency-influenced work and employment conditions and assess their impact upon social workers' job satisfaction, motivation, and intention to seek new employment. The study makes correlations with past empirical studies on job satisfaction and retention, with staff development concerns as stated in social work administration textbooks, and with conditions subject to administrators' influence. Some specified motivational issues included are salary, fringe benefits, job security, physical surroundings, and safety. The analysis demonstrates the contribution of certain contextual and motivational factors to a prediction of job satisfaction or of intent to leave the organization.     

Effects of Community,Family, and Home Variables on Job Satisfaction

Research in industry has suggested that motivation and job satisfaction are influenced by various aspects of work activity and work environment. Family background and community characteristics have been thought to have some relevance. In the present research an attempt was made to find out: (1) the significance of relevant community variables, (2) the importance of family and home variables, and (3) their intra as well as interaction effects on job satisfaction in industry. Community, family and home variables were found to correlate highly with job satisfaction, particularly those latter factors dealing with the employees' personal life.     

Child welfare workers who are exhausted yet satisfied with their jobs: how do they do it?

In response to a study of Canadian child welfare workers that unexpectedly found participants scoring high on a measure of emotional exhaustion (burnout) and, at the same time, high on overall job satisfaction, this paper reviews research that has investigated these constructs in the social work literature as well as in selected studies from sociology, social psychology, management and women’s studies. The review reveals that some previous studies also report the coexistence of high levels of emotional exhaustion and strong job satisfaction in child welfare and social worker samples. Several studies have suggested that individual characteristics, including finding reward in helping others, having a commitment to the mandate of child welfare and believing that one’s labour is ‘making a difference’, contribute to satisfaction with child welfare work in spite of work overload and emotional exhaustion. Attributions regarding causes of exhaustion, coping strategies and goal orientation may also attenuate the expected negative effects of emotional exhaustion. Considerable evidence supports the positive influence of variables organizational managers can control, including job autonomy, supportive supervisors, workload, promotional opportunities and perception of personal safety. The degree to which this phenomenon is associated with female socialization and the ‘ethic of care’ underlying social work is discussed. Implications for child welfare research, practice and policy are offered.     

Job satisfaction and ‘welfare‐to‐work‘: is any job a good job for Australian single mothers?

This exploratory study sought to assess the job satisfaction of employed Australian single mothers who had mandatory employment participation requirements. In particular, we sought to identify the characteristics of the job and the individual that were closely associated with participant's job satisfaction. Self‐report data on job satisfaction, employment characteristics and parenting stress were collected from 155 employed single mothers. Participant job satisfaction was compared to female Australian population norms and linear regression analyses determined the job‐related and individual predictors of single mothers' job satisfaction. Findings from this exploratory study revealed that single mothers involved in a mandatory welfare‐to‐work program experienced significantly lower job satisfaction than the Australian female population. The individual variable, parental distress, negatively predicted each of the six job satisfaction domains while being employed on a casual basis was inversely associated with three domains (job security, work hours and overall job satisfaction). The Australian government purported that making the transition from welfare to work would improve wellbeing for program participants, under the assumption that ‘any job's a good job‘. However, the relatively low levels of job satisfaction experienced by single mothers in the current study provide little support for this assumption.     

A further examination of antecedents of correctional staff life satisfaction

Working in corrections is not only a demanding job, but a socially important one. While a growing number of studies have examined how the work environment impacts the job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment of staff, very few studies have examined how working in corrections impacts the life satisfaction of workers. The current study utilized OLS regression to examine the antecedents of life satisfaction among staff at a Midwestern private prison. Job satisfaction had a positive relationship with life satisfaction, while age, work on family conflict, family on work conflict, and job involvement all had statistically significant negative effects. Finally, perceptions of the level of financial rewards, job stress, organizational commitment, gender, race, educational level, tenure, supervisory status, position, marital status, and having children, all had non-significant associations with overall satisfaction with life.     

Does job satisfaction mediate the relationship between work–family conflict and psychological strain? A study of Australian social workers

The present study investigated the mediating effects of job satisfaction on the relationship between work–family conflict and psychological strain among Australian social workers. Data for the study were collected by an online survey of the membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers, yielding 439 usable responses. The results provide evidence that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict and psychological strain. These findings contribute significantly to the social work literature on work–family interface and confirm the importance of developing and targeting not only strategies that aim to reduce work–family conflict, but also those that aim to increase job satisfaction among social workers.     

北京市机关青年工作满意度与价值观的相关性研究

关于此课题的研究目的:调查机关青年工作满意度基本状况及其与价值观的相关关系。研究方法:采用分层抽样方法对机关青年的工作满意度和价值观进行问卷调查。结果表明:机关青年总体工作满意度水平为中等,工作要素中最为满意的是工作环境,最不满意的是工作特征,影响工作满意度的最主要因素是自我能力的发挥和发展相关的要素、工作的物质收获因素。     

Stress and Coping in Social Workers: A Preliminary Investigation

Correspondence to Dr Paul Bennett, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff, P.O. Box 901, Cardiff CF1 3YG. Summary Three groups of social workers (child, adult mental health orhandicap, elderly or physical handicap) completed a questionnaireexamining sources of stress, coping strategies, and stress outcomes(e.g. anxiety, depression). All respondents reported high levelsof stress, although stress resulting from factors intrinsicto the job, relationships with other people, and from the organizationalstructure were greatest among childcare workers. In addition,these workers reported greater emotional involvement with theirclients and higher levels of general anxiety and depression,as well as job related mental distress. The implications ofthese findings are discussed in relation to training, job designand support of social workers.     

Sources of social support,job satisfaction,and quality of life among childcare teachers

Although literature has suggested a link between social support and well-being, relatively little research has examined the association of social support with job satisfaction and quality of life for employees. This study aimed to investigate whether and how different sources of social support influenced quality of life in conjunction with job satisfaction among teachers. Two-hundred and eighty-one childcare teachers in Korea completed measures of social support, job satisfaction, and quality of life. The results revealed that while director and colleague support predicted job satisfaction, director and family support predicted quality of life after controlling for age and marital status. Furthermore, results showed that job satisfaction mediated the relationship between director support and quality of life. The findings suggest the protecting role of different sources of social support in teachers’ job experience and evaluation of life domains. Suggestions for future research and implications for improving childcare teachers’ quality of life are discussed.     

The effect of characteristics of human service workers on subsequent morale and turnover

The authors examine the relationship of sociopsychological characteristics of human services workers to their subsequent morale and continuance on the job. Eighty-two intensive case managers (half of them social workers) who had caseloads of clients with severe mental disorders were invited to participate in a four-wave panel study. Explored are the relationships between 16 predictors (general background, prior work experience and training, and social psychological variables) and worker outcomes (beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, and turnover). The major finding was that better personal well-being at the time of hiring was the most consistent and significant predictor of lower burnout, higher job satisfaction, and generally higher worker morale at later points in time. Those from higher social class backgrounds and those with lower starting salaries were more likely to leave the job. Those workers with more experience had a tendency to perceive greater client improvement.     

Job stress,daily stress,and depressive symptoms among low-wage workers in Korea: the role of resilience

This study examined the effects of job stress and daily stress on depressive symptoms and the role of resilience as a moderator among low-wage workers in South Korea. Using purposive sampling, we analysed 254 low-wage workers of private-sector organisations in Seoul and Gyeong-gi province. Results indicated that age, self-rated health, job stress, and daily stress were significant predictors of depressive symptoms, and the moderating effect of resilience was significant only for the relationship between daily stress and depressive symptoms. Findings suggest the significance of using different approaches to manage job stress and daily stress, which in turn will affect low-wage workers’ mental health.     

The interaction effects of scheduling control and work–life balance programs on job satisfaction and mental health

Jang SJ, Park R, Zippay A. The interaction effects of scheduling control and work–life balance programs on job satisfaction and mental health Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: 135–143 © 2010 The Author(s), International Journal of Social Welfare © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and International Journal of Social Welfare. The demands of balancing employment and family responsibilities strain the health and welfare of many employees worldwide, and social welfare policy analysts are increasingly attending to the factors that can alleviate such stress. The present study examined associations between the availability of work–life balance programs, employees' authority to arrange their own work hours, job satisfaction, and mental health among 1,293 employees in 50 companies in South Korea. The study is unique in its use of multilevel analysis in examining individual‐ and company‐level variables. The results add to the evidence regarding the positive relationship between the availability of scheduling control and work–life balance policies on the one hand, and job satisfaction and mental wellbeing, on the other.     

Women and Work: An Attitudinal Study

While much has been written about the increasing rate of female participation in the workforce, Australian research has seldom explored the motivation of women to remain at work after marriage or return to the workplace after their responsibilities have declined. The results of a survey of 150 women in an outer Melbourne suburb highlight the complex nature of women's attitudes towards work, which vary with employment status, occupational background and age. Although only the latter was found to be statistically significant, the former were also shown to be influential. Furthermore, while economic necessity emerged as the dominant factor in motivating women to work, the need for social contact and the nature of the job itself were also of importance.     

College Based Placement Co-ordinators in the United Kingdom: Their Perceptions of Stress

Placement co-ordinators on college-based social work courseshave a demanding task, liaising with students, tutors and agencytraining sections in order to provide appropriate practice learningopportunities. They cope with long established limitations onthe quantity and quality of placements. Therefore, the rolewould appear to be a stressful one. This research examines jobsatisfaction, pressure and constraints, psychological well-being,the impact of the host institution, and some changes that mightalleviate stress. A postal questionnaire was sent to all placementco-ordinators on college-based social work courses in the UK.The findings indicated that small numbers of placement co-ordinatorsexperienced high levels of stress to the point of sufferingfrom ‘borderline’ anxiety and depression. Stressscores for placement co-ordinators as a whole, however, werelower than those of the general UK population. The co-ordinatorsenjoyed considerable autonomy and a reasonable amount of support.Generally, they had positive attitudes towards the institutionswhere they worked. Males tended to emphasize the importanceof the institutional context rather than females. However, aroundhalf of the placement co-ordinators had considered giving uptheir posts; only about a quarter liked their work. Respondentsenjoyed only limited job satisfaction, felt pressurized, subjectto excessive demands and were ambivalent in attitudes aboutmanagers, colleagues, students and practice teachers.     

Romantic Relationships,Relationship Styles,Coping Strategies,and Psychological Distress among Chinese and Australian Young Adults

This study examined the association between relationship styles, coping strategies, and psychological distress among 144 Anglo‐Australian and 250 Hong Kong Chinese undergraduate students. The results indicated that relationship styles (secure, clingy, and fickle) influenced psychological distress through their association with coping strategies (avoidance and self‐punishment). Society of residence was a moderating factor for the association between clingy relationship style and psychological distress. Females also reported higher levels of psychological distress than males. Among participants who had experienced a romantic relationship break up, participants endorsing clingy relationship style and those whose partners initiated the break up expressed more hurt in comparison, whereas those who endorsed avoidance strategy reported less hurt. The results of the present study also suggested that psychosocial variables (relationship styles, coping strategies) were generally more important than demographic factors (e.g., age) in predicting mental health outcomes. However, relationship styles and coping strategies may operate differently under different contexts.     

Modeling perceived job productivity and its antecedents considering gender as a moderator

This study proposes a conceptual model for examining the formation of perceived job productivity and its antecedents. In the model, leader–member exchange and job satisfaction both directly and indirectly influence perceived job productivity, with the latter effect occurring through the mediation of organizational commitment. Gender moderates each model path. The moderating effects are simultaneously tested using data from 344 engineering staff of a large Taiwanese high-tech manufacturer. Lastly, the empirical findings and their implications are discussed.     

The Role of Assertiveness in Clarifying Roles and Strengthening Job Satisfaction of Social Workers in Multidisciplinary Mental Health Settings

Correspondence to Dr Claire Rabin, Tel Aviv University, Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Ramat Aviv, 69 978, Tel Aviv, POB 390470, Israel. Summary Eighty-seven social workers, working in nine different mentalhealth settings, were administered four questionnaires tappingthe following variables: assertiveness in daily life; assertivenessin the job setting; role clarity; and job satisfaction. Stepwiseregression analysis showed assertiveness in the job settingto be strongly correlated with role clarity. Assertiveness indaily life was also significantly correlated with role clarity.Assertiveness in the work setting was significantly correlatedwith job satisfaction, although it was riot as powerful a predictorof satisfaction as of role clarity. Number of years of job experiencewas the most powerful predictor of job satisfaction. The implications for social work training and supervision aredescribed in light of the importance of assertive communicationin maintaining job clarity and job satisfaction within multidisciplinarysettings.