IFSW Presentation: Global Research on Working Conditions in Social Work

Description

Social workers play a vital role in the lives of some of the most vulnerable people
around the world. However, evidence increasingly shows that social workers across the world are exposed to chronically difficult working conditions. This study seeks to outline the influence of working conditions on well-being of social workers worldwide, and compare whether working conditions and well-being changed across a three-year period via a two-phase cross-sectional survey. The survey aimed to measure these working conditions and well-being at a national level across the world. Results demonstrated significant differences in six of seven conditions measured, with each of demands, control, role understanding, change communication and psychological well-being worsening across time. These changes were particularly mirrored in European social workers. However, North American social work respondents saw improvements in role understanding and relationships with colleagues. Policy makers, professional
organisations and employers need to pay attention to these findings and consider methods to be undertaken which can improve on these findings, because without improvements we will see declining working conditions and well-being in the sector, with all of the knock-on effects on vulnerable individuals and families that go along with the decline

Period	9 Apr 2025
Degree of Recognition	International