En kvalitativ studie om socialsekreterares arbetsförhållanden och upplevelser av stress i arbetet

Sammanfattning

This qualitative study has examined the experiences of work-related stress among Swedish social workers working in human-service organizations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the working conditions of social workers and how these impact their experiences of stress at the workplace. The purpose was also to identify preventative measures for work-related stress. The study uses a qualitative approach. In total, six qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with professional social workers who work within a range of specialities within three municipalities in Southern Sweden. Non-random sampling was used. The empirical results were then analyzed using Karasek and Theorell's demand- control- support model, Lipsky's theory on street-level bureaucracy with a focus on the theoretical concept of professional discretion, and Hasenfeld's perspective on New Public Management in human service organizations. The results of this study indicate that how social workers are affected by their working conditions depends on various factors, such as emotional demands and stresses, the unpredictable nature of the work, demanding client work, excessive documentation, and laws. Due to these factors, social workers experience a high workload, which contributes to a lack of control in their work which negatively affects their work performance. Furthermore, the study highlights that access to social support from colleagues and managers, professional supervision, and supportive leadership are preventative measures that help social workers to handle stress at the workplace.