Every day, social workers strive to safeguard the wellbeing of their clients. In fulfilling their mandate, they rely on a set of essential skills and competencies. Leveraging these skills, they are able to ensure that no client goes without all their needs met. However, it is important to note that the social work profession presents challenges. To address these challenges, practitioners need to demonstrate leadership and recognize the importance of supervision. An action plan which captures the essence of leadership and supervision is among the critical tools that facilitate allow social workers to fulfill their mandate.
As noted above, an action plan allows social workers to perform their duties. The plan is comprised of goals and objectives that the social workers strive to accomplish as they seek to enhance the quality of care that they deliver to their clients. In developing the goals and objectives, the social workers should be guided by the SMART principles. Essentially, these principles challenge individuals to ensure that their objectives are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound. In the following sections, an overview of the key objectives and goals that will be pursued as part of efforts to enhance competence and service delivery is provided.
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Developing effective organizational and interpersonal communication skills
The importance of communication skills cannot be overstated. By exploiting these skills, social workers are able to determine and respond appropriately to the needs of their clients (Beesley, Watts & Harrison, 2017). Combined with effective organizational skills, interpersonal communication competence makes it possible for social workers to consolidate resources and respond effectively to wants and desires of clients. The main goals that will be pursued in a bid to improve these skills include embracing transparency and establishing channels for open communication. To accomplish the goal of transparency, more specific objectives will be pursued. These objectives are responding to all client concerns promptly and documenting interactions with clients and allowing the documentation to be scrutinized. The specific objectives that will accompany the goal of opening up communication channels are providing clients with more avenues for communication such as mobile and social media, and eliminating the hurdles that make it difficult for unhindered communication to occur. Client feedback and changes in the amount and intensity of communication are the primary metrics that will be used to determine if the four objectives have been achieved. If the clients confirm that it has become easier to communicate and the organizational processes run smoothly, it will be concluded that the objectives have indeed been accomplished.
Managing time and tasks effectively
Time management is among the essential skills that social workers should possess. Using this skill, the practitioners are able to operate efficiently, minimize waste and fully attend to the needs of clients (Zastrow, 2008). Minimizing time wastage and preventing delays are the main goals that will be pursued. To keep time wastage at minimal levels, a schedule that breaks down tasks and the time within which they must be completed will be developed. Another specific objective that will form part of the goal of minimizing time wastage is eliminating time wasters like focusing on needless and unhelpful tasks. If they are to attain their set goals, social workers need to measure progress. The metrics used to establish if the objectives and goals have led to improved management of tasks and time include the time taken to complete particular tasks and the length of client wait times. A reduction in the time required to complete tasks and shorter wait times will serve as indications that the goals and objectives have been accomplished.
Managing different personalities
Social work brings together individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. If proper management practices are not instituted to ensure that the different individuals work together harmoniously, conflicts may arise. Establishing a culture of respect is one of the goals that allow for the effective management of different personalities. To achieve this goal, a number of specific objectives will be implemented. These objectives include developing a professional code of conduct that all social workers are required to follow, and setting up a dispute resolution body. In appendix 1, a sample of the professional code of conduct is provided. It is hoped that by complying with the provisions of this code, the social workers will contribute to the development of an atmosphere where all practitioners feel respected and valued. A reduction in the number and severity of conflicts among social workers and the creation of an environment where the social workers are able to engage in healthy, warm and productive interactions will be used as metrics to determine how effective these objectives have been in facilitating the management of different personalities. Another goal that will be used to manage the different personalities involves promoting teamwork and collaboration. Challenging the social workers to work together on assignments and providing opportunities for teambuilding are among the specific objectives that will accompany this goal. If the implementation of these goals results in improved relationships among the workers and enhanced task completion, there will be a basis to conclude that the objectives and goals have been accomplished and that they have had the desired effect.
Hiring, disciplinary action, and termination
How an organization treats its employees is among the factors that shape the level of success that it achieves. The hiring, disciplinary action and termination processes that an organization adopts also determine the level of employee dedication, productivity and performance (Shields, 2007). Ensuring transparency and fairness is among the goals whose accomplishment will lead to massive improvements in hiring, disciplinary action and termination. To attain this goal, among the specific objectives that will be executed include setting up an independent body that is charged with the management of employee affairs. Additionally, to achieve fairness and promote transparency, employee feedback will be sought before any major decisions are made. The metrics that will be used to determine the effectiveness of these objectives are employee productivity and feedback. If such measures of employee productivity as sales revenue register an increase, the goals will have proven effective. Furthermore, positive feedback from the employees will also serve as confirmation that the organization has achieved fairness and transparency in its human resource management practices. The second goal that will be effected is attracting the best talent. It has been shown that the level of employee competence and talent determines the success of an organization. In order to fuel organizational growth by attracting talented employees, focus will be given to creating a competitive compensation package and disciplining errant employees fairly and decisively. The number of applicants that the organization attracts after announcing a vacancy and the level of satisfaction that the social workers express regarding the compensation package and the disciplinary processes are the main metrics that will be employed in assessing the effectiveness of these objectives.
Developing and managing employee performance evaluations
The importance of performance evaluations cannot be overstated. These evaluations are understood to motivate employees to improve their performance while challenging organizations to provide incentives which encourage productivity and dedication. To develop and manage employee performance evaluations, the main goals that the organization will implement include establishing benchmarks and developing incentives. Consulting other firms involved in the provision of social work services regarding how they conduct performance evaluations is one of the specific objectives that will be pursued as part of efforts to establish benchmarks. Another objective involves engaging the employees about their expectations, challenges and aspirations. This engagement will allow for the development of fair benchmarks and standards to be conducted effectively. As part of the development of incentives, consultations with employees will be held and a performance-based compensation system adopted. Research has indicated that performance-based reward approaches motivate employees to work even harder, resulting in improved organizational performance (Ntim et al., 2013). In an effort to determine the effectiveness of the stated objectives, employee performance, sentiment and commitment levels will be used as metrics. They will shed light on the impact that the performance-based reward system and consultations have had on employee dedication to their roles and the organization.
Maintaining ethics, confidentiality, and liability
Banks (2012) is among the scholars who have acknowledged that ethical conduct is among the key foundational elements of social work. By acting ethically, social workers protect the integrity of the profession and encourage clients to remain confident in social workers. Confidentiality and liability are among the ethical values that cement the position of social work as a profession that is dedicated to human welfare. In order to maintain ethics, confidentiality and liability, various goals will be implemented. One of these goals is according patient information utmost confidentiality. To achieve this goal, security protocols will be implemented with the aim of restricting unauthorized access to sensitive and highly personal client information. Another objective that will allow for the achievement of this goal is training. All the social workers will be trained on appropriate security approaches and the importance of respecting client confidentiality and limiting liability. The second goal whose attainment will result in improved maintenance of ethics, liability and confidentiality is minimizing the incidences of ethics violations. In their text, Reamer and Nimmagadda (2017) remind social workers of the importance of complying with ethical guidelines and caution them against violations. When they breach the guidelines, social workers essentially erode public trust in the profession. To promote compliance, punitive measures imposed on violators will be adopted. Another objective that will form part of the goal to encourage compliance is creating a code of ethical conduct. A sample of this code is provided in appendix 2. The primary metrics employed in evaluating the effectiveness of all the goals concerned with the maintenance of ethics, confidentiality and liability will be the number of cases involving violations of the code of ethical conduct and security breaches. When the organization reports near-zero levels of breaches and violations, this will be regarded as a success.
Practicing self-care, personal reflection, and self-correction
Burnout is among the problems that have been blamed for lower productivity and poor outcomes among social workers (Kim, Ji & Kao, 2011). Self-correction, personal reflection and self-care are among the remedies that hold the key to tackling burnout (Corcoran & Roberts, 2015). Achieving work-life balance and promoting accountability among social workers are some of the main goals that will be pursued with the aim of encouraging practitioners to invest in self-care, personal reflection and self-correction. So as to attain work-life balance, reduction in work hours and engagement in recreational and social pursuits are among the specific objectives that will be implemented. Metrics used to assess the effectiveness of these objectives include the number of hours that social workers are engaged in work-related activities and the incidences of fatigue. If it is determined that the social workers are spending more time with their friends and families and are not burdened by the demands of their job, the specific objectives will have proven effective. As part of the initiative to promote accountability, the social workers will be encouraged to pursue such objectives as turning to their colleagues for support and issuing suggestions regarding the improvements that can be made to improve the wellbeing of the social workers. These goals will be evaluated using the metric of employee sentiment. An overall satisfaction with the changes introduced as part of the implementation of the objectives will be clear evidence of the effectiveness of these objectives.
Planning for professional development
Lifelong learning has been identified as one of the basic components of effective social work (Nissen et al., 2014). When they embrace education, social workers enhance their skills while expanding their knowledge base. It is therefore vital for organizations to plan for professional development. This planning should be guided by clear goals. Among these goals are the establishment of structures, processes and procedures that will guide the professional development initiative, and setting aside the funding and resources needed to implement the initiative fully. To develop the structures, procedures and processes, an inter-professional team will be set up and charged with the responsibility of planning for professional development. Another objective will involve consulting such organizations as the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) regarding the effective implementation of professional development programs. To obtain funding for the programs, budget cuts for non-critical functions and the expansion of the sources of funding are some of the specific objectives that will be effected. The amount raised, the level of support received from NASW and the relevant policies and guidelines that are adopted will function as the metrics for evaluating the implementation of the specific objectives and general goals.
Developing and managing an effective organizational culture and environment
According to such scholars as Shahzad (2014), there is a direct relationship between organizational culture and employee performance and engagement. This insight underscores the need for organizations to ensure that the workplace culture and environment fuels employee engagement and productivity. Among the goals whose implementation promises to lead to the creation of a positive culture and environment is ridding the workplace of toxic components and hazards. The specific objectives aligned with this goal are terminating employees with a corrupting influence and ensuring workplace safety by removing dangerous substances and items. Safety reports and employee sentiment will be relied on to evaluate the impact of these goals. For example, if the safety reports show that fewer injuries have been recorded, it will be concluded that the workplace culture and environment allows employees to flourish. Positive sentiment from employees will lend further support to this conclusion. Creating a culture of collaboration, trust and teamwork is another goal that will enable the organization to become more effective. Encouraging employees to join forces in handling tasks, adopting an open office layout and resolving disputes amicably are the specific objectives that will yield an effective workplace environment. The effectiveness of these objectives will be measured using employee productivity metrics such as sales revenue.
Integrating current leadership and technology changes occurring in the profession that create systemic changes toward sustainability
According to the NASW, technology is playing an increasingly important role in social work (“NASW, ASWB”, 2003). Case management, support and counseling are some of the social work functions that have benefited from the adoption of technology. As they incorporate leadership changes into their work, it is also critical for social workers to make technology an integral component of their operations. There are various goals that can be pursued as social workers seek to embrace technology and leadership changes. Research-based practice is one of the goals that can be implemented so as to achieve sustainability through the adoption of leadership and technology changes. This attainment of this goal will be made possible by the pursuit of other smaller and more specific objectives. These objectives include setting up a task-force mandated to scour literature for research insights. Another objective is challenging social workers to become involved in conducting research. The volume of literature and the amount of research conducted will be used to gauge the effectiveness of these objectives. The second major goal that will be pursued concerns leadership development. Investments will be made in programs that enhance the leadership competencies of social workers. Succession planning and the development of mentorship programs are the specific objectives to which effort will be committed. These initiatives will ensure that the organization’s employees are prepared to take up leadership roles and tackle the challenges that the organization faces. In an effort to determine the impact of these objectives, the number of new leaders who have emerged from the succession planning and mentorship programs will be established and taken as indication of the success of the programs.
Training supervisees on the effective use of technology in the delivery of social services
Above, the role that technology plays in social work has been acknowledged. If the social work profession is to witness the full benefits of technology, it is important to conduct training. The training should be aimed at sensitizing supervises on how they can use technology to offer quality social services. Replacing outdated approaches and technologies is one of the goals that will facilitate the training of the supervisees. By replacing old technologies with new ones, the supervisees will be forced to update their skills and knowledge. Some of the objectives that will accompany the replacement of the old technologies include finding vendors to supply the new technologies and seeking funding for the training program. The second goal is concerned with the design of appropriate and effective training programs. This goal will be achieved by enlisting the services of third party training agencies and securing full support from all the supervisees. Without their support, it will be nearly impossible to run the training initiative smoothly. The metrics used to assess all the goals and objectives include feedback from the supervisees, the degree to which technology is adopted and the impact of technology on service delivery.
In conclusion, from the action plan, it is clear that the mandate of social workers is indeed complex. There are numerous strategies, programs and interventions that should be adopted to enhance the competence of social workers. Organizations must invest in education, recruitment, and the establishment of cultures that promote healthy inter-personal interactions. Furthermore, it is essential for organizations to embrace technology and plan for professional development. Individual social workers should remember that they also have a personal obligation to bolster their competence and readiness for the challenges of tomorrow. As they collaborate with their organizations, social workers contribute to the overall growth of the profession.
References
Banks, S. (2012). Ethics and values in social work. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Beesley, P., Watts, M., & Harrison, M. (2017). Developing your communication skills in social work. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Corcoran, K., & Roberts, A. R. (2015). Social workers’ desk reference. Oxford: Oxford UP.
Kim, H., Ji, J., & Kao, D. (2011). Burnout and physical health among social workers: a three-year longitudinal study. Social Work, 56 (3), 258-268.
NASW, ASWB, CSWE, & CSWA standards for technology in social work practice. (2003). Social Workers. Retrieved March 8, 2019 from https://www.socialworkers.org/includes/newIncludes/homepage/PRA-BRO-33617.TechStandards_FINAL_POSTING.pdf
Nissen, L., Pendell, K., Jivanjee, P., & Goodluck, C. (2014). Lifelong learning in social work education: a review of the literature and implications for the future. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 34 (4), 384-400.
Ntim, C. G., Lindop, S., Osei, K. A., & Thomas, D. A. (2013). Executive compensation, corporate governance and corporate performance: a simultaneous equation approach. Managerial and Decision Economics, 36 (2), 67-96.
Reamer, F., & Nimmagadda, J. (2017). Social work ethics in India: A call for the development of indigenized ethical standards. International Social Work, 60 (1), 182-195.
Shahzad, F. (2014). Impact of organizational culture on employees’ job performance: An empirical study of software houses in Pakistan. International Journal of Commerce and Management, 24 (3), 219-27.
Shields, J. (2007). Managing employee performance and reward: concepts, practices, strategies. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
Zastrow, C. (2008). Social work with groups: a comprehensive workbook. Boston: Cengage.
Appendices
Appendix 1: Professional code of conduct
This code has been developed as part of the organizations efforts to promote respect and cordial relations. All practitioners are expected to comply fully with the provisions below:
No abusive language should be used in any interaction with colleagues and clients
Practitioners must display respect when dealing with colleagues
Any disagreements or disputes should be resolved peacefully
The practitioners should appeal to the dispute resolution board for help resolving major conflicts
Practitioners are to dress in a manner that accords respect to their colleagues, the workplace and the social work profession.
Appendix 2: Code of Ethics
In their interactions with colleagues and clients, social work practitioners should be guided by the following values:
Integrity
Respect for confidentiality
Accountability
Social justice
Client dignity
Competence
