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Adventures in Social Work in Business EnvironmentsA USC SSW
Faculty WebinarDr. Beverly Younger, PhD, LCSWClinical Associate
ProfessorChair, Social Work & Business in a Global Society
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IntroductionMy personal experiences as a young worker formed my
understanding of work environments and needsCreated a vision for my
role
Early 20s dropped out of college to find myself Worked numerous
jobs to pay rent, including waitressing, office work, even driving
a coffee truck around to factories Heard many stories from
employees on coffee breakListened to their struggles and hopes and
dreamsMost were burned out with their work, including the
managersHad limited expectations 2
AssumptionsPeople and environments are interdependentWork
environments impact personal well-beingIndividuals impact work
environmentsPeople and environments are continuums, from well
(positive) to unhealthy or stressed (negative)The work process and
organizations are on the same continuumThe environment, nature of
work and reactions are alterable
Over the years, I learned certain truths or assumptions that
laid the foundation for my work3
Social Workers & the WorkplaceSocial workers have always
created systemic change at the intersection of employers,
individuals, families and communities to promote social justice
Jane Addams, settlement houses, teaching immigrants how to
surviveFlorence Kelley, first Chief Factory Inspector to enforce
new labor laws to protect women and children, led eventually to
employment laws and conditions we have today4
Social Work & Business in a Global SocietyUSCs School of
Social Work ConcentrationBecome an organizational practitioner
utilizing skills in micro, mezzo and macro interventions To empower
and sustain employees and their families, work groups, and
organizationsTo promote positive well-being and equity for
employees, organizations and their communities
Bringing a humane approach and social work values Into the
workplace
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Micro System Social Work Social work interventions with
individual clients and families
Focused on individual or family problems in the context of the
environment
- EAPs, managed behavioral healthcare, private practice,
disability management, coaching Picked a case with a work
environment focus, as an embedded social worker inside, yet could
be an external role29 y/o, A.A. female, single, one child, urban
environment, factory worker, passionate but traumatized, unsure of
options Her needs; what she wanted - Environment culture, policies,
limitations - what I could give little that helpedWhat do we do
when the system does not provide solutions?6
Mezzo System Social WorkSocial work interventions with groups,
teams or work unitsFocused on internal group problems or problems
between groups in the context of the environment
EAPs, Organizational Development, training, conflict resolution,
critical incident response, team development, facilitation,
planningWorkplace conflict that literally shut down a department;
university department, private, religious institution, 10 member
department, disagreement in core work practices between two faculty
members, based on intrinsic identity conflict (whom am I ?) and
perceived attack INTRACTABLE Interventions individual level
assessments with trauma like interventions, education, management
consultation to set limits, group training intervention, conflict
mediation for two individuals, organizational recommendations and
resolutionWhy a social worker first need knowledge of systems,
knowledge of human behavior in groups, intervention process, values
for change, rights, balance7
Macro System Social WorkEmpowering and changing the organization
as a whole
Altering the organizational environment to create positive micro
and mezzo realities
Organizational Development done in some EAPs, other consulting
work, some internal in Human Resources but it is a specialty, - I
was a consultant with state DHS, brought in to address several
problems: Little to no existing structure, confused chain of
command, policies or proceduresHigh conflict, distrust, low morale,
politicization of leadership could not fix the latter; outside my
control, mirrored problems backCreated Integrated Prevention
Framework collaborative network model applied internally and
externally Defined structure (like family rules, roles),
Communication teams across SILOes North/South culture created
structure for personal and group empowerment; successful, but
department collapsed in another
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Macro System Social Work and Communities
Empowering and changing the organization and its relationship
with its community or environmentCreating relationships through
integrated programs that emphasize social responsibility
Often done under the name of Corporate Social Responsibility or
Sustainability (emphasis on environments), but can also be part of
Corporate Community Development or Corporate Foundations or
GivingRapidly expanding area, no set professional field involved,
social workers active and best prepared, need knowledge of systems
and programs Working with a large technology manufacturer, creating
a DV prevention program, for their worksites across the country.
-Program purposely linked DV agencies by my design with the
worksite facilities, creating relationships between shelters, DV
professionals and employers Encouraged Facilities to do volunteer
drives, to support shelters; One manager wanted to start her own DV
shelter, did it as part of program, gaining contributions.9
The Desert Rose Foundation Lives On!
- Employer outsourced the factory, but the non-profit
organization bloomed and continues as a full domestic violence
service centerCONCLUSION the work is hard, the results not a given;
Some efforts do not take rootIn the U.S., we have a strong
foundation for creating better policies and environmentsWe can
share this with the world, We can also improve our environments
moving into Organizations with Well-being at their foundation and
in their relationships with their partners and communities10
Questions?
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